The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has launched #ShieldKids, a campaign aimed at fighting sexual predators.
“The threat against our children is real and is here. With the reopening of the country’s borders post-pandemic comes the rise of attempts of sexual predators to enter the country,” Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
“We must protect those who rely on us for their safety, By protecting our children, we defend our future,” Tansingco pointed out.
“Let us all do our share in protecting the most vulnerable from these undesirable aliens,” he urged the public.
Tansingco said the BI's campaign is “a three-tier effort of the agency to combat the rise of sexual predators.”
“Project #Shieldkids endeavors to harmonize government efforts against sex offenders in the country by institutionalizing a network of communication amongst government agencies involved in investigating and arresting pedophiles and traffickers,” he said.
“The project also solidifies the BI’s drive against sexual predators by prioritizing cases against foreign nationals that might be involved in sex trafficking of children,” he also said.
Also, under the project, the BI opened up the Commissioner's helpline via Facebook.com/immigration.helpline.ph and encouraged citizens “to report potential cases of child exploitation and abuse involving foreign nationals.”
Tansingco said the bureau saw the need for a more focused approach against child exploitation upon observing the rise of attempts of registered sex offenders to enter the country.
BI records show that in 2023 immigration officers denied the entry of 171 foreign nationals who were previously convicted of sex crimes or are wanted for such offenses.
The same records also show that a number of foreign fugitives wanted in their countries as sex offenders had been arrested