By Robbie Pangilinan

It is difficult to overcome such an evil as rape. But for Jessa, the love of the people around her is enough to see her through the pain.

Jessa, who recently turned 18, has physical disability and autism. She was raped when she was 9 and got pregnant at the age of 13. Her baby died at birth. She could have lost her life as well, if not for the Women Shelter that kept her alive.

Tacloban City’s Women Shelter was established by Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez and husband, former Mayor Alfred Romualdez in 2010. It provides shelter and relevant services to women and children in the city who are victims of abuse, maltreatment and violence. In its seven years of being the second home for abused women and children, the shelter has seen 1,012 admissions and 1,374 walk-ins.

“Dito po ako natuto magbasa, at dito ko naramdaman ang pagmamahal. Salamat po sa love ninyo sa amin dito,” said Jessa.

Mayor Cristina recently visited the center, where at the moment, about 30 abused women and children are being served. Romualdez proudly shared that one of the shelter’s recent residents was a family with only the mother taking care of six children. 

 “We cannot really state the total number of women who were housed in the facility for they just come in and out. When they are being abused, we help them, but they come out after some months,” Romualdez said.

City Social Welfare Officer Carmela Bastes said that the city government is slowly trying to eliminate or at least lessen the problem of abuse through the active guidance and support of Mayor Romualdez. The women and children in the facility are given extra care and protection by the employees of the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

City Administrator Atty. Irene Chiu is proud that the city is taking steps in addressing the plight of abused women and children which is a prevalent problem not only in the Philippines but also in other parts of the world.

For abused children like Jessa, every day is a day of hope, and she is thankful that the shelter has given her this and a lot more.