About Us
Who we are
The Women’s Resource Center of Visayas, Inc. is a non-government organization based in Cebu City which provides support services to organizing and education work among grassroots women through awareness raising, capacity building, resource building, and popularization of their concerns in selected marginalized communities in Metro Cebu and other parts of Cebu Province and the Visayas.
It is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and has a Certificate of Registration and License to Operate as a Social Welfare Agency with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Our Story
The decade of the 80’s ushered in the awakening of Cebu women on their marginalized plight. It witnessed the mushrooming of groups, institutions and programs concerned with the condition of Cebu women in particular and the Filipino women in general. Women’s organizations sprouted and the need for a resource center that will respond to their needs was seen. Thus on May 2, 1991, the Cebu Women’s Resource Center later known as Women’s Resource Center of Cebu was established. In 2009, the name was changed to Women’s Resource Center of Visayas, Inc. in order to cover the Visayas region as its scope of work.
Our Vision
A just and humane society where
- The citizenry, men and women are free from all kinds of oppression whether these are borne of class, gender or membership in an ethnic group.
- Priority is given to the basic needs of grassroots women.
- Women and the environment are not sacrificed for development that is only for the few.
- Where women and empowered to be active participants in determining the course of their development.
Our Mission
To provide support services to the advancement of solid organizing and education work among grassroots women through awareness raising, capability building, resource building and popularization of grassroots women’s concerns.
Our Work
Education and Training
- Provides education and training on women-related courses related to organizational development
- Conducts discussion on issues and concerns affecting the Filipino people
- Equips women leaders of people’s organizations with knowledge and skills in conscientizing, organizing and mobilizing their communities on social and women issues.
Advocacy
- Assists efforts of women in various sectors in establishing and strengthening their organizations.
- Sponsors group discussions, forums and symposiums in schools and communities for the grassroots women’s issues and concerns.
Information
- Publishes the English magazine Bakud and the Cebuano comics,
“Uy, Mare!” which carry news articles and stories on women. - Produces fact sheets, press releases and letters to the editors
on pressing issues confronting women.
Databank
- Maintains a library with books, magazines, pamphlets, video CDs, and news
clippings on the plight and struggle of women. - Maintains a data bank from primary and secondary sources.
Research
- Conducts participatory researches on the actual condition of women in Cebu.
- Collects secondary data analysis relevant to women’s issues.
Direct Services
- Renders services to women victims of domestic violence such as rape and battering, in the form of legal aid, counselling and medical assistance.
- Works for the creation of Violence against Women (VAW) committees among women organizations in communities which serve as watchdogs to violence committed against women and children in their areas.
- Conducts feeding programs and relief and rehabilitation projects to needy communities.
Our Work
Education and Training
- Provides education and training on women-related courses related to organizational development
- Conducts discussion on issues and concerns affecting the Filipino people
- Equips women leaders of people’s organizations with knowledge and skills in conscientizing, organizing and mobilizing their communities on social and women issues.
Advocacy
- Assists efforts of women in various sectors in establishing and strengthening their organizations.
- Sponsors group discussions, forums and symposiums in schools and communities for the grassroots women’s issues and concerns.
Information
- Publishes the English magazine Bakud and the Cebuano comics,
“Uy, Mare!” which carry news articles and stories on women. - Produces fact sheets, press releases and letters to the editors
on pressing issues confronting women.
Databank
- Maintains a library with books, magazines, pamphlets, video CDs, and news
clippings on the plight and struggle of women. - Maintains a data bank from primary and secondary sources.
Research
- Conducts participatory researches on the actual condition of women in Cebu.
- Collects secondary data analysis relevant to women’s issues.
Direct Services
- Renders services to women victims of domestic violence such as rape and battering, in the form of legal aid, counselling and medical assistance.
- Works for the creation of Violence against Women (VAW) committees among women organizations in communities which serve as watchdogs to violence committed against women and children in their areas.
- Conducts feeding programs and relief and rehabilitation projects to needy communities.
Highlights of our Accomplishments
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Since the past two decades, we have worked to increase public awareness on the plight of women and children among the Cebuano population, launching campaigns, education activities, mobilizations and networking towards bringing the women’s issues to the fore in Cebuano society. The yearly campaign on One Billion Rising against VAWC for example has WRCV as one of the most active convenors.
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Third, we have strengthened support services for survivors of gender-based violence through documentation of cases and referral to appropriate agencies and professionals for services, including legal assistance by lawyers. We have also facilitated at least 50 successful cases of arbitration and litigation of VAWC.
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Second, we have facilitated the organizing and building of women’s organizations. Believing that genuine empowerment comes when women themselves who can stand on their own, we have given education and trainings as well as guided women towards creating their very own organizations in their communities. Presently, a total of 54 barangay-based women’s organizations and 10 senior citizens organizations and persons with disability organizations in Metropolitan Cebu and Cebu Province are actively supported by WRCV. The organizations continue to assert their basic women’s rights. A total of 6,750 women have been organized in the 54 organizations.
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Fourth, we have also provided livelihood opportunities for women’s organizations in four barangays in Minglanilla after giving them skills trainings on handicraft making and women’s accessories such as bags and pouches. Their finished products were displayed in the recent Trade Fair organized by the Municipal Government of Minglanilla in celebration of the National Women’s Month last March 10 -13, 2022, and generated laudable profits.
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Fifth, we have promptly responded to disaster situations. WRCV is one of the few NGOs that promptly responded to Typhoon Yolanda that hit northern Cebu areas in November 2013. Aside from relief distribution, WRCV was able to source out funds for housing support and rehabilitation to the survivors in three municipalities in northern part of Cebu which were devastated by the typhoon. In these areas, we have created two day care centers, assisted in setting up communal gardens, distributed livestock to senior citizen and people with disabilities, launched medical missions, and provided technical education scholarship to the youth. Recently, in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette, we have also provided food packs to more than 1,000 families in five barangays in the Municipality of Minglanilla and one barangay in the Municipality of San Fernando.
Finally, we have built a wide network of non-government organizations, community development institutions and schools which are committed to provide gender-sensitive services to women, and medical professionals and lawyers who provide medical and legal services to victims of VAWC, and other support groups. The local government units where we implemented our past projects have actively supported our activities. We have also partnered with the University of San Carlos in conducting researches on women’s issues. The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation funded our project, Early Child Care and Development in Cebu Province. Our past funders include Novib (which has merged with Oxfam to be Oxfam Novib), Global Fund for Women and Asian Community Trust of Japan which supported capability building programs for women’s organizations. The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) based in Kentucky, U.S.A. provided us with a second project on livelihood programs for marginalized women after providing support for relief and rehabilitation programs for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in northern Cebu in its first project. In 2021, we had a project funded by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Manila which supports livelihood of women in seven communities. Lastly, our three-year project with Misereor which started in December 2020 is currently on its second year.
Our Organization
Board of Trustees
Leny G. Ocasiones, PhD.
President
Maria Antonella D. Codeniera
Secretary
Paz V. Silva
Treasurer
Atty. Kim Grace Mendoza
Member
Mark Telesforo Chito Molina, MD
Member
Our Past Funders
- Oxfam Novib
- Asian Community Trust of Japan
- Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
- Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Manila
Our Present Funders
- Misereor
- Global Fund for Women
- Philippine Business for Social Progress
- Global Affairs Canada
Board of Trustees
Leny G. Ocasiones, PhD.
President
Maria Antonella D. Codeniera
Secretary
Paz V. Silva
Treasurer
Atty. Kim Grace Mendoza
Member
Mark Telesforo Chito Molina, MD
Member
Our Past Funders
- Oxfam Novib
- Asian Community Trust of Japan
- Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
- Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Manila
Our Present Funders
- Misereor
- Global Fund for Women
- Philippine Business for Social Progress
- Global Affairs Canada