Davao opens center for 'the abused'

By Ruth Palo, Manila Times

December 1, 2022 2

THE Davao City government opened a Tele-Women and Children Protection Unit (WCPU) center that houses a medical facility and two city government offices in seven villages here.

The project is in partnership with the Child Protection Network, United Nations Children's Fund, and the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).

The Tele-WCPU centers will bring free comprehensive medical, psychosocial, and legal services closer to women and children who are victims of abuse with the use of modern technology.

 

The Tele-WCPU centers are located in Barangay Buhangin, Calinan, Marilog, Matina Crossing, Talomo, Tibungco, SPMC-Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Integrated Gender and Development Division, and the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

The Tele-WCPU centers will connect abuse victims to SPMC-WCPU — a multidisciplinary team of trained child protection doctors, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, developmental pediatric doctors, police officers, and lawyers that will render services such as medical follow-ups, mental health follow-ups, legal and social services, and a child helpline that provides consultation on child abuse.

The audio and video consultation at the Tele-WCPU centers are offered for free.

In a report from the City Information Office, Dr. Marie Aimee Hyacinth Bretaña, coordinator of the SPMC-WCPU, said that with the teleconsultation program, the abused women or children no longer need to go to SPMC for follow-up consultations.

"There are villages in Davao City that have high cases of abuse. Through this teleconsultation program the follow-up of cases can be done online but the first consultation still needs to be conducted here at WCPU. Our goal here is really to reach out to our communities," Bretaña said.

She added that after the first consultation at SPMC-WCPU, patients or victims of abuse opt not to return due to distance, financial difficulties, or fear of getting infected with Covid-19. This teleconsultation addresses these concerns.

"Through this teleconsultation program, they can do the teleconsultation in their villages where they are provided a designated room for the teleconsultation because we still need to exercise confidentiality for the patients," she said.

Gladys Manit, a kagawad (officer) of Barangay Buhangin Proper, said that the villages selected were provided with computers by the Unicef for the teleconsultation and as counterparts, they provided the designated venue where the teleconsultations are to be conducted.

"We provided the venue, which is very conducive for the clients for direct consultation," Manit said.

She said that the trained Gender and Development clerk of their village and the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children, Violence and Against Women and Children record officer will help entertain the clients.

She said that residents should not hesitate to go to their barangay to connect with SPMC-WCPU.

"This is very important to lessen cases of abused women and children and it could help in the intervention programs for the victims of abuse," she added.