Marcos orders creation of Presidential Office for Child Protection

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued Executive Order No. 67, which creates the Presidential Office for Children Protection (POCP).

The sole function of the POCP is to protect children from abuse and exploitation. It seeks to address cases of Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC), among other threats to the well-being of Filipino youth.

Mr. Marcos said the establishment of the POCP “is necessary to ensure a nation-wide approach, to strengthen the existing institutional and legal framework for child protection.”

The office is headed by the Presidential Adviser for Child Protection (PACP) and is under the supervision and control of the Special Assistant to the President.

“The POCP shall monitor and harmonize government actions, policies and programmes related to the protection of children and the promotion of their welfare,” reads the four-page EO signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on August 6.

In addition, the Commission’s role is to make policy recommendations to the President and monitor the implementation of presidential directives.

In addition, the PACP will be a member of the National Coordination Centre (NCC), the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), the Council for Child Welfare (CWC), the National Council Against Child Labour (NCACL) and the Committee for the Special Protection of Children (CSPC).