Short answer. Section 2 of RA 9262 declares that the State values the dignity of women and children and guarantees full respect for their human rights. It commits government to protecting the family and its members, especially women and children, from violence and threats to their safety, consistent with the Constitution and international human rights instruments the Philippines has joined.
What the law says
the State values the dignity of women and children and guarantees full respect for human rights
RA 9262, Section 2 — Declaration Of Policy. Read the full provision →
What the law says
The State also recognizes the need to protect the family and its members particularly women and children, from violence and threats to their personal safety and security.
RA 9262, Section 2 — Declaration Of Policy. Read the full provision →
The State's stated values
Section 2 opens by declaring that the State values the dignity of women and children and guarantees full respect for human rights. This is not a technical rule but a statement of purpose; it sets the lens through which every other section of RA 9262 is meant to be read and applied.
Courts and agencies interpreting the Act are expected to keep this declared value in mind when deciding how broadly or narrowly to apply its protections.
Protecting the family from violence
The provision also recognizes the need to protect the family and its members, particularly women and children, from violence and threats to their personal safety and security. This framing places the law's protections inside the context of family relationships, since most of the abuse the Act addresses happens between spouses, partners, or parents and children.
It signals that safety within the home is treated as a matter of State concern, not merely a private family issue.
Grounding in constitutional and international commitments
Section 2 ties the State's efforts against violence to the fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution and to international instruments the Philippines has joined, including conventions on eliminating discrimination against women and protecting children's rights. This grounding gives the law a broader legal foundation beyond the statute's own text.
It also means the Act can be read together with the country's international human rights obligations when questions of interpretation arise.
Why the policy declaration matters for a person seeking protection
For someone experiencing abuse, Section 2 is not itself the provision that grants a protection order or defines an offense, but it explains why those later provisions exist and how they are meant to be interpreted, with the safety and dignity of women and children as the guiding priority.
When later sections leave room for interpretation, this declaration of policy is what courts and enforcement agencies look to for guidance on which reading better serves the law's purpose.