New facility for women in Mandaue inaugurated

CEBU, Philippines - A new facility at the City Social Welfare Service (CSWS) compound in barangay Centro, Mandaue City, intended for women who are rescued after falling victim to human trafficking, was inaugurated yesterday afternoon.

The facility is located at the third floor of the Women Center of the CSWS.

Two small rooms are reserved for psycho-social sessions, Bible-study, and livelihood training.

The facility is being renovated by the Mandaue Integration Support Network, CSWS and the International Justice Mission –Cebu chapter.

Yesterday’s simple ceremony was witnessed by some 13 minors who were rescued from a bar joint in Iloilo in 2008.

One of them said she is now happily married with one child, while another said she now has a decent work. She said she continues to visit the center to avail of the integration program.

Mayor Jonas Cortes in his speech said that rescuing victims of human trafficking does not end there.

“Our network in Mandaue has rescued women mostly minor from various bar joints from within and outside the city. But our intervention does not stop here as challenges lie in the process of integrating them into the community since they come from poor families and the facility provides one of the answers,”Cortes said.

Yesterday’s inauguration was witnessed by IJM director Andrei Sawchengco.

CSWS chief Violeta Cavada said the project is part of the Performance Governance System implemented by the city in partnership with the Institute of Solidarity in Asia, which former DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo served as its adviser.