Plan International lauds passage of bill against child sexual abuse

Plan International Philippines, an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls, commended the House of Representatives for the long-awaited passage of House Bill 10703 – strengthening protection against Online or Offline Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation (OOCSAE).

“Putting an end to online child sexual exploitation and abuse has long been a priority of Plan International in the Philippines,” said Ana Maria Locsin, Plan International Philippines Country Director. “The passage of this important legislation prohibiting sexual abuse and exploitation of children, both offline and online, is the much-awaited reinforcement to our shared efforts to reclaim the safety of online spaces for our children and young people. Certainly, it is the best early gift for this year’s Safer Internet Month.”

In 2021, cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children reported to the the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline more than doubled. From over 1.2 million in 2020, CyberTipline noted that cases spiked to 2,802,712. In 2019, reports were only at more than 400,000.

Since 2017, Plan International Philippines advocates for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach in combating OOCSEA. The organization enjoins not only government actors but also private sector stakeholders such as internet service providers and social media companies, civil society, communities, the media, schools, parents, and even children and young people themselves. This was to drive the conversation on OOCSEA, helping address the growing cybercrime, and keeping the internet safe for all.

During the height of the pandemic, Plan International Philippines, as a member of the Child Rights Network, urged Congress to pass House Resolution 1118, which compelled the House of Representatives to exercise its oversight mandate to investigate the rising cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. It also joined the call of child-focused organizations for Congress to immediately convene the bicameral conference committee and deliver the legislation for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature before the 18th Congress ends on June 30, 2022.

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