MANILA — The House Committee on Public Order and Safety, chaired by Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano, approved the creation of a technical working group (TWG) to consolidate bills seeking stronger protection for children against online sexual exploitation.

For consolidation are House Bills 809, 2319, and 5494, which aim to strengthen existing laws protecting children from child pornography, Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC), and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM).

The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), in its meeting Tuesday, also included in the common legislative agenda the passage of a law that would strengthen mechanisms to combat the proliferation of OSAEC and CSAEM in the country.

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Lordan Suan underscored the urgency of the measure, citing the growing number of OSAEC and CSAEM cases driven by advances in technology. He said stricter penalties must be imposed on offenders, online platforms should be held accountable, and preventive measures must be put in place to ensure children are protected from such acts.

Sultan Kudarat Rep. Bella Vanessa Suansing and Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing, authors of House Bill 2319, cited a 2022 UNICEF study which found that one in five Filipino internet users aged 12 to 17 have experienced online sexual exploitation. These include being blackmailed into performing sexual acts, having sexual images shared without consent, or being coerced into sexual activities in exchange for money or material goods.

“These cases, when translated to the national population, estimate to two million children subjected to online harm within a single year,” they said.

Rep. Vanessa Suansing added that the proposed measure seeks the immediate removal, deactivation, or blocking of social media accounts involved in the publication and distribution of CSAEM to curb the spread of exploitative content.

The TWG will be chaired by Rep. Suansing.