Negros Oriental recorded the highest incidence of violence against women and their children among the provinces and a highly urbanized city (HUC) in the Negros Island Region (NIR) in 2025, a police official said on Tuesday, May 26.
Police Capt. Wilma Encomienda Silva, chief of the Regional Women and Children Protection Desk (RWCPD) of the Police Regional Office-NIR, credited the increased number of reported cases to women being more conscious of their rights and no longer hesitating to seek assistance and report these abuses to authorities.
She presented the data on domestic violence during the Regional Dissemination Forum on Key Indicators of the 2025 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) in Dumaguete City.
“The women are approaching us now, and they are already empowered, which is why domestic violence in Negros Oriental is now receiving attention,” Silva said.
Silva said that Mabinay was the town in Negros Oriental with the most instances of domestic abuse, but she lacked available figures at the moment.
Data from the PRO-NIR indicated that out of the 334 cases documented by law enforcement in the area last year, Negros Oriental accounted for 275; Negros Occidental, 37; Bacolod City, 13; and Siquijor province, 9.
In Negros Oriental, physical abuse ranked highest with 168 instances, while other forms included psychological and economic abuse.
Twenty-seven of the cases were resolved, while 248 were addressed.
Silva stated that their local WCPD counterparts are instructed to notify local government units about domestic violence incidents in their regions while collaborating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
However, she emphasized that it is not just the responsibility of the police to tackle the issue, indicating that all agencies need to participate to combat domestic violence.
To report VAWC cases, go to the WCPD of the nearest police station or contact non-government organization Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation or GWAVE at 0915-2593029 (Globe), 0999-5766679 (Smart), 035-4228405 (Landline). *PNA
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