Minister for Economic Affairs Akio Isomata of the Embassy of Japan (2 nd from right) together with Representative Mel Senen S. Sarmiento of the 1 st District of Samar (1 st from right) and Calbayog City Mayor R onaldo P. Aquino (1 st from left) and Dr. Socorro Bohol, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of WESADEF (2 nd from left) led the ribbon cutting ceremony during the inauguration of the Women Resource Center on July 21, 2011. |
Photo shows the newly-completed Women Resource Center in Calbayog City funded by the Japanese Government under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP). Since March 2011, a total of eight (8) women victim-survivors of abuse have been admitted for emergency sheltering in the Center in addition to around 10 walk-in clients who were given counseling by WESADEF.
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Minister for Economic Affairs, Akio Isomata, of the Embassy of Japan attended the turnover ceremony of “The Project for Construction of Women Resource Center in Calbayog City” on July 21, 2011. Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo P. Aquino, Congressman Mel Senen S. Sarmiento of the 1 st District of Samar, Ms. Socorro Bohol, Western Samar Development Foundation Inc. (WESADEF) Chairperson, and Ms. Bella de los Reyes, WESADEF President also witness ed the ceremony. The project amounting to US$96,603 (approximately 4.5 million pesos) is funded through the Embassy of Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).
According to the statistics of Department of Social Welfare and Development in 2007, 1,794 cases of violence against women were reported to the Department nationwide. It was also shown in the statistics that the incidence of these cases in Samar had increased by 22% in 2007 compared to 2006, while the national average of such increase had only been 1%. The figure indicates the serious situation surrounding women in Samar.
WESADEF, a non-government organization based in Calbayog City, Western Samar, has been providing community services including support for victims of violence in Samar Region since 1987. However, due to the shortage of shelters for victims and training facilities in the city, WESADEF has had limitation in providing necessary services for women.
Under this circumstance, WESADEF sought the assistance from the Embassy of Japan to construct a two storey social welfare center, which is called “Women Resource Center.” The Center will benefit 60 women annually by providing psychosocial interventions and various skills trainings so that they could become economically and socially independent.
Minister Isomata stated in his speech, “The Women Resource Center has been established to provide much needed support to abused women and empower them for their dignified lives ahead . We believe that the efforts of WESADEF are a concrete manifestation of human security concept to which Japan attaches a high priority.”
The Government of Japan, as the top ODA donor for the Philippines, launched the GGP in the Philippines in 1989 for the purpose of reducing poverty and helping various communities engaged in grassroots activities. As of June 2011, 452 grassroots projects funded by GGP – ranging from roughly 1 to 4 million pesos – have been implemented by NGOs, local government units and other non-profit organizations. The total grant for these projects so far amounts to US$20,854,771. Japan believes that this project will not only strengthen friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines but also contribute to further fostering a strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines toward the future.
Speech of Minister Akio Isomata
Japanese Version
