WOMEN'S CRISIS CENTER
Manila, Philippines
The Women’s Crisis Center holds frequent training in schools, institutions, and organizations about the rights of women and children. View some of our short TVCs to learn more about Women’s Rights.
"Legal Counsel"
"Professor"
"Spiritual Adviser"Making a mark for survivors of abuse
More than 1,300 runners joined On Your Mark: The Draw the Line Run-for-a-Cause held last April 13 at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. People of all ages, from three-year old Anthony Joshua Gotian to 75-year old Marcelo Pena, participated in the 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer races to raise funds for the Women’s Crisis Center at East Avenue Medical Center, Quezon City.
The Movie in My Mind:
The Making of “The Making of ‘Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe’“
(Remarks on Gala Night, 6:15 o’clock p.m., Tuesday, 21 July 2009, Cultural Center of the Philippines)
Theresa D. Balayon
Executive Officer, Women’s Crisis Center
Mabuhay at magandang gabi sa inyong lahat!
On behalf of the Board and Staff of the Women’s Crisis Center, as well as of women survivors of violence and abuse, I welcome you all to the gala screening of “Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe” or “The Rapture of Fe”. We are honored and blessed that you have chosen to spend this time and space with us. Tonight, we celebrate the brief and joyful journey of WCC and Rolyo Films, a journey that took the Women’s Crisis Center from East Avenue Medical Center to the Cultural Center of the Philippines!
Our journey started with an e-mail in January this year: an inquiry from Alem Ang, executive producer of “. . .Fe”, that asked if WCC would be interested in critiquing a film that shows violence against women as a result of globalization’s impact on the lives of women and men.
Then, as now, we at WCC use every opportunity to present what we know about violence and abuse; then, as now, we honor the women and children from whom we learn what we know, by lending our collective voice to them who are silent or who have been silenced.
Thus, a meeting was set between Rolyo Films represented by Alem and Vim Yapan, writer-director of “. . .Fe”, and staff of WCC: Mae Jardiniano, our administrative officer, and myself.
After cerebral talk on art’s imitation of life and life’s imitation of art; of post feminist, post structural, post modern developments in philosophy and art criticism, of film as a potent tool for social change, Mae and I realized that we were in total agreement with the two young men --- not on esoteric ideas about art and cinema --- but in the fundamentals of life: truth and integrity, honor and dignity, equality and nonviolence, mutuality and respect, wise use of gifts and talents, obligations to society, love of God and country . . .
Fortuitously, two weeks or so later in February, in celebration of WCC’s 20th year of its founding, survivors came to WCC to reminisce and renew our commitments to the elimination of violence against women. At a gathering of survivors and friends of WCC, Vim and Alem presented their concept of “. . Fe”; from the survivors’ reactions, Vim and Alem gathered insights that they used to enhance scenes and dialogue.
It was at the same gathering that the idea to use “. . . Fe” for raising awareness was born; it was also then that Rolyo Films generously offered the many possibilities for raising funds for WCC.
Last month, at the critics’ preview, seated in a select audience was Menchie, a survivor of domestic violence. As simply and as directly as she could muster, Menchie told Alem that she could see herself in Fe.
That was all that Alem and Vim needed to hear to bring this film to you tonight.
For us in the Women’s Crisis Center --- Board, Staff, and Survivors --- “Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe” is all that we need for that proverbial ‘shot in the arm’ to keep us going.
We thank WCC’s Board of Trustees, especially our Vice-Chair, Ms. Annie Serrano; our friends in the agencies of the United Nations in the Philippines --- Ms. Linda Wirth of the International Labor Organization and Ms. Luz Rodriguez of UNIFEM, the United Nations Fund for Women; Filipino workers in UN agencies in Afghanistan represented by Annie Serrano and Angela Ison; our sisters in the United States and Norway; for giving us funds when Alem and Vim were close to scraping the proverbial ‘bottom’.
We also thank the women and men of Rolyo Films, especially the cast --- Ms. Irma Adlawan, Nonie Buencamino, TJ Trinidad --- and the rest of the crew ---as well as their mentors and friends at the Ateneo de Manila University.
Thank you for believing in the Women’s Crisis Center and for support-ing our work.
And you, our audience, we thank you all for being here.
Muli, mabuhay kayong lahat! Maraming salamat, at maganding gabi.
Check out following links for more information:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyUcWn66Tqc
Women's Crisis Center
The Women’s Crisis Center (WCC) helps women victim-survivors of violence. We provide crisis intervention, counselling, and rescue to abused women and children.
If you think you, or someone you know needs help and is experiencing violence or abuse, click here.
For volunteers who would like to help end violence against women and children,
click here.
The Women’s Crisis Center accepts donation of any kind, if you would like to extend some help via donation, click here.
