Cebu campaign vs child porn starts

Child rights advocates in Cebu are launching an anti-pornography campaign in response to alarming cases of cybersex cases involving kids.

The campaign entitled, “Sugbo! Lihok Batok Pornograpiya: Cebu-Wide Day against Child Pornography,” will be launched with a forum on July 14 at 1 p.m. in the Parkmall in Mandaue City.

On August 1, child rights advocates will have the ‘Arrows of Hope’ march from Fuente Osmeña to Plaza Independencia.

August 1 was dubbed Cebu Day to End Child Pornography.

Emerging cases of cyberpornography targetting children in Cebu province and the rest of the country prompted them to launch the campaign, said  Joan Saniel-Amit, executive director of the Children’s Legal Bureau (CLB).

Amit said parents have to be extra vigilant because of the popularity of the Internet and cellphones which make pornography accessible to children.

Internet use is so pervasive that the service is available in many neighborhoods in “piso-piso” Internet shops, which brings in young customers who patronize video games and online porn.

With smartphones that have online access, Amit said it was “difficult to monitor something which is inside a person’s pocket” because youhave to deal with privacy issues.

“But it’s up to parents to monitor their children and what web sites and materials they are looking up in the Internet through computers or smartphones,” she said.

The Cebu City Council and Cebu Provincial Board (PB) have committed to file legislative measures supporting the campaign, said Amit.

“We are also inviting the business sector to support this campaign,” she added.

In the next two weeks, the campaign will visit selected schools and offices to encourage people to take part in fighting child pornography.