DepEd: Child exploitation cases call for better collab between gov't, communities
MANILA, Philippines — The education department on Monday said it would take steps to help address cases of students selling lewd photos to continue their distance learning classes with a government probe underway.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian had raised the issue over the weekend, following reports of learners offering sensual photos and videos in "Christmas bundles" selling for as low as P150 or $3.
"These rising cases of child exploitation and abuse call for better collaboration and cooperation among national agencies and local communities, especially in these difficult times," DepEd said in a statement.
Reported incidents of children being sexually exploited online surged to a significant 264% from March to May 2020, when the country was under the hard coronavirus lockdowns.
This would mean that nearly 280,000 cases were reported in Metro Manila alone, up from 76,561 in 2019.
Findings from a seven-year study by the International Justice Mission in May also revealed that the Philippines has emerged to become the world's largest source of child exploitation cases on social media.
In it, the group said parents and relatives had been particularly responsible for facilitating the abuse in nearly all cases.
Addressing root cause
Classes under the new learning setup as a result of the pandemic began in October of last year, amid calls from groups to postpone and warnings that school for students with no means for gadgets and access to internet could be compromised.
By November, petitions for an academic freeze had heightened following the string of typhoons to hit the country and leave millions affected, only for DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education to reject.
DepEd said it has begun efforts to strengthen protection programs in schools, which puts to task officials to check on students who may be experiencing abuse or exploitation.
It is also eyeing to put up Child Protection Units in regional offices and schools division to support the said move, which is still up for review by Education Secretary Leonor Briones.
The second quarter of the current school year began Monday, but challenges continue to hound the distance learning months since it began, such as errors in printed materials, apart from access to gadgets and internet connection.
DepEd has tapped TV, radio and the internet as mediums for online classes, apart from printed modules which officials admit are costly to produce.
On Monday, the youth organization Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan said Gatchalian's call for authorities to probe the reported cases is only a "band-aid" solution.
"What Gatchalian fails to address here is the root cause of the rise in online exploitation, which is the impossibility of accessing online learning platforms for indigent students," the group said.
The justice department has since tapped the National Bureau of Investigation to crack down on those involved in human trafficking activities.
But months ago, the group Child Rights Network has said that laws in the Philippines lack the teeth to address online sexual exploitation.
CRN said to date, there is no "all-encompassing" legislation that outlines the scope of OSEC activities, from recruitment, participation in the crime as well as in setting penalties. — with reports from Neil Jayson Servallos/The STAR, Agence France Presse
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