Senator Risa Hontiveros on the passage of the Anti-OSAEC Law in the Senate

I am overjoyed that the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children Law, which I sponsored in the plenary, has been passed on its third and final reading in the Senate. Ito ay tagumpay para sa ating kabataan. Ito ay tagumpay para sa bawat ina, ama, at magulang na naglalayong mapanatiling ligtas ang kanilang mga anak laban sa panganib na dala ng teknolohiya.

As a solo mother of four, I know the feeling of helplessness when my own children become the subject of cyber attacks and bullying. I can only imagine it is worse for parents who have to deal with anonymous predators who may be sexually abusing and exploiting their children.

Ngayong kinakaharap pa rin natin ang pandemya, mas dumadami ang mga batang gumagamit ng online platforms. Sa kasamaang palad, kasabay din nito ang pagdami ng mga kriminal sa lahat ng espasyong ginagalawan ng ating mga anak, kasama na ang Internet. Considering this, the Anti-OSAEC Law penalizes OSAEC as a specific crime.

The law also strengthens support and tools for our law enforcement officers to leave no stone unturned when bringing perpetrators of OSAEC to justice. It makes tech giants and social media networks accountable for crimes that happen in their own backyard. It bans convicted perpetrators of OSAEC in other countries from entering the Philippines. It even requires government to create an online sex offenders registry in the country. It also eases coordination for cybert-tipline reports. And most especially, the Anti-OSAEC Law ensures that protocols when pursuing OSAEC cases are sensitive, careful, and empathetic with the rights and welfare of the child.

Ang ating mga anak ang puso ng panukalang batas na ito. Sila ang nagbibigay inspirasyon at pag-asa sa ating lipunan. Umaasa akong mapabilis din ang pagpasa nito sa Kamara para tuluyang maprotektahan ang dignidad, pangarap, at kinabukasan ng ating kabataan.