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By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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MANILA – The Philippines has the highest rate of child prostitution in the world, a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) said.
Unicef called the country as “epicentre of the livestream sexual abuse trade.”
Poverty, low economic development and gender inequalities have been blamed for the widespread trafficking of Filipino children.
Alarmed by the proliferation of pornography involving children in the country, Sen. Grace Poe filed Senate Resolution No. 237 seeking an investigation into the matter.
Poe said that amid various laws such as the Anti-Child Pornography Act, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, and the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, child trafficking for the purpose of sex trade does not stop.
“Higit dapat bigyan ng proteksyon ng pamahalaan ang mga batang napupuwersang magtrabaho sa ganitong kalakaran,” Poe said.
The lawmaker urged her colleagues to craft remedial measures, amend existing laws and push for stricter enforcement of laws “to make them more responsive in deterring and penalizing child pornography and prostitution.”
Poe said that child pornography in the country is reportedly considered a billion-dollar business. Of the 7,000 cybercrime-related incidents reported, half of which were related to child sex abuse, she added.
According to reports, the average number of child porn cases in the Philippines between 2010 and 2014 was 50. The number rose to 100 cases from January to February this year.
“Kailangang magkaroon ng komprehensibong programa upang matigil na itong ganitong klaseng gawain,” Poe said./PN
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