President Bongbong Marcos marked the start of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women with a call to confront the culture that allows abuse to persist, urging Filipinos to make respect and consent part of daily life.
He stressed that national progress is impossible while women continue to face danger and discrimination in homes, workplaces, and public spaces.
“When women are safe and happy, the entire nation grows,” he said.
Marcos expressed full support for the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), praising its role in enforcing protective laws and holding institutions accountable.
He added that PCW’s consistent advocacy “assures every Filipina that her country stands with her.”
The President urged citizens to challenge not only abusive acts but the norms that enable them, calling on Filipinos to “set respect as the norm, make consent an everyday practice, challenge words and habits that harm, and lead with fairness.”
He also called for a future “where every woman walks without fear, speaks without apology, and dreams without limit.”
The Philippines observes the campaign from November 25 to December 12, aligned with a UN-backed global movement. Despite strong laws—such as the Anti-VAWC Act, the revised Anti-Rape Law, and the Safe Spaces Act—advocates warn that many cases remain unreported due to stigma and fear of retaliation.