RSACs in the Philippines



Every 53 minutes a woman or child is raped in the Philippines. In mid-April, 2016, The RINJ Foundation from its Baguio City RSAC filed a total of five charges in Pasay City, Manila and in Lagawe, Ifugao with more to come. The travel time was over 32 hours and the processes themselves took many days and more than a few legal arguments. The Foundation has thus far prevailed.

Rape is one of the most prevalent forms of violence against women  in the Philippines. From its office and RSAC Clinic in Baguio City on Luzon island, The RINJ Foundation is building a major RSAC central facility  in Manila.

The Greater Manila Metropolitan region has a population of around 16 million and is the rape capital of the region.

The RINJ Foundation has adopted a mission in the Philippines while supporting and caring for survivors, to also gather and compile detailed information on parties to armed conflict that are credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for acts of rape or other forms of sexual violence. Needless to say our work brings us to the Mindanao region as well as Manila.

The RSACs offer free medical care to women and children and their families. Community related services such as victim advocacy, crisis hotlines, community outreach, & education programs are provided based on each RSAC’s resources at the discretion of the local RSAC nurse-led team.

The Manila clinic will not be our typical public health clinic but a full service metro-center rape clinic capable of full forensic evidence collection and health care for rape and gender-based violence survivors.

Philippines Regional Project Manager, Jennifer

Small businesses on the Marcos highway not far from the RINJ Sexual Assault Clinic in Baguio City (RSAC)

Traveling through Ifugao meeting patients and local nurses.

Philippines Team Lead Jhen Allaga with visiting RINJ Executive Director Micheal O’Brien on a visit with officials in Manila.

Traveling to Lagawe Hall of Justice aboard a local Jeepney from Barangay Hucab to Lagawe, Ifugao.

View of mountains and the Ibulao River from the back of a Jeepney.

Without public transportation Filipinos use innovative solutions of bicycles with sidecars, motorized sidecar tricycle rigs and Jeepnies spewing deep black smoke. Common transportation in the provinces are ancient, structurally challenged motorcycle “tricycles” which are jury steel-framed rigged side cars carrying people and baggage motorized by small 125cc motorbikes.