Councilor Lilani Ramon is pushing for the establishment of a crisis center that will serve as a shelter for boys who are victims of abuse.
In a Kapihan sa PIA forum, Ramon cited the need for a crisis center for young boys in the city.
She noted that Casa Esperanza, a temporary crisis shelter, caters to women and female children who are in crisis situations.
The Dumagete Youth Home in Brgy. Talay, on the other hand, serves as a home for male children who are in conflict with the law.
“That is the reason why we are working on the crisis center of the City of Dumaguete. We are aiming for the building of the Cooperative Development Authority. I have already presented this to the city mayor,” Ramon said.
The building for the proposed crisis center for young boys is near the Youth Home and is owned by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). Ramon said she still has to present the proposal to CDA.
The councilor, who also heads the Committee on Women, Children, and Family, also disclosed that the city government has institutionalized the Violence against Women (VAW) Desk Officers in all barangays in the city.
“In the 30 barangays nato sa Dumaguete naa ni siya gi-appoint na barangay official to serve as VAW Desk Officers because of the mandatory directive of the DILG. Gi-seminar pod ni sila unsa ilang buhaton ug naa pod sila penalty just in case mobalibad sila. (This means that there is a barangay official appointed to serve as VAW Desk Officer in each of the 30 barangays in Dumaguete because of the directive from the DILG. They attended a seminar on their role and there is a corresponding penalty in case they won’t perform their functions),” Ramon said.
She added that the VAW Desk Officers are the frontliners in the barangay and will act in support of the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of the local police station.
Once the VAW Desk Officer receives a report on an alleged abuse, the officer will forward the report to WCPD, which will then coordinate with other concerned agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to address the case. (ral/PIA7-Negros Oriental)