ILOILO CITY, Philippines—The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) in Western Visayas launched an investigation of alleged cases of child prostitution in establishments on Boracay Island.

Aida Estabillo, labor regional director, said in an e-mailed statement that the labor department sent a team of inspectors to the island-resort to verify a report that at least five establishments were allowing child prostitution.

The report was sent by the non-government organization End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (Ecpat-Philippines).

Two labor inspectors from the DoLE office in Aklan investigated the five establishments, which were identified in the Ecpat report as tolerating child prostitution.

The inspectors, however, did not find minors or children employed in the establishments during the time of inspection on Oct. 28 and 29, Estabillo said in her statement.

Estabillo said the agency would conduct regular seminars and meetings with various agencies to help eliminate risks of children being lured into prostitution in Boracay.

In a 2006 study, Ecpat said girls and boys aged 14-17 years old engage in prostitution in Boracay.

In a 46-page report last year, Ecpat released findings that included accounts of children who fell prey to prostitution in Boracay.

The Ecpat report said the sexual exploitation of children in Boracay has been made easy through tour packages, which were accessible to tourists interested in sex with minors.

“While it is a fact that tourism in Boracay has obviously brought in money for the government, it, too, has its social costs,” part of the report said.

“Boracay attracts not just responsible tourists who compose the majority, but also visitors whose purpose to travel is to exploit and engage in sexual activities involving children. This situation, in turn, makes other children in Boracay highly at risk due to exposure to the trade,” part of the report’s conclusion read.

Ecpat said in its report that there was a lack of support services to victims, especially trained social workers that could handle children who are victims of sexual exploitation.

It said there was also a need to deepen the knowledge and skills on laws and policies related to children to help and protect children from abuse and sexual exploitation.

“In most instances children are seen as offenders, thus, in practical terms, they are not seen as victims of sexual exploitation,” according to the report.

The group said some tourism establishments, including resorts and hotels, “help facilitate the sexual exploitation of children.”