PH leaders join forces to protect childrenv

MANILA – A National Summit on Combating Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OSAEC) was held on September 16, 2024, bringing together leaders from the Philippine national government, local government units (LGUs) and various organizations to unite and coordinate efforts to increase community reporting on these crimes.

International Justice Mission (IJM), in collaboration with the Department of Justice – Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (DOJ – IACAT) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), organized the “Iisang Nasyon, Iisang Aksyon: Tapusin ang OSAEC Ngayon ‘ summit where a new national campaign was launched to combat cultural norms that hinder proactive reporting of OSAEC in communities.

His Excellency Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines, graced the summit and issued a strong warning to would-be violators: “Everyone should think not just twice, but three, but four, five, ten, one. a hundred times, before committing this abuse (OSAEC). I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: this government will do anything. We will do everything we can to combat these heinous crimes against our children.”

The summit, held at the New World Makati Hotel, Manila, was organized in line with the President’s recent directive calling for intensified efforts against OSAEC. He has ordered increased law enforcement activities aimed at rescuing victims, arresting and prosecuting offenders, and implementing a country-wide approach to combat OSAEC.

In 2022 alone, nearly half a million Filipino children, or about 1 in 100 children, were trafficked to produce child sexual exploitation materials for profit, according to estimates from the landmark Scale of Harm prevalence study by International Justice Mission (IJM) and the University of Nottingham Rights Lab.

Samson Inocencio Jr., National Director of IJM Philippines, a hero in this year’s Fight against Human Trafficking (TIP) by the US Department of State, commended the Philippine government and its partners for maintaining the Tier 1 ranking of the Philippines for the ninth consecutive year in the Philippine rankings. US TIP Report. To maintain Tier 1 status, governments must demonstrate continued progress in the fight against human trafficking every year.

“While we still have much work to do to protect our children who are abused by OSAEC every year, with this proven track record in our fight against human trafficking, I am confident that we are on our way to becoming the world’s best response to OSAEC. The Philippines is truly leading the world in implementing a research-based protection model to end this crime and protect children – and I truly believe we are showing the world how to end OSAEC so that all children can be protected” , said Inocencio.

The summit also encouraged key stakeholders, especially local government units, to participate in the “Bayang Walang Bahid ng OSAEC” campaign to educate communities on the impact of OSAEC and the importance of reporting these heinous acts to authorities .

At the summit, key leaders from national government agencies and the Iligan City Government spoke during panel discussions on the President’s key mandates in the fight against OSAEC, including referral pathways, capacity building, the Barangay IACAT initiative, local ordinances and support for survivors.

“The President’s directive to all national government agencies and local government units is clear: the safety of children must be paramount in all government initiatives and regulations. Kaya itong ginagawa nating national Summit ngayon ay isang napagandang avenue para kumilos tayo bilang iisang nasyon sa iisang aksiyon para tapusin ang OSAEC ngayon. This event is a call to action for us to take meaningful and tangible steps toward our shared quest to address OSAEC. We can win this case through a four-pronged approach: intensified law enforcement, strengthened communities, cooperation across sectors, and care for victims,” said DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos.

Charito (pseudonym), president of the Philippine Survivor Network, addressed the crowd at the summit and listed actions that she and other survivors hope the government and other stakeholders would prioritize: “First, we want protection for the victims, for safe spaces, for trauma-informed agencies. Second, we need justice and convictions. Third, we call on communities to have pakabana or malasakit sa mga nahitabo sa palibot (care about what is happening around them). Intensify local officials’ education on OSAEC and, if possible, establish an OSAEC counter in each LGU. Finally, mayors must intentionally invest in survivor sustainability by providing scholarships and financial support for activities critical to our healing and recovery.”

The Summit also featured an exhibition of photographs and pottery created by members of the Philippine Survivor Network through Project BRACE (Building Resilience and Agency through Crafts and Expressive Arts). Supported by the “South-North Embassy Projects: Culture and Development” grant from the Austrian Embassy in Manila, these workshops enable survivors to explore their creativity and share their stories through art.

To report information about online child sexual exploitation and abuse, contact the Philippine National Police – Women and Child Protection Center at 0966-725-5961 (Globe) and 0919-777-7377 (Smart). PR