Mikee Romero joins bicam committee that will take on bill vs child sexual abuse

By: Dennis Gutierrez - 3 years ago

House Deputy Speaker 1Pacman Party Rep. Michael Romero

MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Speaker 1Pacman Party Rep. Michael “Mikee” Romero will join the bicameral committee that will take on the bill aiming to prohibit all forms of sexual abuse or exploitation of children.

The House of Representatives has approved on final reading House Bill 10703 or the “Anti-Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children,” which will amend Republic Act No. 9775 or The Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009.

It received 203 affirmative votes, zero negative, and zero abstention.

To reconcile both versions of Congress’ upper and lower chambers, a bicameral conference committee will be formed.

Joining Romero in the Bicameral Committee are Deputy Speaker representatives Cheryl Deloso-Montalla, Yedda Maria Romualdez, Evelina Escudero, Lawrence Fortun, Joy Myra Tambuntin, and Arlene Brosas.

Romero’s 1-Pacman Partylist is again joining the 2022 national elections.

Under the new measure, internet intermediaries and other internet or payment service providers are required to block, take down, or remove websites that facilitate such offenses against children.

It also seeks to create an inter-agency body that will supersede the inter-agency council on anti-child pornography, as it outlines a system of reporting for activities concerning sexual abuse of children both offline and online.

During the pandemic, children’s rights groups have raised the alarm over the rising cases of abuse, especially online, as deepening poverty spurred by COVID-19 pushed families that were forced to stay at home to resort to easy money-making schemes.

In 2020 alone, there were 1.2 million tips about alleged activities involving the online sexual exploitation of children, according to the country’s Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.