The Department of Social Welfare and Development – Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD – CAR) is pushing for the Men Opposed to Violence Against Women and their Children Everywhere (MOVE) program in all government agencies, state universities, and local government units as an additional contribution to the national gender and development agenda.

“Under the RGADC (Regional Gender and Development Council), we are pushing for the revival of MOVE organizations in all government agencies, state universities and colleges, and the local government units in the region,” Leo Quintilla, DSWD-CAR Director, said in an exclusive interview on Monday.

“MOVE is an advocacy on gender and development, women empowerment. This is an organization of men who oppose violence everywhere which is aligned with the GAD council and we are hoping all government agencies will form and have it,” he added.

Quintilla recalled that MOVE was initially pushed in the 1990s as a mandatory organization in government offices but it died a natural death.

“We are reviving and giving focus to this after it was set aside for a while. It is our role as DSWD to reorganize it again,” the director said.

DSWD organized the Sagada local government unit’s MOVE while the Philippine National Police and the Department of the Interior and Local Government- Cordillera are training their personnel to become resource persons.

“The involvement of men will make them more fully aware about gender equality and gender empowerment. If they are involved, it is less likely they will violate and they might even convince others to support the cause,” Quintilla said.

“We are asking the RDC (Regional Development Council) to approve its adaption mandating all the agencies in the region,” he added.

Quintilla said the revival is timely, especially with reports of gender-based violence in some areas of the Cordillera this year.

“We have received reports of increased cases of rape, and other forms of gender and violence. We have been asked to provide state universities with technical assistance on state of decorum which we see as a preventive measure,” he said.

In an earlier press conference, the Police Regional Office-Cordillera’s Women and Children Protection Section reported that there were 444 cases involving violence against women and their children filed from January to October. (PNA)