DOT Bicol to lead 'Orange your Icon-Cagsawa Ruins' campaign for VAW-free community

LEGAZPI CITY, Nov. 23 (PIA) -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Bicol will lead this year's 18-day campaign to end violence against women (VAW) from November 25 to December 12, 2016 to strengthen the anti-VAW advocacy by enjoining new audiences to join the cause and be an instrument to spread awareness on VAW.

DOT Bicol regional director Maria Ravanilla said the anti-VAW drive will evolve on the campaign "Orange Your Icon" alongside with the promotion of national and local tourism sites and landmarks as well as in solidarity with United Nations’ UNiTE to End VAW campaign.

"The idea is to attract the public curiosity on why major landmarks or icons nationwide are colored orange—a bright and optimistic color which represents hope, thereby providing opportunities for advocates to explain the Anti-VAW advocacy," Ravanilla explained.

For Bicol, according to the DOT director, the Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga town will showcase the "Orange Your Icon" campaign by putting orange lights around the landmark/icon and light them up in the evening to draw attention to the need of fostering VAW-free communities.

She added that it will be decorated and colored orange with the use of flags, streamers or banners, spotlights at night, or any other creative ways of making it orange throughout the period of the 18-day campaign to end VAW.

The ceremonial lighting of the Cagsawa Ruins will be held at 5:00 pm on November 25 that will also mark the kick-off of the 18- campaign to end violence against women and foster VAW-free communities.

DOT Bicol, in partnership with the Philippine Council for Women (PCW), has called on everyone to be part of the endeavor and cause that by participating in this initiative, individuals and groups are declaring support to the anti-VAW advocacy and bringing the message of zero-tolerance for VAW to the public’s attention.

Ravanilla also called on the communities to find major landmarks or icons in their respective areas, which can be historical places, statues, monuments or buildings and light them up with orange to signify support.

DOT Bicol, through the the Inter-Agency Committee on Gender and Development Focal Point System (DOT-ICGFPS) in Bicol region tasked to lead and tapped its craft in pursuing the campaign to end VAW by incorporating tourism.

This year's campaign will build on the theme: "VAW-free Community Starts With Me" putting emphasis on the continuous pursuit of achieving a VAW-free community through everyone's commitment and contributions.

This, according to Ravanilla, also shifts the campaign to positive advocacy messaging to encourage more people support and participations much as commitment.

The agency has also lined-up other activities for this 18-day campaign which include the VAW Banner Design Contest and other fun fairs during the launching activities. (MAL-PIA5/Albay)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/3211479196410/dot-bicol-to-lead-orange-your-icon-cagsawa-ruins-campaign-for-vaw-free-community#sthash.H9zDjiZF.dpuf