INTRODUCTION

As with any democracy expressing discomfort in its birth pangs, the Philippines had
struggled on their endeavor to take on morally-fraught challenges in the field of Human Rights,
especially, on violence.The worst of abuses surfaced when Philippine democracy was still very
young and these injustices happened to a considerable number of Filipinos.
Bereft of the wider context needed to thoroughly understand the subject matter
which may be a bit ambiguous on some definitions, the goal was to get the consensus on
what violence was, or wasnt. To not ask and pursue the questions shelters potential criminal
liabilities. To not act, produces timidity in circumstances where courage and the clear
assumption of responsibility best serve the public interest.
So the veil was lifted and laws on Violence Against Women and Their Children, on
Children In Conflict With The Law, and that against Torture were enacted, and subsequent
reforms were set up for the recognition of the issues, their prevention, the legal measures
victims could resort to, and hopefully though impossible, the elimination of all forms of violence
and abuses.
The legislature had addressed the challenge and the ball is now in the hands of
concerned government and civil agencies, and in all of us citizens-for these are matters of
paramount importance and violations of such will deny us our fundamental moral entitlements.
Abuses of any kind and in any form would make us men, women, children seemingly less than
human- undeserving of dignity and respect.