PB okays Bogo City ordinance vs. porn

The Provincial Board committee on women, children and family has approved a Bogo City ordinance that protects children against online pornography.

PB Member Agnes Magpale, chairwoman of the committee, acknowledged that cyberspace has become a source of pornography which is accessible to children.

The Bogo City Council passed an ordinance, which was approved by Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr., last February 28, that requires all Internet cafés in the city to install software in each computer terminal to block access by children to pornographic websites.

The ordinance, authored by councilor Beinvenido Gulane II, said children will not be allowed to surf online in Internet cafés without the supervision of personnel from the establishment to ensure that they cannot access porn.

Under the ordinance, internet cafés are required to display warning signs against using pornographic websites.

The violators will be penalized with a revocation of their business and mayor’s permits.

It will be the personnel of the Bogo City Department of Social Welfare and Development who will monitor any violations of the ordinance and forward complaints to the office of the mayor.

“It is the humble view of this Committee that the ordinance be approved,” the report read.

With the passage of the ordinance, according to Magpale, the provisions of the Children’s Code of the Province as well as the mandate of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child will be fully implemented.  — Garry B. Lao/BRP