SECTION 31. Healthcare Provider Response to Abuse – Any healthcare provider, including, but not
limited to, an attending physician, nurse, clinician, barangay health worker, therapist or counselor who
suspects abuse or has been informed by the victim of violence shall:
(a) properly document any of the victim's physical, emotional or psychological injuries;
(b) properly record any of victim's suspicions, observations and circumstances of the
examination or visit;
(c) automatically provide the victim free of charge a medical certificate concerning the
examination or visit;
(d) safeguard the records and make them available to the victim upon request at actual
cost; and
(e) provide the victim immediate and adequate notice of rights and remedies provided
under this Act, and services available to them.
SECTION 32. Duties of Other Government Agencies and LGUs – Other government agencies and
LGUs shall establish programs such as, but not limited to, education and information campaign and
seminars or symposia on the nature, causes, incidence and consequences of such violence particularly
towards educating the public on its social impacts.
It shall be the duty of the concerned government agencies and LGU's to ensure the sustained
education and training of their officers and personnel on the prevention of violence against women and
their children under the Act.
SECTION 33. Prohibited Acts. – A Punong Barangay, Barangay Kagawad or the court hearing an
application for a protection order shall not order, direct, force or in any way unduly influence he
applicant for a protection order to compromise or abandon any of the reliefs sought in the application
for protection under this Act. Section 7 of the Family Courts Act of 1997 and Sections 410, 411, 412
and 413 of the Local Government Code of 1991 shall not apply in proceedings where relief is sought
under this Act.
Failure to comply with this Section shall render the official or judge administratively liable.
SECTION 34. Persons Intervening Exempt from Liability. – In every case of violence against women
and their children as herein defined, any person, private individual or police authority or barangay
official who, acting in accordance with law, responds or intervenes without using violence or restraint
greater than necessary to ensure the safety of the victim, shall not be liable for any criminal, civil or
administrative liability resulting therefrom.
SECTION 35. Rights of Victims. – In addition to their rights under existing laws, victims of violence
against women and their children shall have the following rights:
(a) to be treated with respect and dignity;
(b) to avail of legal assistance form the PAO of the Department of Justice (DOJ) or any
public legal assistance office;