Marcos establishes child protection office, reorganizes anti-hunger task force

The new Presidential Office for Child Protection is responsible for monitoring and harmonizing government policies against child abuse, particularly online child exploitation and trafficking.

MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, August 6, signed two executive orders establishing a Presidential Office for Child Protection and reorganizing the government’s Task Force on Hunger Prevention.

The new Presidential Office for Child Protection (POCP) is mandated to “monitor and harmonize government efforts, policies and programmes related to the protection of children and the promotion of their well-being.”

Particular attention will be paid to combating online child sexual abuse and exploitation (OSAEC), child sexual abuse and exploitation material (CSAEM) and child trafficking issues.

The POCP, headed by a Presidential Advisor on Child Protection, will present policy recommendations to the President and develop a National Action Plan for Children in collaboration with the Council for Child Welfare (CWC), other relevant government agencies and offices, and civil society organizations.

The office will work with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) to create and implement programs to combat OSAEC, CSAEM, and child trafficking. It will also identify and recommend urgent government interventions for child protection, and monitor government compliance with its international child protection obligations, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and others.

POCP members include the National Coordination Centre, IACAT, CWC, National Council Against Child Labour and the Committee for Special Protection of Children.

The Philippines has been listed as Tier 1 in the United States Trafficking in Persons report since 2016, meaning it meets minimum U.S. standards to combat human trafficking in the country. However, abuse has continued in the country since then, tripling during the COVID-19 pandemic as lockdowns were enforced and Filipinos were pushed further into economic uncertainty.

The Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children Act has been inoperative since July 2022.

Hunger relief task force reorganizes

In Marcos’ other August 6 executive order, EO No. 66, the President reorganized the government’s Task Force for Zero Hunger to “ensure the continuous and effective implementation” of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty Program, which institutionalizes the government’s efforts to reduce hunger and promote food and nutrition security.

New members of the task force include the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior and Local Government, the Presidential Communications Office and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

According to a survey by Social Weather Stations, as of June 2024, 17.6% of Filipino households experienced involuntary hunger, or hunger and nothing to eat, at least once in the past three months.

The rate of involuntary hunger rose from 14.2% in March, with the highest levels of hunger experienced in Metro Manila. – Rappler.com