BAGUIO CITY – Naalarma ang City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) ang pagtaas ng kaso ng mga karahasan laban sa kababaihan at mga bata (VAWC) sa lungsod, na nangangailangan ng aktibong pakikilahok ng mga kinauukulang sektor para sa patuloy na pagsisikap na tugunan ang matinding alalahanin. Ayon kay SWD Officer Jackie Tupong, sa unang quarter ng 2025 ay may kabuuang n62 kaso ng VAWC ang naitala mula sa tanggapan ng CSWDO, Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) at Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC). Noong nakaraang taon, naitala ng pamahalaang lungsod at mga katuwang na ahensya ang humigit-kumulang 282 kaso ng VAWC na binubuo ng pisikal, emosyonal, pang-ekonomiya at sikolohikal na pang-aabuso laban sa kababaihan at mga bata. Nabanggit niya na ang mga kaso ng VAWC noong nakaraang taon ay 17 porsiyentong higit sa 244 na mga kaso na naitala noong 2023. Sa buwanang batayan, ang breakdown ng mga kaso ng VAWC sa lungsod noong 2024 ay Enero – 3, Pebrero – 36, Marso – 17, Abril – 35, Mayo – 27, Hunyo – 24, Hulyo – 16, Agosto – 23, Setyembre – 29, Oktubre – 16, Nobyembre – 27 at Disyembre – 30. Noong 2021, mayroon lamang 98 kaso na naitala sa lungsod at tumaas nang husto sa 4061 kaso noong 2022 o isang skyrocketing na pagtaas na 78.74 porsyento. Noong 2023, bumaba ang mga kaso sa 244 o bumaba ng 47.07 porsyento kumpara sa nakaraang taon. Ngunit noong 2024, nagkaroon ng 13.47 porsiyentong pagtaas sa naitala na 282 kaso kumpara sa mga bilang noong 2023. Ang datos ay iniulat ni Tupong sa ginanap na Training of Service Providers on Counseling Services for Rehabilitation of Perpetrators of Domestic violence na dinaluhan ng mga opisyal at committee chairperson ng Men Opposed to Violence Against Women and Children Everywhere (MOVE) ng pamahalaang lungsod kamakailan.

Mental health stakeholders convene to craft suicide prevention action plan   The City Health Services Office (CHSO) Mental Health Unit brought together representatives from academia, hospitals, barangay councils, and health practitioners is currently on an urgent dialogue-workshop aimed at developing a suicide prevention action plan within the day. This initiative follows an emergency meeting called by Mayor Benjamin Magalong due to a rising trend of suicide in the city. “We want to understand the practices of each institution, compile this information, and use it to create an effective plan that barangays can implement to prevent further cases, identify and support current cases, and provide postvention services,” explained Ricky Ducas Jr., Program Manager of the CHSO Mental Health and Wellness Unit. He added that the workshop will also include a context based suicide prevention action plan for academe, workplace and community. As of May 2025, the city has recorded 19 deaths by suicide, compared to a total of 24 cases from the previous year. Mr. Ducas expressed that these statistics are alarming, as we are not yet halfway through the year, and current cases are nearing last year’s total. Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes, City Health Officer, calls all students, employees, and senior citizens to seek help. The CHSO is always open to providing psychosocial support for all ages. If you simply want to talk, we are here to listen. The CHSO Mental Health and Wellness services is located on the 2nd floor of the CHSO Annex Building, Teodora Alonzo Street. (KJD Pagada)