Winners of Avon’s Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Ad Competition Announced

Avon’s Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Public Service Ad Competition has finally come to an end with the announcement of its winners at the recently-concluded Screening and Awards Night.

Since the launch of Avon’s Speak Out Against Domestic Violence campaign in 2009, more and more Filipinos have become aware of the reality of domestic violence, how it goes beyond just physical abuse, and how it can happen to anyone, even to young people. Most importantly, the campaign has encouraged more survivors to speak out and encourage others -- victims, sufferers, or witnesses -- to do the same.

“Everyone is empowered to make their voices count and be part of the change that can help alter lives and families,” said Avon President and General Manager Kanwar Bhutani in his welcoming remarks. “In this year’s Speak Out Against Domestic Violence campaign, we’ve decided to involve the youth as they share their creative ideas in coming up with public service ads that will help encourage their peers to take on the cause,” he added, commending the 12 youth groups who have made their voices heard via the competition.

Bhutani also made special mention of the four non-government organizations (NGOs) which the campaign has helped in sustaining their programs that provide hotline numbers for victims to reach out to. These are the Women’s Crisis Center in Manila, Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation (G-Wave) in Dumaguete, Ing Makababaying Aksyon (IMA) Foundation (translates as The Pro-Women Action in English) in Pampanga, and Legal Center for Women and Children (LUNA) in Davao.

Local campaign ambassador Ruffa Gutierrez was also present at the event, and offered her personal words of inspiration and congratulatory message to the 12 youth group participants. The staunch advocate of the campaign for 3 years now also served as a judge of the Speak Out competition, helping select the Top 12 finalists.

Together with their entire Avon family and Speak Out team, Bhutani and Gutierrez were enthusiastic with the results of the competition.

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Emerging as grand champion was Team Tiwala from the Ateneo de Manila University for their entry with the tagline “Make-up covers blemishes, not abuse”. Team members Bien-Bien Tan, Bibien Tan, Leslie Bayona, Sarah Buyco, and Trina Khio were rewarded with a P75,000 cash prize for their outstanding entry.

Second place went to the Ateneo de Manila University’s Storm Troopers team for the entry captioned “Every Filipina deserves a beautiful life”. Team members Cesar Manuel Lorenzo, Victoria Lucia Crisostomo Ortega, Jose Alfonso Manrique, and Christina Mariz Kaur Bhatti Rodriguez received P50,000 in cash as prize.

The entry which placed third was from a group of nursing students, collectively known as Be Heard, representing a non-government organization. Their tagline “Should you wait until ‘til death do us part?’” made members Maria Carmela Estolas, Ukrain Castro, and Kevin Francis Remigio P25,000 richer.

The People’s Choice Award, which comes with a P5,000 cash prize and P5,000 worth of gift certificates, went to Justin de Jesus, Claude Gan, and Mcki Oprenario of the Ju Clauki group from the Lyceum of the Philippines University, for leading in the online voting poll.

Learn more about Avon, its products, its advocacies and its meaningful earning opportunities at www.avon.com.ph. To watch the rest of the 12 finalist entries, check out the AvonPhilippines channel on YouTube here.