MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo called on men to respect women, as she spoke before members of the Federation of Asia Pacific Women's Association (FAWA) in Pasay City on Thursday.

LOOK: VP Leni Robredo attends the 60th Anniversary of the Federation of Asia Pacific Women Association in Pasay City. pic.twitter.com/HobErxsMP8

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She said the late Senator Geronima Pecson, the country’s first woman senator who founded the FAWA, will be among the first ones to condemn rape as well as jokes about women.

The Vice President said rape was so "widespread" in the Asia-Pacific region that a quarter of men surveyed in 6 countries admitted to have committed this.

Robredo said that men should no longer need to be reminded about according women the respect they deserve.

“Men should make it their business to respect us, this is why we also know that creating a heritage of lasting peace and sustainable development is impossible if we do not include women as part of the solution,” Robredo said.

During her speech, she also talked about the privately funded Angat Buhay program of the Office of the Vice President which has been helping poor Filipinos and has provided livelihood training to women in Marawi.

“We need to work harder together and much more effectively in ensuring that every woman is ensured to rise above her struggles and freely live out her dreams,” Robredo said.

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