DOT, Australia join campaign to protect Pinoy kids from sex offenders

The Department of Tourism, in partnership with the Australian government, launched yesterday an ASEAN-wide campaign to protect Filipino children from sex offenders.

Speaking at the campaign’s launching at the Westin Philippine Plaza hotel in Pasay City, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said by working with the business sector, the government can deliver "a strong message that child sex offenders are not welcome in the Philippines.

"Since this part of the world is the fastest growing tourism destination, more and more of these serial criminals come to Asia," he said.

Durano said the campaign, dubbed "Child-Sex Tourists: Don’t turn away. Turn them in," aims not only to eradicate cases of child sex exploitation, but to prevent offenders from entering the country.

"These are not traditional tourists, these are serial criminals that are looking for countries where they will have opportunities to commit crimes," he said.

Anita Dodds, Child Wise Tourism program manager, said the campaign encourages Filipinos and tourists to phone a national hotline if they observe other tourists behaving suspiciously around children.

"We welcome the support of companies who want to make an investment in the safe future of the Filipino children," she said. "The business sector can sponsor a billboard or a television commercial, there are many ways that businesses can become involved."

Child Wise, Australia’s leading child protection agency, urged the business sector to support the campaign through paid advertisements.

Australian Ambassador Tony Hely said the government should protect the country’s most precious resources: the children.

"While most tourists are responsible travelers, the Australian government is committed to protecting children by helping to stop the small minority of tourists who use their travel as an opportunity to exploit children," he said.

Durano said government is determined to prevent child-sex tourism.

"We will improve the data bank of the immigration office and all these child sex offenders that already have records, like we do with other types of criminals," he said.

Durano said that the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation have been active in arresting tourists who have committed child exploitation.

"We also need the support of travel agencies because for sure they would know the activities of their clients," he said.

The DOT said that the new campaign is the result of a 10-year partnership between ASEAN, the Australian government and Child Wise.

The partnership has contributed in improving law enforcement, heightened surveillance and jail terms for tourists who sexually exploit children.

To report cases of child exploitation, the telephone "hotline" number in the Philippines is (632) 524-1660.