The Child Rights Network (CRN) urged the House Committee on the Revision of Laws to continue the stalled deliberations on the proposed law on special protections against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) which has been pending since last May.
In a statement issued on Friday, Aug. 27, CRN – the country’s largest alliance for child protection – said the House Committee, which is headed by Zambales Rep. Cheryl Deloso Montalla, must release immediately its committee report.
Last May, the Senate approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 2209 on the proposed OSAEC law.
The Senate bill seeks to expand the coverage of the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 (Republic Act No. 9775) and correct the deficiencies under the RA 7610, the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Law, and RA 7610, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.
“The delay in the proceedings of the Anti-OSAEC measure jeopardizes the life and future of Filipino children, especially amidst the pandemic where they have become more vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation,” CRN said.
It also said: “With the ongoing community quarantines across the country, children have been locked up in their homes for long periods of time, thus making online platforms a fundamental need for them to continue their education and maintain a sense of normalcy.”
Thus, CRN noted that the coronavirus disease (COVId-19) pandemic has made it easier for OSAEC perpetrators to prey on children during these trying times.
Citing data from the United States-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, CRN lamented how rapid OSAEC cases increased during the pandemic, noting that there was a 209 percent increase in the cyber tip reports of OSAEC for the Philippines, from January to December 2020 (1,294,750 cyber tips) compared to 2019 (418,422 cyber tips).
“These figures complement the findings of a risk assessment report released by the Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council in 2020, which showed that there had been a significant rise in the suspicious financial transactions related to OSAEC in 2020. From the 597 suspicious transaction reports recorded in May 2019, the figures bloated to 5,634 in May 2020,” CRN also said.
It said that time is running out as the House of Representatives has already commenced the deliberations on the proposed 2022 national budget, a herculean effort that is expected to take the bulk of legislators’ time and attention.
“And in a few months, preparations for the upcoming national elections will surely take center stage for most legislators, leaving many pending bills in legislative limbo until the next Congress opens,” it noted.
“We implore our legislators: we should not put the Anti-OSAEC Bill on the backburner. The current situation calls for a potent law that can protect children from online sexual abuse and exploitation," it pleaded.
Passing the OSAEC bill, it stressed, will be a testament to how Legislature puts Filipino children at the heart of the law.
“This bill is not simply a piece of paper – it can and will save lives. Every day that proceedings on this bill are delayed is equivalent to another day when online sexual predators can freely operate and victimize children,” it added.