Apayao State College (ASC), in partnership with the Zonta Club of Northern Cagayan and Apayao (ZCNCA) led the 2025 Culminating Program of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) on December 12 at the MITHI Building, ASC–Luna Campus.
Vice Governor Kyle Maria Chelsea S. Bulut-Cunan, a member of ZCNCA, emphasized that advocacy against gender-based violence must go beyond awareness and translate into concrete action. She stressed that leadership carries the responsibility of ensuring that future generations do not inherit a society that tolerates violence, underscoring the need to “choose courage over silence, justice over fear, and empowerment over oppression.”
A symposium on gender-based violence highlighted the program, featuring Police Captain Ana Marie P. Lopez of the Women and Children Protection Desk and Provincial Prosecutor Jhon S. Aguda as resource speakers.
An open forum followed the symposium, allowing students to engage with the resource speakers through questions and shared insights on gender-based violence and legal protection.
Dr. Rey Carl V. Arimas, ASC’s Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Person, led participants in the Pledge of Commitment, “Vow to End VAW,” reaffirming the collective resolve to uphold women’s rights and safety.
Meanwhile, Atty. Adela S. Guillermo-Soriano, Vice President of ZCNCA, called on stakeholders to move forward with renewed commitment toward building a society where every woman and child can live free from fear and violence.
