The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday reported that 40,886 barangays nationwide now operate functional Barangay Violence Against Women and Anti-Sexual Harassment (VAW and ASH) Desks, covering 97 percent of all barangays in the country and significantly strengthening frontline protection for women and children.

These desks are assessed using clear functionality indicators under the Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangays, including the presence of trained desk officers, accessibility of services for victim-survivors, and effective coordination and referral mechanisms.

Republic Act No. 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, and Republic Act No. 11313, or the Safe Spaces Act, mandate barangays to establish VAW and ASH Desks as first responders to cases of abuse and gender-based sexual harassment.

These desks are responsible for documenting cases, facilitating referrals to health, legal, and psychosocial services, and supporting the issuance of Barangay Protection Orders when warranted.

While the DILG does not directly handle individual VAWC complaints, it ensures that barangay-level mechanisms are present, functional, and capable of providing immediate assistance. “We focus on monitoring the existence and functionality of Barangay VAW Desks,” the Department said.

To strengthen implementation on the ground, the DILG continues to conduct gender sensitivity training, orientations on anti-VAW laws, and survivor-centered case management programs for designated VAW Desk Officers nationwide.

The Department also encouraged victims of gender-based violence and sexual harassment to seek help through their Barangay VAW or ASH Desks, or to call Unified 911 for immediate assistance.

With more than 40,800 functional desks across the country, the DILG underscored that protection for women and children is no longer distant or abstract, but present, accessible, and embedded in communities nationwide.