Center for women, child abuse eyed

• Source:http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2016/07/16/center-women-child-abuse-eyed-485676
• Saturday, July 16, 2016

By Ian Ocampo Flora

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The provincial government led by Governor Lilia Pineda and the Consuelo Alger Foundation are eyeing the establishment of a one-stop center, which will handle women and child abuse cases in Pampanga.

In a stakeholders’ meeting over the weekend at Capitol, Provincial Health Office (PHO) officer-in-charge Dr. Antonio Rivera said the provincial government plans to reactivate Consuelo Foundation’s Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Network (CAPIN) through the recreation of the Provincial Women and Children Protection Unit (PWCPU), which handles abuse cases. He also asked the help of the provincial board led by Vice-Governor Dennis Pineda for the legislation of the said unit.

Consuelo Alger is a private foundation that supports programs for child abuse cases in the country. The center will be initiated and run by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) through the enactment of a resolution that will be passed and approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

The PWCPU will be set up at the old Malward building to be converted as infirmary for victims of abuse.

Rivera disclosed that the PWCPU will also be open 24/7 to cater to all cases of women and child abuse in the province.

“There will be designated psychologists, pathologists, physicians, social workers, police personnel, and legal team station at the said unit,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rowena Seblana of Consuelo Foundation lauded the provincial government’s efforts where the CAPIN program had a success rating of 80 percent to 95 percent in a span of four years and even recommended it highly feasible of the program.

She also acknowledged the efforts of Capitol in reporting, identifying, assessing and assisting the more than 1,155 victims of child abuse from the towns of Mexico, Guagua and Floridablanca and from the cities of Mabalacat, Angeles and San Fernando.

Seblana also cited the active implementation of Provincial Ordinance No. 547 or the Comprehensive Welfare Code for Children of the Province of Pampanga.

Elizabeth Baybayan, head of the PSWDO, for her part said the project will be the assurance of help for victims of women and children abuse.

“This also makes the CAPIN program more accessible because there will be a hotline for assistance of the said cases,” she added.