Earlier today, DILG Camarines Sur attended a crucial committee hearing at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur surrounding the proposed provincial ordinance aimed at combating online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and the circulation of child sexual abuse and exploitation materials (CSAEM) within the province.
The hearing, convened by the Committee on Women, Children, and Family Relations, sought to evaluate the proposed ordinance’s provisions and gauge its potential impact on curbing the rising cases of online abuse and exploitation affecting children in Camarines Sur. The ordinance, if passed, would make it illegal to produce, distribute, or possess any materials involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of minors, with a specific focus on online platforms.
DILG Camarines Sur LGOOs II Jane Crizelle O. Bobis, Gelie B. Maniquiz and Kent Charles M. Notario who represented their Provincial Director Julius Rodel L. Cal-Ortiz, CESO V, emphasized the importance of local government units’ (LGUs) active involvement in the prevention and intervention efforts in cases of OSAE-CSAEM. In their remarks, LGOOs II Bobis, Maniquiz, and Notario also provided important inputs to the proposed ordinance, suggesting the integration of assessments related to the functionality of the Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC) and the Local Committee Against Trafficking and Violence Against Women and Their Children (LCAT-VAWC) and the implementation of the Safe Spaces Act of 2019. These additional measures, they argued, would enhance local government preparedness and provide a more comprehensive approach to protecting children from exploitation, both online and in physical spaces.
Moreover, the committee is expected to conduct further deliberations on the proposed law in the coming weeks, with the goal of enacting a comprehensive policy to safeguard the rights and safety of children in Camarines Sur.
(Source: DILG Camarines Sur)