27 October 2016 — As part of its Gender and Development (GAD) activities for 2016 and in commemoration of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the ALLICE Alliance for Community Empowerment Kumares & Kumpares, in collaboration with the Philippine Consulate General, Union Bank, the Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center of San Mateo County, and Seton Medical Center held the 12th Annual Free from Violence Seminar and Resource Fair at the Seton Medical Center Lobby on October 11.
The ALLICE Kumares and Kumpares are a team of Filipino-American volunteers organized to promote healthy family relationships through educational presentations. The name is eponymous to, and invokes the work of its honorary chair, Alice Peña Bulos, widely acknowledged as the “godmother of the Filipino American community”, one of the leaders of the Community who passed away October 21.
The Philippine Consulate General partners with ALLICE to reach the Filipino-American Community and provide support to persons and households who are victims of abuse, as well as the abusers who wish to reform. Free from Violence is a free seminar and resource fair focused on domestic abuse, or the pattern of behavior where an intimate partner controls the other through different forms of attacks. This year celebrates the 12th year that the annual seminar and resource fair is held.
The program allowed for Resource Provider Consultations for the seminar attendees, and introduced Ms. Nenette Flores Vencio who gave her testimony as Intimate Partner Violence Survivor. The event ended with a Pledge to Help End Domestic Violence, which I administered to everyone who attended the event. Rev. Leonard Oakes of the Community of Holy Child and St. Martin Episcopal Church, as well as Erlinda Tongco Galeon (deceased) were commended as Outstanding Allies.
The resource fair made available important contact numbers of organizations that can provide physical and emotional support to victims and family members, as well as information promoting healthy family relationships. END