Manila, Philippines – The Catholic Church of the Philippines has welcomed the new law to protect children from pornography and sexual exploitation. The Republic Act 9775, also known as the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, was signed into law on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It imposes serious punishment on anyone who produces, distributes or publishes child pornography, ranging from fines to life in prison.
Sister Esther Gumeca, who has devoted her life to street kids in Sucat near Manila, said, “The anti-pornography law will play an important role in protecting children from the growing threats of the world.” She hopes the law will be fully respected and implemented “for the sake of the children and the future of the nation.”
Parents and all those mandated to protect children are also called to double their efforts in protecting children from becoming “preys” of pornography.
Filipino President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the bill into law on Tuesday.
Congresswoman Monica Teodoro, who chairs the House Committee on the Welfare of Children, spearheaded the law. Stressing its timeliness, coming on the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, she said, “Now [. . .] we can efficiently prosecute perpetrators who produce, use and distribute child pornography”.
In the Philippines, about 900,000 children were victims of children maltreatment. A 2004 report by the Women’s World Summit Foundation found that an estimated three million children were victims of physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse, neglect as well as abandonment and death.
In the last few years, this number has significantly increased because of modern technology, including mobile phones and digital cameras, which have helped criminals in their activities and made it hard to find and punish offenders.
With the new law, violators face fines ranging from P50,000 (US$ 1,000) to P5,000,000 (US $ 100,000) and prison terms, including the maximum penalty of life imprisonment in the worst cases.
Against this background, Catholic activists have launched a number of initiatives to better protect minors.
Angelica Cabiling, a schoolteacher at the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco in Negros Occidental province, southern Philippines, said that a group of young Catholics embarked on a campaign to raise awareness in schools about child trafficking. With the assistance of other Filipino associations and Asia-Pacific women’s groups, activists help child victims of abuses and exploitation in Manila and Mindoro occidental.
Last year, the government agency Optical Media Board and the Catholic Media Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines signed an agreement to work jointly to protect children from pornography.
In Manila, the city government has also ordered local internet centres not to allow children to use internet during school hours.