The City Government of Isabela, under the leadership of Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, conducted a basic Self-Defense Training for LGU Employees to End VAW on March 10, to empower them with the skills, confidence, and awareness needed to protect themselves in potentially dangerous situations and to promote awareness on all forms of gender-based violence. Aside from LGU-Isabela City employees, this training was also attended by Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFI) staff and interns led by Executive Director Miriam Suacito and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Basilan Infocenter headed by Nilda Delos Reyes.
The event opened with City Information Officer and GAD Focal Person Mendry-Ann Lim, who welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of self-defense as a tool for empowerment and resilience. She also shared to the participants that the activity is in consonance with the simultaneous self-defense training conducted by all member agencies of the Regional Gender and Development Committee IX in honor of the 2025 National Women’s Month Celebration. She also added that the first self-defense training conducted by the City GAD Unit was held during the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW last November 2024.
Miriam Suacito, executive director of Nagdilaab Foundation, presented a discussion on “Women Breaking Violence,” emphasizing how women’s empowerment contributes to community development. She also outlined the various forms of violence against women (VAW): economic, emotional, physical, and psychological.
Following this, PMSG Zarna Abuharis of the Women and Children Protection Desk, Isabela City Police Station (ICPS), provided an overview of VAW cases in the city. Her presentation underscored the need for sustained advocacy and support for survivors.
Meanwhile, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) also shared the interventions available for women and their children, reinforcing the LGU’s commitment to protection and assistance.
The highlight of the event was the basic self-defense training, conducted by PMSG Jessel Ben Santua and PCPL Algaber N. Arawangsa of the Isabela City Police Station. Participants actively engaged in exercises designed to enhance situational awareness, escape strategies, and defensive moves against potential threats.
In her message, Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman emphasized the importance of self-defense, not only as a means of protection but also as a form of empowerment. She highlighted that women, whether in the workplace or at home, play a vital role in strengthening communities and must be equipped with the confidence and skills to defend themselves. Mayor Turabin-Hataman also expressed her intention to conduct this self-defense training annually for LGU employees.
Several LGU employees shared learning testimonies, expressing gratitude for the training and emphasizing its practical benefits in their daily lives. The event concluded with the distribution of certificates to participants. (Words by R. Natividad-Sarael/Photos by M. Santos, CIO)
