QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 10398)
RA 10398 declares November 25 of every year as National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children, and requires government and other sectors to conduct activities to raise public awareness and address violence.
RA 10398 designates November 25 of every year as “National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children.”
It requires heads of government agencies/instrumentalities, GOCCs, LGUs, and private employers to organize or participate in awareness activities; it mandates media airtime for public awareness; encourages newspapers/magazines to highlight the issue; and tasks schools to lead consciousness-raising activities.
The Philippine Information Agency must allocate a minimum of one (1) hour of airtime for programs exclusively raising public awareness on the problem of violence against women and children.
The Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in coordination with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), women NGOs, and other advocates for women and children’s human rights.
The National Statistics Office (NSO), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and all Philippine embassies and consulates, in coordination with the PCW.
All forms of violence against women and children, including Filipino women and children working and/or residing abroad.
The agencies must consolidate their findings and make a report to the public on the statistics and status of violence against women and children every November 25 of each year.
RA 10398 names the PCW, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), and the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and Their Children (IAC-VAWC) to coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the activities outlined in the annual 18-day campaign at the national level.
IACAT is constituted under Section 20 of Republic Act No. 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003), and IAC-VAWC is constituted under Section 39 of Republic Act No. 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004).
The Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Trafficking-Violence Against Women and Their Children (RIACAT-VAWC) coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the campaign activities at provincial, city, municipal, and barangay levels.
It must make an annual report of its findings to be reported to the public every November 25.
They may coordinate and tap expertise of institutions like the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and other private sector organizations.
Funds shall be taken out of the five percent (5%) Gender and Development (GAD) budget allocated to all government agencies and LGUs, as mandated by Section 36 of Republic Act No. 9710 (Magna Carta of Women).
The validity of other sections is not affected; it contains a separability/clause principle (severability).
It takes effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.
It states that the Act is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2080 and House Bill No. 4434, and notes the dates of passage by both chambers.