The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) urged “women who are victims of violence” to seek its legal assistance.

PAO’s call was aired as the country commemorates today, Nov. 25, the “National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children” under Republic Act No. 10398.

Proclamation No. 1172 which was issued in 2006 declared Nov. 25 to Dec. 12 yearly as “18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women.”

In her message, PAO Chief Persida V. Rueda Acosta said:

“Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats to such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life,’ is certainly an actionable wrong and experience that can possibly lead to the full assistance of the Public Attorney’s Office, as mandated by law.”

Acosta stressed that PAO stands against violence and “fully supports the 18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Children.”

“Ang Tanggapan ng mga Manananggol Pambayan ay ang punong tanggulan ng ating pamahalaan para sa mga usaping-legal na kinasasangkutan ng mga maralita nating kababayan, mapa-babae, lalaki, matanda o bata man, na may layunin makamit ang hustisya, ayon sa kanilang karanasan (The PAO is the chief government defender over legal concerns of the poor, whether they be females, males, the old or the young, with the aim to achieve justice in accordance to their experience),” Acosta said.

“Kaakibat ng aming mandato, ang pagtataguyod ng dignidad ng bawat Pilipino, na hikahos man sa buhay, ay maipagtanggol ng mga mahuhusay na abogadong may kakayahang maipaglaban ang kanilang mga karapatan , ayon sa batas (Part of PAO’s mandate in upholding the dignity of every Filipinos who have difficulties in life is to provide excellent lawyers who can defend their rights in accordance with the law),” she added.

Meanwhile, Acosta urged Filipinos to “respect each other.”

“There is no violence if there is respect. Certainly, there is respect to oneself if you go against violence,” she stressed.