MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the creation of a centralized system for detecting and reporting online sexual abuse of children.
The move, according to President Marcos, is in line with his administration’s commitment to place the protection of children at the center of programs and policies.
The Chief Executive presided over on Tuesday a sectoral meeting on the action plan to combat online sexual abuse or exploitation of children (OSAEC) and child sexual abuse or exploitation materials (CSAEM) in the Philippines.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. said President Marcos ordered for a whole-of-government approach to put an end to online sexual abuse of children.
“Kaya napag-usapan kahapon at gagawin po natin, ika-capacitate po ito. In fact, ilalagay rin po natin ito as part of the seal of good local governance. Lalagyan po natin ng tinatawag na parameters ito sa lahat ng mga barangay at local government units sa buong Pilipinas,” he said.
Abalos said President Marcos is serious about ending online sexual abuse of children as it is the “worst of all crimes.”
To ensure the effective implementation of the President’s order, Abalos said an adoption of barangay ordinance will be implemented against OSAEC and CSAEM, which will be replicated to the municipal and city levels.
President Marcos has also ordered the Philippine National Police and all agencies to come down on perpetrators engaged in making, processing and distributing child sexual abuse materials with the full weight of the law. (PND)
