DILG cites Quezon City’s drive vs human trafficking, VAWC

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has recognized the Quezon City government for its efforts in combating human trafficking and violence against women and children (VAWC).

In a letter to Mayor Joy Belmonte, DILG National Capital Region director Maria Lourdes Agustin said the local government obtained a score of 100 percent following an audit conducted by the Regional Inter-Agency Monitoring Team (RIMT) for 2021.

The city government garnered a perfect score based on the following criteria: organization (10 percent), meetings (10 percent), policies, plans and budget (40 percent) and accomplishments (40 percent).

The RIMT also commended the QC Committee on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and their Children for participating in the functionality assessment of the local committees on anti-trafficking and VAWC last year.

“The RIMT commends the committee for its accomplishments and for introducing ideas or innovations, which added value to the implementation of programs on anti-trafficking and violence against women and children,” read Agustin’s letter.

“We hope that these assessment results and recommendations will serve as guides in determining the next steps and areas for improvement that must be taken into consideration in order for the committee to level up its performance,” she added.

Belmonte thanked the DILG for the commendation. She vowed that the city government would continue to improve its plans and programs to combat anti-trafficking and VAWC.

“This recognition would fuel our drive to further improve our programs, projects and policies on violence against women and children and anti-trafficking,” she said.

Among the initiatives she cited was the city’s centralized databank system, a unified database used by VAWC desk officers in barangays and police stations to track and respond to reported cases.

Belmonte has consistently encouraged residents to report abuses against women and children by calling the QC Protection Center hotline 122 or the barangay and women’s desk of the Quezon City Police District. – Elizabeth Marcelo