COTABATO CITY (December 9) — Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua on Thursday said the newly launched BARMM iProtect System will significantly speed up government response to violence against women and their children (VAWC) and other gender-based violence (GBV), closing long-standing gaps that have hindered survivors’ access to timely protection.
Speaking through Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun, Macacua said uneven reporting and incomplete documentation across the region have long weakened case handling. “Some cases existed only on paper, and many lacked details. These gaps slowed our interventions and forced survivors to relive trauma every time they sought help,” he said.
The iProtect System establishes a single, secure platform for documenting and managing protection cases—ensuring accurate records that aid social workers, barangay officials, police, health providers, and other responders. The system also works in areas with weak connectivity, helping frontline workers complete case protocols consistently.
Macacua stressed that digitizing case management creates a permanent digital record, preventing files from being lost when staff or officials change. “The case will not disappear just because someone retires or is transferred,” he added.
He said the Bangsamoro Government is committed to ending delays: “From today onward, we will stop reacting late. We act early. We act decisively.”
The system was launched in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Youth of the Philippines-Women Inc. (UNYPHIL), with support from the Japanese Government. Regional agencies and LGUs are expected to adopt the platform as a standard tool to strengthen coordination and deliver faster, survivor-centered GBV services across the BARMM.
