BAGUIO CITY (PIA) -- The Cordillera Regional Committee Against Trafficking and Violence Against Women and their Children (RCAT-VAWC) emphasized the importance of gathering and reporting data of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the communities or municipalities.

Joyce Ayasao, RCAT-VAWC secretariat, explained that through the data gathered, the whole situation of GBV in an area can be pictured.  It will also serve as a baseline for policymaking and interventions.

“Yung purpose ng data is for policy making, for decision making as well as for identification if in case may mga activities, programs, and services na puwedeng ibigay sa mga LGUs," she elaborated.

Data will  also serve as a basis of the committee in providing technical assistance and services, as well as in crafting resolutions that may support or aid in the need of an LGU,   she added.

Based on the initial data submitted by the Local Committees on Anti-Trafficking-VAWC to the RCAT-VAWC, 27 out of the 77 LGUs in the region have already submitted their GBV data. Most of the cases are under VAWC, not filed in the court, and dismissed or settled in the barangay level.

The RCAT-VAWC Technical Working Group convened last March 10  to further improve the reporting of data from the LGUs and also to reconcile it with the data of the Police Regional Office – Cordillera.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the regional offices of Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government, National Telecommunications Commission, PROCOR, Commission on Human Rights, Civil Service Commission, and Philippine Information Agency. (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)