DAILY STAR: Negros Oriental

More than half the total number of rape cases recorded in Dumaguete City in 2010 are incestuous in nature, Marina Mendoza, head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, said.

Speaking at a recent forum in observation of Women’s Month, Mendoza said that 11 of the total 21 cases of sexual abuse last year, or 52.38 percent, were incestuous rape, with victims coming mostly from the lower income bracket.

Mendoza said many of these cases involved children who lived under the same roof with their parents, and in some instances, the mother would deny having knowledge of the crime, either out of fear of her husband, or fear of stigma.

PPA approves construction
of P5.619-M jetty in Sibulan
BY MARICAR ARANAS

A local businessman and shipping operator will construct a jetty beside the Sibulan wharf, after the Philippine Ports Authority approved the project plan dated January 11, 2011 with an estimated construction cost of P5.619 million.

Vice Mayor Antonio Renacia said the Aomori Rapid Transport System Corporation owned by Tony Oano agreed to give Dante Matiao the authority to complete the project and manage the jetty.

Renacia said a public hearing with the residents of Barangay Poblacion will be held this week, following the request of Matiao to determine the opinion of the residents living in the barangay.

Women’s desks
in brgys pushed

The Provincial Commission on Women in Dumaguete City is urging the newly-elected barangay captains in Negros Oriental to put up a Violence Against Women Desk in their barangays as mandated by the Magna Carta for Women, a Philippine Information Agency press release said.

The guidelines for the VAW Desks were issued in December last year, but they are not operating yet since the guidelines were issued just last December, but they hope the barangay officials will respond to it immediately, Judith Alpuerto of PCW said.

Email: dailystar@lasaltech.com