Newly-formed group Zero Violence Against Women and Children (Zero VAWC) urged on Monday, Feb. 3, private institutions and corporations to initiate policy reforms in addressing domestic violence involving people in their ranks.
In a media forum at the UP Diliman in Quezon City, the group is also calling institutions and corporations to take responsibility for addressing domestic violence and holding perpetrators accountable.
“Domestic violence is not a private matter—it affects communities, workplaces, and institutions. Yet too often, companies turn a blind eye, allowing abusers to remain in positions of power while survivors are silenced,” said Judy Taguiwalo, former Social Welfare and Development secretary and one of the initiators of the Zero VAWC Alliance.
The creation of the Zero VAWC Alliance was inspired by an incident in the business community involving a businessman who got entangled in a domestic violence allegation.
Taguiwalo said the group was initiated by women’s rights advocates and survivors and was intended to break the corporate culture of silence and push for stronger policies, survivor protections, and leadership accountability.
UP Faculty Regent Early Sol Gadong pointed out the urgency for corporations to take responsibility instead of treating domestic violence as an external issue.
“We question why companies act swiftly to protect their brand reputation but do not have the same urgency to protect the dignity and rights of workers. Silence harms victims by protecting abusers. To stay silent is to be complicit,” said Gadong.
VAWC stats
Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority report, one in four Filipino women aged 15-49 has experienced domestic violence but a number of these cases go unreported due to fear, stigma, and lack of institutional support.
The Zero VAWC said the economic cost of domestic violence also leads to billions in productivity losses each year.
The Alliance challenged corporations, professional organizations, and government agencies to recognize domestic violence as a systemic issue that requires clear policies, confidential reporting mechanisms, and genuine survivor support.
“When companies ignore domestic violence, they send a message that power and profit matter more than human dignity,” said Emmi de Jesus, former Gabriela Party-list representative said for her part.
“The Zero VAWC Alliance has developed a Policy Framework that lays out concrete steps for institutions to address this issue. It is time for corporations to actively adopt these measures and prove their commitment to ethical and socially responsible governance,” she added.
Gov’t intervention
For Gabriela national chairperson Gert Libang, the government must also do its part on the issue, the first stage is to revisit the Anti-VAWC Law to strengthen its implementation and explicitly mandate corporate responsibility in addressing domestic violence.
Libang said companies must be held accountable not just for workplace safety, but also for how they respond to domestic violence affecting their employees.
The Zero VAWC Alliance will launch nationwide consultations to integrate survivors’ voices into business policy development.
The group also vowed to continue mobilizing stakeholders, institutions, and policymakers to ensure a future free from violence and impunity.