DSWD chief: Internet, mobile tech spreading crimes vs kids
MANILA, Philippines — The Internet and mobile phone technology are helping spread cyber-pornography and other crimes against children, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral lamented.
An article on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) website (www.dswd.gov.ph) Monday night said Cabral made the disclosure at a recent Third World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
"Secretary Cabral lamented that the wide reach of the internet and mobile technology has led to the proliferation of pornography, cyberpornography and other crimes against children usually perpetrated by foreigners and their Filipino accomplices," the article said.
Cabral was in the Brazil congress to report on the Philippine government's efforts to stop child exploitation in the Philippines.
She reported that the department has recorded 8,151 cases of child abuse in 2007 alone.
She said the Philippine government has passed national laws, developed programs, and undertook action plans to address emerging issues on children.
Also, she said the country enacted two major laws on the protection of children, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 and Republic Act
9231 that prohibits using, procuring, offering or exposing children to prostitution, production of pornography and pornographic performances.
Cabral also highlighted the different prevention, protection and reintegration programs for children at risk of abuse.
These include the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a social assistance and social development program that aims to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by providing families with means to develop their human capital, and the Philippine Time-Bound Program (PTBP) which supports the prohibition and elimination of worst forms of child labor.
Also, Cabral commended the Child Wise Tourism Project of the Department of Tourism which aims to train tourism personnel, tour guides and even taxi drivers to identify and report child sexual exploitation in the tourism industry.
She added that the "Amended Omnibus Guidelines for Minor Traveling Abroad,"
which defines when a travel clearance is required and shall be issued to a minor traveling alone to a foreign country, or accompanied by a person other than his or her parent, was adopted to prevent cross-border trafficking of children.
Cabral said the Philippine government has set up various child-friendly facilities and procedures to shield victims from the trauma of recalling their horrible experiences.
She cited the Child-Friendly Investigative Studios and the Protocol on Child Friendly Investigative Interview now being adopted by government agencies nationwide.
Cabral recognized multi-sectoral efforts in curbing cases of commercial sexual exploitation in the country. She commended concerned government agencies, non-government organizations, and civil society for their active involvement in awareness raising campaigns.
Likewise, she vowed that the Philippine government will "ensure that children's welfare will be a top priority in legislative and development agenda."
"Our plans are: initiate more strategic lobbying with lawmakers to facilitate the passage of laws on the protection of children, allocate resources for more responsive services for children, and ensure access to justice for children," she said.
The DSWD noted a United Nations Study on Violence Against Children issued in 2007 found that sexual exploitation of children is increasing globally.
In the Philippines, Cabral disclosed that the 2008 Implementation Report on the "Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography" noted that poverty has pushed millions of Filipino workers to leave their families in pursuit of substandard but better-paying jobs abroad.
This translates to millions of children growing up without one or both parents.
The World Congress is a gathering of more than 3,000 participants to review lessons learned and to seek more effective approaches and partnerships to address problems of children and adolescents. - GMANews.TV
An article on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) website (www.dswd.gov.ph) Monday night said Cabral made the disclosure at a recent Third World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
"Secretary Cabral lamented that the wide reach of the internet and mobile technology has led to the proliferation of pornography, cyberpornography and other crimes against children usually perpetrated by foreigners and their Filipino accomplices," the article said.
Cabral was in the Brazil congress to report on the Philippine government's efforts to stop child exploitation in the Philippines.
She reported that the department has recorded 8,151 cases of child abuse in 2007 alone.
She said the Philippine government has passed national laws, developed programs, and undertook action plans to address emerging issues on children.
Also, she said the country enacted two major laws on the protection of children, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 and Republic Act
9231 that prohibits using, procuring, offering or exposing children to prostitution, production of pornography and pornographic performances.
Cabral also highlighted the different prevention, protection and reintegration programs for children at risk of abuse.
These include the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a social assistance and social development program that aims to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by providing families with means to develop their human capital, and the Philippine Time-Bound Program (PTBP) which supports the prohibition and elimination of worst forms of child labor.
Also, Cabral commended the Child Wise Tourism Project of the Department of Tourism which aims to train tourism personnel, tour guides and even taxi drivers to identify and report child sexual exploitation in the tourism industry.
She added that the "Amended Omnibus Guidelines for Minor Traveling Abroad,"
which defines when a travel clearance is required and shall be issued to a minor traveling alone to a foreign country, or accompanied by a person other than his or her parent, was adopted to prevent cross-border trafficking of children.
Cabral said the Philippine government has set up various child-friendly facilities and procedures to shield victims from the trauma of recalling their horrible experiences.
She cited the Child-Friendly Investigative Studios and the Protocol on Child Friendly Investigative Interview now being adopted by government agencies nationwide.
Cabral recognized multi-sectoral efforts in curbing cases of commercial sexual exploitation in the country. She commended concerned government agencies, non-government organizations, and civil society for their active involvement in awareness raising campaigns.
Likewise, she vowed that the Philippine government will "ensure that children's welfare will be a top priority in legislative and development agenda."
"Our plans are: initiate more strategic lobbying with lawmakers to facilitate the passage of laws on the protection of children, allocate resources for more responsive services for children, and ensure access to justice for children," she said.
The DSWD noted a United Nations Study on Violence Against Children issued in 2007 found that sexual exploitation of children is increasing globally.
In the Philippines, Cabral disclosed that the 2008 Implementation Report on the "Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography" noted that poverty has pushed millions of Filipino workers to leave their families in pursuit of substandard but better-paying jobs abroad.
This translates to millions of children growing up without one or both parents.
The World Congress is a gathering of more than 3,000 participants to review lessons learned and to seek more effective approaches and partnerships to address problems of children and adolescents. - GMANews.TV
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