Magpale not averse to US bases in Cebu

CEBU Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said she sees nothing wrong with the government allowing US military bases in Cebu if it would really be “for the good of the country.”

Magpale, co-chairperson of the Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC), said this is only the technical working group’s sentiments and not the commission’s official stand.

“We would have been the first to cry not to add (bases) here, but if it’s for the best and if this is what we really need, then we will just do our part,” she told Cebu Daily News yesterday.

Local militant groups denounced plans to establish at least two military bases in Cebu, saying this will spark a rise in the number of abuse cases against women in the province.

Magpale said it’s still too early to say whether the presence of US military in Cebu will be detrimental to women and children in the province.

But she admitted that the “number of men will definitely increase.”

“The foreigners are already here — tourists, Americans, Europeans — doing these to our women, but our program is already in place. We will try our best to handle the concerns we have about them,” she said.

Magpale said they just have to be ready with their interventions. In a way, she said the PWC’s intervention is a deterrent to abusers.

“If they know that we have activities planned out specifically for the purpose of eradicating violence against women and children, then they will think twice,” she said.

Magpale said women in the province today are more empowered, knowing where to go and whom to ask for help.

Heda Largo, PWC consultant, said the PWC has been conducting seminars for women to teach them about national laws protecting them in the past three years.

In cooperation with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the PWC recently started training law enforcement officers on addressing cybercrimes and other forms of violence against women.

“We are training chiefs of police, investigators, and those from the women and children’s desk of all police stations in Cebu. In the event of a reshuffling, we will not be in want of capabilities,” said Largo.

Largo said Cebu is the only province in the whole country doing this.