MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday pledged to further intensify efforts to combat online child sexual abuse, expressing his “deep sense of shame” over the continued recording of such cases.
Marcos made the pronouncement in an emotional speech during the 2024 National Summit Against Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC).
“As I was listening to the young lady, I could not help but shed a tear to think — to try — to relieve the suffering that they went through. And to think how many other children are even — as we’re here … continue to suffer the same fate as she has,” said Marcos, who was visibly emotional, as he referred to an OSAEC survivor who shared her experience when she was only 13 years old.
“And for us to allow this to happen in our country, brings to me an overwhelming sense of shame because being in government, being in public service, we are not doing enough. We must do more,” he added.
According to Marcos, OSAEC cases remain one of the country’s “greatest challenges” as one in every 100 Filipino children is victimized by abuse.
“It is an appalling statistic. We cannot allow this to continue. We will not allow it to continue,” he committed.
With this, Marcos noted the measures currently being employed by the government to fight this issue, including the passing of the Anti-OSAEC and Anti-CSAEM Act and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022.
He cited the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center reports that it had rescued more than 1,099 victims of trafficking in persons and OSAEC and arrested more than one hundred suspects from 2022 to July 2024.
READ: Child protection office created in PH amid rise in online abuse cases
He then called on various agencies to remain committed to protecting children and to develop training programs that would ensure “law enforcement, prosecution, social workers, teachers, and other public servants are well-equipped to handle OSAEC cases.
He also called for a strengthened criminal justice system that will make sure all criminals perpetrating such an “abhorrent crime” are “put behind bars and made to pay for what they have done.”
“I have said it before, I will say it again: this Administration will do everything – we will spare no effort – to combat these heinous crimes against our children,” he said.
“Let us all make the Philippines the absolute worst place for those who abuse and exploit children,” he added.