SENATOR Loren Legarda is pushing for the institutionalization of the establishment of Women and Children Protection Units in all government hospital.

In her Senate Bill 2401 or the proposed Women and Children Protection Units Act of 2023, Legarda aims to acknowledge the alarming necessity of institutionalizing the establishment of Women and Children Protection Units in all government hospitals.

This is to ensure help is within the reach of the victims.

Legarda said the inclusion of the program in government appropriations should be deemed necessary to make certain that protection units are well-equipped to respond to Violence Against Women and Children cases and to deter gender-based violence.

The measure shall apply to the entire health sector, including the DOH health care facilities, LGU-supported health facilities, private health care facilities, other DOH attached agencies, Development partners and other relevant stakeholders involved in its implementation.

Based on the measure, the fund needed to initially implement the provisions of the Act must be sourced primarily from the General Appropriations Act.