In rally, kids reminded: Don’t go with strangers

CHILDREN take part in a rally against child cyberpornography in Roxas City. NESTOR P. BURGOS JR./INQUIRER VISAYAS

ROXAS CITY—The children repeatedly shouted the urgent reminder: “Huwag sumama sa hindi kilala (Don’t go with strangers).”

Then they donned improvised visors, held signs and walked with their parents and child welfare advocates in calling for an end to child pornography.

The symbolic walk, joined by at least 200 children and their parents in Barangay Punta Cogon, a coastal village at the border of this city adjacent to Panay town, was the first held on Panay Island, according to the nongovernment organization Akap Bata.

“It is good that we parents and the children are made aware so that these terrible things will not happen to any child,” said Mirari Serafin, 50, who brought her two children, aged 2 and 8 years old, to the rally.

Arlene Brosas, secretary general of Akap Bata, said while there has been no confirmed case of cyberpornography in Capiz, children of poor families in areas hit by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” have become more vulnerable.

“Many families lost their houses and livelihood. They can become vulnerable to groups or individuals offering money or other assistance by exploiting women and children,” she said.

Before the symbolic walk, children joined a storytelling session on the story “Si Emang Engkantada at ang Tatlong Haragan,” which tells of the importance of caring for and protecting the environment.

The children in Punta Cogon and other villages have also been attending sessions on psychological and emotional stress after Yolanda ravaged Roxas City and the entire Capiz province.

According to Brosas, cases of child online pornography in the country continue to increase because the government failed to enforce laws against it.

The laws include Republic Act No. 9775 (Anti-Child Pornography Law) and Republic Act No. 9208 (Anti-Trafficking of Persons Act).

The group said the national government has not shown political will in stopping the “worst form of forced labor and sexual exploitation against the Filipino children.”

“The child pornography law was passed in 2009 and implementing rules came out in 2012. But there has been no single conviction because the complaints hardly reach the prosecution stage,” Brosas said.