THE town of Tuba is set to strengthen more personality development and empowerment of volunteer and all frontline workers who address cases of Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC).
With Tuba and Buguias having the most number of rape cases recorded by the Provincial Social and Welfare Development Office (PSWDO), Councilor Joshelle Ruth Bancilo said they have allotted additional P500,000 to address the front line services for women and children from the original budget of P3 million.
"We have increased the budget to empower the front line services in the municipality in cases of consultations for victims and families to be addressed," said Bancilo, who is also the chairperson on committee on laws, rules and regulations and children's welfare.
Increasing human workforce with trainings to serve cases, consultations, giving prior lectures continues with frontliners including teachers and government workers to address cases of violence against women and children.
"The municipality's ordinance institutionalizing VAWC desks to be funded annually is currently set on its second reading," Bancilo added.
One VAWC desk is eyed for all the 13 barangays of the town wherein barangay health workers, children desk workers, tanods (village watchmen), barangay officials undergo VAWC trainings.
"We already have so many laws, that's why we are not really on creating more, we are to implement, straighten implementing rules and regulations tied up on the different offices," said Bancilo.
"We have many reliefs that they can avail like the barangay protection order, there is a 15-day period the barangay would protect the child victim during the ongoing investigation," added Bancilo.
In the province of Benguet, rape remains the top form of abuse committed with 41 cases recorded January to August this year.