GENDER OMBUD REPORT 2016 the rights of conscientious objectors in refusing to refer cases or clients which are not in emergency cases; (b) upheld the requirement of parental consent for minors in accessing reproductive health commodities and operations; (c) affirmed spousal consent for reproductive health (RH) operations which are not emergency in nature; and (d) removed penalties for public officers who refuse to implement the law invoking conscientious objection. The SC’s decision has been invoked by Sorsogon City Mayor Sally Lee as the basis for refusing to dispense artificial contraceptives and in declaring Sorsogon a “Pro-Life” City. It also inspired a subsequent legal challenge which resulted in the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) on distributing identified contraceptives, specifically Implanon and Implanon NXT. In August 2016, this TRO was expanded to include all contraceptives when the SC directed the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) to conduct investigations on and hear oppositions to other forms of contraceptives. This is viewed to result to a halt in contraceptive supplies in two to three years by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Population Commission (POPCOM). The situation put the fulfillment of women’s human rights on a precarious balance, specifically their enjoyment of reproductive and health rights contained in the CEDAW and the ICESCR, and stipulated in the MCW and the RPRH law. In response, the DOH together with the Office of the Solicitor General filed a Motion for Reconsideration of the TRO. Various RH advocates also gathered to strategize on countering and raise public awareness on the TRO. In November 2016, the CHR, in partnership with Likhaan Center for Women, launched the report on the National Inquiry on RH and conducted a forum to discuss the Supreme Court TRO and its implications. CONTINUUM OF GENDERBASED VIOLENCE 8 From January to October of 2016, the Philippine National Police Women Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) received a total of 34, 880 cases of violence against women (VAW). A large majority of the cases received involved violations of the R.A. 9262 (30, 038 cases or 86.12%), followed by acts of lasciviousness (1, 713 or 4.91%) and rape (1, 585 or 4.54%) Of the violations of the Anti-VAWC law, physical violence is the most prevalent (20,193 cases or 67.22%), followed by psychological violence (7,559 cases or 25.16%), and economic abuse (2,153 cases or 7.17%). The most number of VAWC cases were filed in Region 11 (5,765), followed by Region VI (3,027) and Region XVIII (2,611). The region with the least number of reported cases is ARMM (116). In cases of rape, the highest number of reported cases was in Region IV-A (241), followed by NCR (176), and Region III (128); the lowest number of reported cases is in ARMM (5). While the CHR notes that the rising number of VAW cases is indicative of more women coming out to report violations of their rights, there is still underreporting in some regions due to socio-cultural factors. The CHR and CSOs also raised the lack of government disaggregation of VAW cases according to specific populations of women (i.e., indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, urban poor, migrant women), and their contexts (e.g. VAW in armed conflict or disaster situations) in their reports to the CEDAW Committee. Crimes committed against LGBTI’s also remain untracked by the PNP-WCPC. The CHR received complaints and investigated four cases of killings involving transpeople as victims. It also monitored seven (7) other cases of LGBTI killings from media and CSOs’ reports in 2016. These will be veified by its concerened regional offices.