DAVAO CITY(January 14) — With nearly half of Davao City’s population made up of women, a city councilor is pushing for the establishment of a dedicated women’s center that would serve as a shared space for empowerment, advocacy, and access to services across sectors.
City Councilor Diosdado Angelo Mahipus Jr. said the proposed facility would strengthen the city’s gender and development programs by giving women — from barangays, workplaces, schools, and civil society groups — a permanent venue to meet, organize, and seek support.
“The Integrated Gender and Development Division has already allocated a budget for the women’s center,” Mahipus said during his privilege speech at the Sanguniang Panlungsod on January 12. “What we need now is to revisit the feasibility of constructing the facility.”
Filling a gap in community spaces
While Davao City has long been recognized for women-focused programs, Mahipus said these services are currently spread across different offices and locations, making access difficult for some residents, especially those from far-flung barangays.
The proposed women’s center is envisioned as a non-residential, multi-use facility — a place for dialogues, training, referrals, and coordination — rather than a replacement for crisis shelters.
“This is not just for victims,” a women’s advocate said. “It’s for everyday women — vendors, solo parents, professionals, youth leaders — who need a safe, accessible space to be heard and supported.”
No site yet, but options identified
One challenge remains the lack of an available site. Mahipus said Councilor J. Melchor Quitain Jr., chair of the City-Owned Real Properties Committee, has already identified several city-owned properties that could potentially house the center.
Mahipus has moved for the proposal to be taken up on first reading and requested a formal feasibility study. The matter was referred to the council’s oversight committee and the Committee on Women for further review.
Existing services — and why a center still matters
Davao City already operates several women-focused services, including the Sidlakan Women Crisis Center, run by the City Social Welfare and Development Office. The facility provides temporary shelter, counseling, legal and psychosocial support, skills training, and reintegration services for women and children who are survivors of violence.
The city also maintains Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) desks in barangays and government offices, offering frontline assistance and referrals at the community level. Separately, the Department of Social Welfare and Development operates the Home for Girls and Women, while private institutions such as the Brokenshire Women’s Center provide women’s health services.
However, advocates say these facilities are service-specific, while a women’s center could function as a hub — linking programs, strengthening referrals, and creating space for preventive work such as education, leadership training, and community organizing.
“Kung naa kay lugar nga pwede magtapok ang kababayen-an, mas dali ang pagtinabangay ug pagdepensa sa among katungod,” a barangay women’s leader said.
Why it matters now
Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Davao City’s population stood at 1.77 million in 2020, with 873,524 women — nearly half of the city’s residents.
Mahipus said the proposed center reflects a shift toward long-term empowerment, not just crisis response.
“This is about recognizing women not only as beneficiaries of services, but as partners in development,” he said.
For community leaders, the measure’s success will depend on whether the center is designed with accessibility in mind — close to transport routes, open to grassroots groups, and responsive to the needs of women from different sectors.
“Ang pangutana karon,” one advocate said, “dili kung kinahanglan ba ang women’s center — kundi unsaon paghimog usa ka lugar nga tinuod nga magamit ug mapuslan sa tanang kababayen-an sa Davao.”
