PHILIPPINES: Gatchalian seeks continued, stronger crackdown vs. online sexual abuse, exploitation of children

February 15, 2025

Gatchalian seeks continued, stronger crackdown vs. online sexual abuse, exploitation of children

Amid the observance of National Awareness Week for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, Senator Win Gatchalian is calling for a continued and stronger crackdown on online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC).

Gatchalian previously filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the

proliferation of OSAEC. In filing the resolution, the lawmaker emphasized the need to strengthen existing measures to create a safer online environment for children and hold predators accountable.

The senator pressed the importance of making sure that child protection systems are functional to address the reporting, response, prosecution, and rehabilitation of children who are victims of OSAEC and Commercial Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM). Gatchalian further emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between local government units, law enforcement agencies, and non-government agencies through the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). This is to ensure that policies, programs, and policies are available and properly implemented.

In 2022, the International Justice Mission's Scale of Harm report revealed that nearly half a million Filipino children were trafficked online via live streaming. The Anti-Money Laundering Council flagged P1.56 billion in suspicious transactions related to OSAEC, which resulted in 182,729 suspicious transaction reports from 2020 to 2022. Of the 17,600 cases of child rights violations recorded in 2023, a substantial portion were cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation involving children.

Gatchalian also reiterated the importance of strengthening international cooperation to improve data sharing and cross-border prosecution, enhance the accountability of digital platforms, including social media companies, to proactively detect and remove harmful content, and raise public awareness of the dangers of OSAEC. In 2023, various telecommunications companies reported blocking 902,000 URLs and websites containing child sexual abuse and exploitation materials.

Gatchalian is a co-author and co-sponsor of the Anti-OSAEC and Anti-CSAEM Act (Republic Act No. 11930) and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022.