The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) has announced a major milestone in its fight against gender-based violence. The region recorded a 50% decrease in reported Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) cases, dropping from 200 cases in 2023 to just 100 cases in 2024.
Grassroots Advocacy Drives Progress
Gladys Credo, lead secretariat of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking-VAWC for DSWD-Davao, highlighted this achievement during the Kapehan sa Dabaw forum on Monday, December 1, 2025. She stated that the significant reduction is a direct result of intensified advocacy campaigns at the community level.
"It is a significant milestone for us to see that through our advocacy campaigns, we have strengthened the reporting mechanisms at the grassroots level in our barangays, as well as the response to our VAWC cases," Credo explained.
From January to September 2025, the department assisted 12 walk-in clients as part of its ongoing 18-day campaign to end VAWC. With this positive trend, DSWD-Davao has set an ambitious goal: to eliminate VAWC cases entirely by the year 2030.
Understanding VAWC and the National Campaign
Credo noted that the most commonly reported cases involve physical and economic abuse. She reminded the public that VAWC encompasses five primary forms:
- Physical violence
- Sexual violence
- Psychological abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Economic abuse
The current efforts include capacitating VAWC desks in barangays to improve referral systems, aligning with the national vision of a VAWC-free Philippines. The department's campaign focuses on four key objectives:
- Raising awareness to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against women.
- Strengthening community and institutional support systems for women and children.
- Encouraging the reporting of cases and recognizing women as vital partners in development.
- Emphasizing that preventing violence against women is a universal responsibility.
The 18-day campaign to end VAWC is an annual national observance in the Philippines, running from November 25 to December 12. It coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children. This year's activities began on November 24 with a pledge from Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere (MOVE) and will conclude on December 11, 2025, with on-site psychosocial support for victim-survivors.
Legal Framework and National Context
Violence Against Women and Their Children is criminalized under Republic Act No. 9262. The law protects wives, former wives, women in a dating or sexual relationship with the offender, women who share a child with the offender, and the woman's child. Penalties for violations are severe and depend on the specific act committed, ranging from arresto mayor to prision mayor, with fines from P100,000 to P300,000 and mandatory psychological counseling.
While Davao Region shows promising decline, national statistics present a broader challenge. Data from the Philippine National Police to the Philippine Commission on Women indicated 8,055 reported cases under the Anti-VAWC Act in 2023, a 3.76% increase from the previous year. When including related crimes like rape and trafficking, the 2023 national total reached 11,585 cases. For 2024, the national DSWD reported serving 1,069 victim-survivors of VAWC and other abuses through its community-based programs.
The progress in Davao Region offers a model of hope, demonstrating that sustained, community-focused advocacy and robust reporting mechanisms can lead to tangible reductions in violence, paving the way toward the ultimate goal of zero cases.
