Activists join violence vs women, children dance protest

Advocacy groups staged the One Billion Rising dance protest on Friday to raise awareness about violence against women and children in the Philippines.

In a statement, Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Women's Party Representative Arlene Brosas emphasized the urgency of the issue, citing data that only one in 10 cases of violence against women (VAW) are reported to authorities.

"Today, we dance in solidarity with women across the globe to demand an end to all forms of violence against women. Sa bawat hakbang at sayaw, ipinapahayag natin ang ating pagkakaisa at determinasyong wakasan ang karahasan laban sa kababaihan," said Brosas.

(For every step and dance, we express our unity and determination to end violence against women.)

She described the dance as both an expression of rage and hope—a protest against a system that silences victims while also symbolizing the power of collective action to break the cycle of violence.

Gabriela Women’s Party nominee Sarah Elago echoed the call for stronger implementation of women’s protection laws and urged the passage of the Eliminating Violence Against Women and Children (EVAWC) Bill.

"Sa gitna ng tumitinding krisis pang-ekonomiya, mas tumitindi rin ang karahasan laban sa kababaihan nagkakaroon ito ng iba't ibang porma. We cannot dance around these issues anymore - we need concrete action from the government to protect women and children," Elago said.

(Amid the worsening economic crisis, different forms of violence against women are also escalating.)

She called the protest a warning to perpetrators and a challenge to the government.

"Let our collective dance be a warning to perpetrators and a call to action for the government. Hindi tayo titigil sa pagsayaw, hindi tayo titigil sa pakikibaka hanggang makamit ang tunay na kalayaan para sa lahat ng kababaihan," she declared.

(We will not stop dancing, we will not stop fighting until we achieve true freedom for all women.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News