Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Desk (PNP-WCPD): Strengthening the Intervention

— The study focused on the Women and Children Desk Tanudan, Kalinga. The research design use was the descriptive design with interview as the main data gathering instrument. The informant were twenty-one victim-survivors whose whereabouts were known. The research found that the PNP Women and Children Desk is implemented as experienced by the victim-survivors. They have received the expected mandatory services, other services provided by the government agency concern and the entitlements. Physical violence is the most frequent crime committed. There were reported incidence of psychological violence such asrepeated verbal abuse, harassment and marital infidelity of the husband. There was no reported incidence of sexual abuse and child abuse. Wife battering dominates the other abuses committed in domestic home. There are psychologically abused women but there were no reports on sexually abused women and child abuse. The important and necessary services and supports to the victim-survivors are provided but not substantial to meet all the needs of the victim. There is no obvious show of convergence among the government concern agencies in response to women abuse. The findings justify the recommendation as follows: More trainings of the PNP Women and Children Desk personnel should be instituted and institutionalized. More Local Government Units involvement should be initiated. A PNP Personnel should be assigned exclusively for the Desk so that the task will be concentrated to manning or managing the Desk.Forge and strengthen the convergence of the government agencies concerned to hasten reporting, communication and delivery of the benefits and privileges of the victims including their immediate and important needs.Finally, institutionalized a massive information-education campaign on the laws concerning the protection of women and their children against abusive and violent partners or parents.


Background of the Study
The 1987 Philippine Constitution particularly in Article II, Section 11 declares that "the State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights".The incorporation of this provision in the constitution gives further stress to the primacy of human rights in our constitutional hierarchy of values and reaffirms our nation's commitment to their protection.It is an assurance to the citizens that the rule of law and not of men shall reign in our land (de Leon,2010).State also recognizes the need to protect the family and its members particularly women and children, from violence and threats to their personal safety and security.Towards this end, the State shall exert efforts to address violence committed against women and children in keeping with the fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution and the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and other IJELS-2022, 7(6), (ISSN: 2456-7620) https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.76.42 300 international human rights instruments to which the Philippines is a party.
The women and children are further protected by the legislations herein enumerated: 1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 2. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) 3. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 4. Asian Regional Initiative against Trafficking in Persons (ARIAT) 5. Executive Order No. 27 which was also promulgated in July 4, 1986 directs Department of Education to include the study and understanding of human rights in the curricula of all levels of education and training in all schools and to initiate and maintain regular programs and special projects to provide venues for information and discussion of human rights.The aim is to "to give greater respect for human rights and to deter violations thereof".

Presidential Decree Number 603 (Child and Youth
Welfare Code) December 9, 1974 In the Asia-pacific Region, the governments, international organizations and non-government organizations have come together and established the Asian Regional Initiative against Trafficking in Persons (ARIAT)and declared that trafficking in human beings especially women and children is violation of human rights and will translate to inhumane treatment and various forms of abuse and exploitation, hence they urge countries to recognize that trafficking human beings is a human rights issue and recognizes the special vulnerabilities and needs of women and children and to adhere to the provisions of relevant international rights instruments in all aspects of addressing trafficking problems (Rosario, 2019).
Violence against women (VAW) appears as one of the country's pervasive social problems.The National Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, one in four Filipino women age 15-49 has experienced physical, emotional or sexual violence by their husband or partner.It is indeed alarming that despite efforts to address the concern, VAW persists.
VAW is deemed to be closely linked with the unequal power relation between women and men otherwise known as "gender-based violence."Societal norms and traditions dictate people to think that men are the leaders, pursuers, and providers, and take on the dominant roles in society while women are the nurturers, men's companions and supporters, and take on the subordinate roles in society.This perception leads men to gain more power over women.Hence, VAW becomes a form of men's expression of control over women to retain power.
In the Philippines, some realities that contribute to the vulnerability of Filipino women to VAW are being accused as "naggers" or neglectful of their duties as wife that is why they are being beaten by their spouses, or being raped due to her "flirtatious" ways; in some instances, filing for a sexual harassment is interpreted by her employer as being malicious on the appreciation of her good looks.
The municipality of Tanudan, Kalinga was not excused in commission of violence against women.This shows that the violence permeates into the core of every family or the society.Though few were reported because of shame or the tradition perception of the victims to show that the family is in-tack and devoid of any problems.Government mechanism have been in-place but the violence persists.

II. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
There is steady increase of the incidence of violence against women and their children is alarming to this day.The leap-frog of the crimes especially in the third world countries cannot just be ignored (World Resource Institute, 2009).Violence-against women and children are rampant in poorer countries.The most recorded gender related abuses are done at the domestic residence.The increasing volume of crimes against women and children prompted the government through the Philippine National Police to institute in every police station all over the country a women and children desk to make a quick response in case reports are received concerning crimes against women and children.
Local incidence of violence against women and their children have been record high in the province of Kalinga.Record shows that there is an increasing trend in the violation against women and their children.Reports of the Kalinga Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office also shows the trend.However, few have been reported to the police or the Social Welfare and Development Office because the victims are not aware of the processes and the programs of the government and they are ashamed that the incident will be exposed to the public.Some victims especially women just keep for themselves the abuses inflicted to them.They choose to be silent rather than exposing the incident.Few women have the cudgel to report to authorities the suffering they undergo at the hands of the husband.When convergence of government agencies concerned for the women and children abuse are tightly forged and enough government financial support is provided, the problem of women violence and child abuse can be reduced and prevented (Almendras, 2017).

III. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study intends to attain the following objectives: 1. Determine the extent of implementation of the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Desk .
2. Determine the frequency of commission of crimes against women and children under RA 9262; 3. Find out the problems encountered in the implementation of the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Desk.

Significance of the Study
The result of the study is significant to the following:

Policy-Makers:
The crafters of policies especially on the violence against women and their children will have the important data from ground zero to make their decision on time and anchored to the realities of the situation.It will be easier to make important and meaningful decisions beneficial to the victim-survivors because the information as bases of the decisions are well provided.

PNP Women and Children Desk Personnel:
The Desk personnel will tremendously benefit from the results because the real experiences are well provided by the victim-survivors which are very vital in the efficient and effective operation of the Desk.The various experiences will provide the Desk Personnel and necessary data to make the program more tuned to the objectives of the Desk.

Victim-Survivors:
The future victim-survivors will gain more knowledge and information regarding Desk and the different benefits and privileges appurtenant thereto.They will become aware and they can be the catalyst to other women with similar experience.These truly lessen women who will keep the stress in themselves due to the abuses and will be enlightened and appraise of their rights, benefits and privileges and victim-survivors of the abuse of violence.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The study is delimited on the PNP Tanudan Women and Children Desk.It is further delimited on the implementation of the Desk, the frequency of crimes committed among women and the problems met in the implementation of the Desk.
The research situs is Tanudan, Kalinga with the twentyone victim-survivors as the informants of the research.
The year coverage from June 2022 to August 2022.

IV. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Executive Order No. 27 which was also promulgated in July 4, 1986 directs the then Department of Education, Culture and Sports now Department of Education to include the study and understanding of human rights in the curricula of all levels of education and training in all schools and to initiate and maintain regular programs and special projects to provide venues for information and discussion of human rights.The aim is to "to give greater respect for human rights and to deter violations thereof".
The promulgation of Presidential Decree Number 603 otherwise known as the Child and Youth Welfare Code which was promulgated in December 9, 1974 lists the rights and responsibilities of children, and specifies the rights, duties, and liabilities of the parents in the rearing of their children.This law gave more protection to the children as they grow under the protection of their families.The parents and the government have a shared responsibility in promoting the welfare of every child.The common welfare of the society as well as the good of the individual depends to the great extent upon the proper education and training of the children.The youth of today will be tomorrow's citizens.These citizens will be as they have been prepared and guided in their childhood days.The government, therefore, should equally share in the inherent right and duty of parents in the training of their children to be good, useful, and worthy citizens by giving them support to prepare their children for future positions of responsibility and leadership.
The persistent increasing incidence of woman and child abuse in the country has triggered the Congress of the Philippines to pass a law that specifically address the concerns of women and children against abuses.This ushered the birth of Republic Act No. 9262 known as the "Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Act of 2004".
The law widened and made heavier the penalties of all abuses directed to women and children.Violence against women and their children (VAWC) refers to any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate, within IJELS-2022, 7(6), (ISSN: 2456-7620) https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.76.42 302 or without the family abode, which results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.It includes, but is not limited to the following acts: 1. Physical violence.Physical violence refers to acts that include bodily or physical harm; 2. Sexual violence.Sexual violence refers to an act which is sexual in nature, committed against a woman or her child.It includes, but is not limited to: a) rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, treating a woman or her child as a sex object, making demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks, physically attacking the sexual parts of the victim's body, forcing her/him to watch obscene publications and indecent shows or forcing the woman or her child to do indecent acts and/or make films thereof, forcing the wife and mistress/ lover to live in the conjugal home or sleep together in the same room with the abuser; b) acts causing or attempting to cause the victim to engage in any sexual activity by force, threat of force, physical or other harm or threat of physical or other harm or coercion; and, c) Prostituting the woman or her child.
3. Psychological violence.Psychological violence refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or emotional suffering to the victim such as but not limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, repeated verbal abuse, and marital infidelity.It includes causing or allowing the victim to witness the physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a member of the family to which the victim belongs, or to witness pornography in any form or to witness abusive injury to pets or to unlawful or unwanted deprivation of the right to custody and/ or visitation of common children.
4. Economic abuse.Economic abuse refers to acts that make or attempt to make a woman financially dependent which includes, but is not limited to the following: a) withdrawal of financial support or preventing the victim from engaging in any legitimate profession, occupation, business or activity, except in cases where-in the other spouse/ partner objects on valid, serious and moral grounds as defined in Article 73 of the Family Code; b) deprivation or threat of deprivation of financial resources and the right to the use and enjoyment of the conjugal, community or property owned in common; c) destroying household property; and d) controlling the victim's own money or properties or solely controlling the conjugal money or properties.
Violence against women and their children also includes a) battery; and, b) stalking.Battery refers to an act of inflicting physical harm upon the woman or her child resulting to physical and psychological or emotional distress while stalking refers to an intentional act committed by a person who, knowingly and without lawful justification follows the woman or her child or places the woman or her child under surveillance directly or indirectly or a combination thereof.
The increasing incidence of violence against women and their children is alarming to this day.The leapfrog of the crimes especially in the third world countries cannot just be ignored (World Resource Institute, 2009).Violence against women and children are rampant in poorer countries.The most recorded gender related abuses are done at the domestic residence.The increasing volume of crimes against women and children prompted the government through the Philippine National Police to institute in every police station all over the country a women and children desk to make a quick response in case reports are done concerning crimes against women and children.

In the study conducted by Almendras (2009) on
Women's Rights and Development, he discovered that barely 45 percent of the respondents are aware of the laws and policies promoting the rights of women in every facet of life and in every level of the society.He further, found out that 43 percent of the women respondents are aware of their rights in domestic affairs and those that concern the public of which the women are affected.It is most surprising to know that even the women themselves are not fully aware of their rights from the domestic house or the work place.He then recommended that there must be more public discussion and debate regarding the rights of women especially in decision making not only in the home but in public offices.

Bilandro (2009) in his study on Child and Women's
Right shows that women in the slum areas in Manila are not aware of their rights especially in their participation in making decisions in matters of public concern.It was further observed by the researcher that women in the research site have less participation in domestic affairs decision.He reasoned out that the participation of women in domestic affairs decision is influenced strongly by the patriarchal classification of the Filipino family.
The lack of knowledge of the women of their rights made them prone to abuses in the home and in the work site.They are also perceived as the weaker gender and easy to exploit (Angara, 2010).
IJELS-2022, 7( 6), (ISSN: 2456-7620) https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.76.42 303 The scenario urgently needs and requires the intervention of the state to arrest, minimize or even stop the commission of crimes against women and children.The Philippine National Police cannot address the problem; hence, it is very important that the community, non-government organizations, peoples' organizations and other pr-children and women organizations local, national or international should join-hands and embark on a cooperative and coordinated work to fight against crimes committed to women and children.
This study is very timely and even urgent because the national data on crimes committed against women and children is very alarming.In the most recent data available in the web, the National Statistics Office in 2012 posted that in every 10 women in the country 7 are being abused in their family abode and 8 experienced being abused in their domestic homes.

Definition of Terms
The following definitions are either operational of authoritative: Battered Woman Syndrome refers to a scientifically defined pattern of psychological and behavioral symptoms that have resulted from cumulative abuse found in women living in battering relationships (RA 9262).
Batteryrefers to an act of inflicting physical harm upon the woman or her child resulting to physical and psychological or emotional distress (RA 9262).
Childrenrefers to those below eighteen (18) years of age or older but are incapable of taking care of themselves as defined under Republic Act No. 7610.As used in the Act, it includes the biological or adopted children of the victim and other children under her care including foster children, relatives or other children who live with her (RA 9262).
Council.refers to the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and Their Children (IAC-VAWC) created under Section 39 of the Act.
Dating relationshiprefers to a situation wherein the parties live as husband and wife without the benefit of marriage or are romantically involved over time and on a continuing basis during the course of the relationship.A casual acquaintance or ordinary socialization between two individuals in a business or social context is not a dating relationship (Panopio, 2013).
Economic abuse refers to acts that make or attempt to make a woman financially dependent which includes withdrawal of financial support or preventing the victim from engaging in any legitimate profession, occupation, business or activity, except in cases where-in the other spouse/ partner objects on valid, serious and moral grounds as defined in Article 73 of the Family Code; deprivation or threat of deprivation of financial resources and the right to the use and enjoyment of the conjugal, community or property owned in common; destroying household property; and controlling the victim's own money or properties or solely controlling the conjugal money or properties (Family Code).
Less Frequent means that the violence against women and their children is committed once a month.
Moderately Frequent means that the violence against women and their children is done twice a month.
Much Frequent means that violence against women and children is done more than twice a month to any member of the family.
Violence against women and their children (VAWC) refers to any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty (RA 9262).
Physical violence refers to acts that include bodily or physical harm RA 9262).
Sexual violence refers to an act which is sexual in nature, committed against a woman or her child.It includes rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, treating a woman or her child as a sex object, making demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks, physically attacking the sexual parts of the victim's body, forcing her/him to watch obscene publications and indecent shows or forcing the woman or her child to do indecent acts and/or make films thereof, forcing the wife and mistress/ lover to live in the conjugal home or sleep together in the same room with the abuser; acts causing or attempting to cause the victim to engage in any sexual activity by force, threat of force, physical or other harm or threat of physical or other harm or coercion; and, prostituting the woman or her child (RA 9262).

V. METHODOLOGY
The study used the descriptive method of research.The data was elicited from the twenty-one (21) abused women whose names were reflected in the police blotter and being traced.Many victim-survivors were listed but their whereabouts were unknown.Efforts were done by the researcher to reach-out for more victim-survivors but it IJELS-2022, 7(6), (ISSN: 2456-7620) https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.76.42 304 failed.Neighbors being interviewed on the whereabouts of the victim-survivors replied that they transferred to another place or they return to their original residence.

Locale of the Study
The study was conducted in Tanudan, Kalinga Province.

Research Design
The research being a qualitativeone, made use of the descriptive research design.

Informants of the Study
The informants were the twenty-one (21) survivorvictims that were traced into their residences.

Instrumentation
Frequency count and percentages was used.

Data Gathering Instrument
Interview was the main data gathering instrument.The informants were approach personally by the researcher in their residence.Interviews were conducted at the convenience and comfort of the informants.The interview was conducted using the vernacular that the informants and the research understand.

Implementation of the PNP Women and Children Desk
Seventeen (17) of the twenty-one informants or 80.95 percent replied that they have received the mandatory programs such as emergency shelter, social integration, livelihood activities, skills training.They also received the services such as complete physical and mental examinations, medical or surgical treatment, hospital confinement and emergency assistance.These victimsurvivors also received the entitlements as provided by Republic Act 9262.
Records also shown that victim-survivors are provided the necessary skills trainings by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development particularly dressmaking.The TESDA also provided skills development on hair-dressing and pedicure and manicure.Others were provided with skills training on pastry and body massaging.They reached TESDA-Kalinga through the letter of the Municipal Mayor.

Frequency of Commission of the Crimes against Women
Physical violence is the most frequent crime committed against women.Physical violence refers to acts that include bodily or physical harm such as battery or physical assault against the person of the woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which results in or is likely to result in physical harm.
One-hundred percent of the victim-survival claimed that they have been physically abuse in the form of boxing, kicking, slapping and choking.Fifty percent even revealed that they have been drag out side of their home by pulling their hair.
Eleven or fifty-two percent were abused psychologically.Psychological violence refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or emotional suffering to the victim such as but not limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, repeated verbal abuse, and marital infidelity.It includes causing or allowing the victim to witness the physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a member of the family to which the victim belongs, or to witness pornography in any form or to witness abusive injury to pets or to unlawful or unwanted deprivation of the right to custody and/ or visitation of common children (RA 9262).
Eighteen out of the 21 informants or 85.71 percent replied that repeated verbal abuse is the most frequent form of psychological abuse.Sixteen or 76.19 percent said that the most frequent form is harassment and still fifteen or 71.43 percent said it is damage to property and marital infidelity.The husband commits marital infidelity to cover his abuses and hasten family break-up.
None of the informants related any incidence of sexual abuse and child abuse.

Problems encountered in the implementation of the women and child abuse PNP Desk
There's a lack of PNP personnel to man the Desk because the personnel have other functions to do.There are few PNP personnel who are assign to the Desk; hence, follow-up of the victim-survivors is very rare; thus, updating of residence is not done regularly.
Sudden disappearance of the victim-survivor without known new residence.The sudden disappearance is caused by humiliation and embarrassment.The victimsurvivor may either go abroad or leave the place or look for work somewhere in the country.
The convergence of government agencies concerned in supporting the victim-survivor is very slow and limited.The response time of the agencies concerned is not on-time, quick and immediate.