Soliman wants children better protected from porn

Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman has called for stronger anti-pornography measures to prevent the youth from being lured into the sex trade.

“We have to ensure more stringent implementation of our laws to protect the vulnerable women and children from the dangers of cyber child pornography and prostitution,” Soliman told participants of the National Conference on “Protecting Children in the Cyber Age” held at the Manila Hotel Wednesday.

The two-day conference was spearheaded by the Department of Justice in partnership with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (Iacat), Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) and the Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography (Iacacp).

The conference was conducted to create a higher level of awareness among target audiences on general child protection issues and to appreciate and discuss the benefits and risks of the cyber age on children.

In her speech, Soliman said there were enough laws to ensure that the rights of children were upheld and their welfare was promoted.

These, she said, included the Act Defining Cyber Crime, the Anti-Child Pornography Act, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, and the Child and Youth Welfare Code.

“There are also several government programs that are both preventive and restorative, and most importantly, provide justice to those being victimized. These efforts are something that you can go through the details and improve,” Soliman said.