FINALLY, the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading House Bill No. 10703 or the bill providing stronger protections against online and offline child sexual exploitation and abuse just four days before the adjournment of the congressional session to give way to the start of the 2022 electoral campaign period.
As the Senate has already passed its version of the bill – Senate Bill 2209 – last May 2021, it is expected that a bicameral conference committee meeting will be convened soon to harmonize conflicting provisions in the two versions.
Though both HB 10703 and SB 2209 deeply address the nuanced issue of Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA), the House version expands the legal mantle of protection for children against sexual abuse and exploitation by expanding the definition of criminal acts including the livestreaming of sexual abuse, and the production, sale, and distribution of child sexual abuse materials. With these amendments, law enforcement agencies are provided a more potent legal tool to combat perpetrators.
Passing a stronger anti-OCSEA Law will be a timely development, as the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly aggravated the situation. With children locked up in their homes, online platforms became a basic need for the children to continue their education and maintain a sense of normalcy.
Coupled with economic difficulties, this situation made it easier for OCSEA perpetrators to prey on children. Data from the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children showed how rapidly OCSEA cases increased during the pandemic, noting that there was a 209% increase in the cyber tip reports for the Philippines, from 2020 (1,294,750 cyber tips) compared to 2019 (418,422 cyber tips).
These figures complement the findings of a risk assessment report released by the Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council in 2020 which showed that there had been a significant rise in the suspicious financial transactions reporting related to OCSEA in 2020. From the 597 suspicious transaction reports recorded in May 2019, the figures bloated to 5,634 in May 2020.
With the Anti-OCSEA Bill nearing passage as law, the grim days when online sexual predators have freely operated in the dark corners of the internet is set to come to a close. This landmark legislation will serve as a potent weapon to combat sexual abuse and exploitation and can aid the Philippines in hurdling through the digital age with ample protection for children in place.
At a time when even basic social services, especially education, largely depend on the internet, the new law holistically responds to the advocates’ longstanding call for stronger online child safety regulations.
