Shelter for abused women, kids to rise in Legazpi

By Connie Calipay

LEGAZPI CITY --- Construction of a three-story building to serve as a home for distressed women and children is ongoing on a 1.5-hectare site in Barangay Estanza.

Legazpi City Mayor Hisham Ismail said the project, initiated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Bicol (DSWD-5) in partnership with Ako Bicol Party-list, aims to provide a safe shelter for women and children who are emotionally, mentally, or physically distressed and abused.

The project is expected to be completed by the first or second quarter of 2026.

Ismail added that the facility would not only cater to the residents of Legazpi but also to Albayanos and anyone in need of protection and refuge.

“This can be a refuge not only for the people of Legazpi but also for all Albayanos and anyone who needs it,” he said during a livestream on Tuesday.

In addition to serving women and children, the facility will include a home for the elderly, providing care for senior citizens who have been abandoned or are unable to care for themselves.

“At the back, there will be a home for the elderly—for our beloved senior citizens who have been neglected, who have no one to take care of them, and those who can no longer care for themselves. This will ensure that our Legazpi citizens, if neglected, have a place to stay or turn to,” he added.

Ismail expressed that the initiative is a significant contribution to the city’s efforts to support the welfare of distressed persons. (PNA)

HOME. Legazpi City Mayor Hisham Ismail inspects the construction of a 3-story building that will serve as a home for distressed women and children on a 1.5-hectare site in Barangay Estanza on Tuesday (Nov. 25, 2025). The facility is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026. (Photo courtesy of Mayor Hisham Ismail’s Facebook page)