Marcos: We haven’t done enough vs OSAEC

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos yesterday shed tears at a summit to combat online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, where he vowed to put behind bars those who perpetrate this abhorrent crime.

Marcos was emotional when he began his speech at the “Iisang Nasyon, Iisang Aksyon: Tapusin ang Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) Ngayon” summit at the New World Hotel in Makati City after listening to a sexual abuse survivor.

“As I was listening to the young lady – and she is a lady – I could not help but shed a tear to think, to try to have to relive the suffering that (she) went through. And to think how many other children are – even as we sit in this fancy hotel room, eating our fancy food – continuing to suffer the same fate as she has,” the President said.

“And accompanying those tears that are just shed was a deep sense of shame because we have not done enough for the Philippines to now be considered the epicenter of…” he added.

Marcos noted that half a million or one in every 100 Filipinos has been victimized.

“It is an appalling statistic. We cannot allow this to continue. We will not allow it to continue. It is the horrible scourge of online sexual abuse or exploitation of children or OSAEC, which remains widespread now in our country,” the President said.

Marcos said he has created the Presidential Office for Child Protection (POCP), which is a critical step in the fight against this crisis, “as this is a battle that we must not lose and we will not lose.”

He added that the POCP would serve as the epicenter of government efforts, bringing together resources and strategies to ensure that every child in the country is protected and supported.

The Chief Executive noted that laws, such as the Anti-OSAEC and the Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials as well as the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022, have been passed and are proof of the government’s relentless pursuit to bring perpetrators to justice.

Marcos said the country has attained the Tier 1 status in the Trafficking in Persons Report, which shows that it made earnest efforts and leadership in combating the crimes of human trafficking and OSAEC.

However, he stressed that the government and its international partners “must do more” to make the Philippines “the absolute worst place for those who abuse and exploit children.”

He called on the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Health, Justice, Education and the Interior and Local Government to protect the innocent children.

He ordered the agencies to continue to develop training programs; ensure law enforcers, prosecutors, social workers, teachers and other public servants are well-equipped to handle cases and strengthen the criminal justice system so that “all who perpetrate this abhorrent crime are put behind bars and made to pay for what they have done.”