Penalize operators of child sex tourism

CEBU, Philippines - With the pursuit to protect minors from any forms of exploitation, a provincial ordinance that seeks to penalize child sex tourism and child exploitation has been pushed by the Provincial Board.

The proposed legislation known as “2014 Anti-Child Sex Tourism Ordinance of the Province of Cebu”, sponsored by Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and co-sponsored by Board member Peter John Calderon, is now on its way for second reading in the PB.

Magpale co-chairs the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children while Calderon sits as member of the PB’s Committee on Women, Family and Minors.

In the proposed ordinance, imprisonment of one year and a fine of P5,000 will be imposed against the perpetrators of the acts prohibited under the policy.

“This penalty shall not preclude the application of other administrative penalties as prescribed by other existing law,” a part of the proposed ordinance read.

Under the proposed ordinance, no person shall organize, promote or conduct sex tours or travel packages in which a child is included for the purpose of matching him or her for sex or any sex-related conduct or behavior; sell, trade, barter, offer or give a child to any tourist for sex, with or without any consideration; employ  or hire a child to work in a tourism or commercial establishment that may unnecessarily expose the child to sex tourism or exploitation;  and allow a child to perform lascivious or lewd shows before any electronic audio-video device for whatever purpose.

Prohibited acts also include allowing, permitting, or tolerating a child to participate, join, or accompany in a sex tour or travel package, and taking a photo or video of a child in nudity or “in sexy and skimpy attire for pornographic purpose.”

“Sex tour package” is defined in the proposed ordinance as a tour or travel package “especially intended for a tourist or a group of tourists with an accompanying offer for sexual adventure or pleasure” while child sex tourism is a form tourism organized “with the primary purpose of facilitating or effecting a commercial sexual relationship with a child.

In a resolution, the authors disclosed that Philippines has been considered by the United Nations and other international organizations as a prime sex tourism destination in the world.

It was also in 2005 that the Consortium Against Trafficking of Children and Women for Sexual Exploitation (Catch-Wise) reported in Cebu that the Philippines ranked the 4th country with the most number of prostituted children.

“…while the rising influx of tourists in Cebu is a highly welcome and desirable economic development, sexual abuse and exploitation perpetrated by tourists can never be countenanced,” the resolution read.

As reported by the Police Regional Office-7 last year, there were 62 trafficking cases in the region from 2010 to 2013. Of that number, 29 were handled by the Women and Children Protection Desk of Different Station.

Records also showed that the Municipality of Cordova recorded the highest cases of trafficking. (FREEMAN)