The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Friday, Jan. 26, expressed an alarming concern over the rising cases of Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) in the Philippines.
In a televised interview via PTV's Bagong Pilipinas segment, CICC Deputy Executive Director Mary Rose E. Magsaysay emphasized the alarming cases of this kind of cybercrime.
"The Philippines has a high number of OSAEC cases, and we are number one in the world," Magsaysay said in a mix of English and Filipino.
She then pointed out that the OSAEC is being overshadowed by online scams and financial crimes.
"But this is like, in a way, a subset of financial crimes. It is done because, at the end of the day, people want to profit," she said.
Moreover, she emphasized the possible effect of this unfortunate data on the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with 80 percent of it being contributed by the services rendered by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) abroad.
"Who will get [hire] a Filipino if you (employers) know that Filipinos are not ethical online, because of being number one in OSAEC" she explained.
Furthermore, Magsaysay noted that the possible solution for the said concern is not just awareness alone but also responsible usage of the internet.
"You (internet users) have to be more concerned about tech for good instead of 'aura- aura' online," she said.
Magsaysay pointed out that it is fine to do "aura-aura" online to promote products, but "other than that, limit yourself to the use of technology."