Anti-trafficking, anti-cybersex lessons pushed

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Development Council in Central Visayas is pushing to integrate lessons about the Anti-Trafficking in Persons law, as well as anti-cyber pornography, in the school curriculum.

The RDC agreed to endorse the same to the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) through a resolution passed during a full council meeting recently.

The resolution was passed after the Regional Sub-Committee on Gender, Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and Children requested the Social Development Committee of RDC-7 to recommend the proposal to the council for endorsement.

In a separate meeting prior to the RDC full council meeting, the SDC acknowledged the need to make the public aware, especially the students, about the Anti-Trafficking in Persons law and anti-cyber pornography.

Two separate raids in Cordova town in Cebu last June and July conducted by law enforcement agencies, the Children’s Legal Bureau (CLB) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development resulted to the rescue of 10 children used by their parents and relatives in home-based cybersex operations.

The parents of the children are now languishing in jail and facing trial while the children are in custody with the DSWD. Two women are also facing three counts of violation of Republic Act (RA) 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons law.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro supports the need to discuss the cybersex with children, but said it might not be proper to do so inside classrooms.

He opined that preventing such acts by dysfunctional families requires long-term counselling since putting them behind bars to stop them from engaging in cybersex operations “would not be helpful.” (FREEMAN)