'I am enraged': Liza Soberano seeks help for child exploitation victims due to lockdown

MANILA, Philippines — Kapamilya actress Liza Soberano showed her disappointment over things happening in the country due to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

In her Twitter account, Liza shared a tweet from Senator Risa Hontiveros about online sexual exploitation on Facebook.

I am ENRAGED. I saw so many videos online that absolutely broke my heart. An innocent man got shot, a teacher went to jail, and multiple street vendors. Is anyone doing anything about this??? https://t.co/qW9knmcSIE

— Liza Soberano (@lizasoberano) May 14, 2020

“Sa ilalim ng quarantine, dumadami ang mga kaso ng online sexual exploitation sa mga bata. Napakawalanghiya, at ang active & public pa ng posts & comments. Am calling on NBI & Facebk to put an end to these immediately!Kailangan mapanagot agad ang mga gumawa ng mga pages na ito,” the senator wrote.

Liza said she is also enraged by news about an innocent man getting shot and a teacher and street vendors going to jail.

“I am ENRAGED. I saw so many videos online that absolutely broke my heart. An innocent man got shot, a teacher went to jail, and multiple street vendors. Is anyone doing anything about this???” she wrote.

Recently, Project SAFE (Support and Awareness to Fight Exploitation), an organization focused on tackling child sexual violence by creating awareness through sports, partnered with different sectors to rescue more kids from online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC).

“Project S.A.F.E.’s goal is to raise funds to supply OSEC-vulnerable communities with ‘safe packages’ - gift packs that include basic needs such as food and home items, so that families will not have to resort to crime to make ends meet during the COVID-19 lockdown. By providing them with basic needs, families can focus on nurturing a safe environment and building happy relationships which allow children to thrive,” said Meggie Ochoa, Fight to Protect founder and Jiu Jitsu national athlete who takes great pride in using sports as a platform to spread awareness in fighting OSEC.

Project SAFE benefits select vulnerable communities in Iligan city and Taytay city, both of which have been known to have a history of rampant cases of OSEC based on previously conducted rescue operations.

In its Facebook page, Project SAFE reported that three minors were minors were rescued from OSEC, while one suspect was arrested during lockdown in Region 3.

"The number of children rescued are rapidly increasing each week. For us, these are not just numbers but real lives on their way to restoration and healing,” said legal counsel Reynaldo Bicol, Manila Field Office Director of International Justice Mission, an international, non-government organization focused on human rights, law and law enforcement.