MANILA, Philippines — By creating a new presidential office dedicated to child protection, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has taken significant action to counter the growing number of incidents of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) in the Philippines.
Executive Order 67, which officially establishes the Presidential Office for Child Protection under the Office of the President, was signed by President Marcos on Friday. The office will be overseen by a presidential adviser for child protection; however, the appointment to this position has not yet been announced.
In the executive order, President Marcos emphasized that the government is adopting a “whole-of-nation approach” to addressing the increasing number of OSAEC cases and other risks to the welfare of children in the nation. The goal of this strategy is to strengthen the current institutional and legal framework for child protection.
In addition to recommending policies to the president, the newly established office will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of executive orders, high-priority initiatives, and projects related to children’s welfare and safety. Moreover, the office will collaborate with civil society organizations and the Council for the Welfare of Children to develop the government’s national strategy for child welfare.
Online sexual abuse of minors has long been a serious issue in the Philippines. The country has an alarming amount of internet content that sexually exploits minors, as highlighted by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in 2016, when it designated the Philippines as the “global epicenter of live-stream sexual abuse trade of children.”
According to recent data from the Council for the Welfare of Children, sexual abuse or assault accounted for an average of 72% of all reported incidents of child abuse between 2021 and 2022. This underscores the critical need for stronger protective measures.
