MANILA – Despite a slight decrease in reported child abuse cases, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) is calling for intensified efforts to protect children. During a recent media briefing at the Philippine Information Agency, CWC Undersecretary Angelo Tapales emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach involving both government and private sectors to combat child abuse effectively.
According to data from the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center, there were 18,089 reported cases of child rights violations in 2024, a small reduction from the 18,756 cases in the previous year. Tapales, however, stressed that the numbers are still alarmingly high, with the majority of cases involving child abuse, rape, and acts of lasciviousness, which fall under Republic Act 7610, the country’s child abuse and anti-rape law.
Tapales pointed out that these statistics do not account for cases managed by other agencies like the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, local government units, or barangay offices. He highlighted the government’s recent initiatives, including Executive Order 79 signed in December 2024, which established the Mahalin at Kalingain ang Mga Bata (Makabata) Program and the Makabata Helpline 1383 as key mechanisms for reporting child protection issues.
Under the new executive order, local government units are mandated to enact ordinances against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and train personnel to handle these cases. Tapales explained that the order aims to streamline all government efforts to support children requiring special protection. Starting in 2025, local governments must establish clear referral mechanisms to ensure no child abuse case, whether online or offline, goes unaddressed.
The CWC is collaborating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development to develop implementing guidelines, which will involve local government units down to the barangay level. Despite a slight decline in physical abuse cases, the rise in online child abuse and exploitation remains a significant concern. In 2023, the Department of Justice received 2.72 million cyber tipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an increase from the previous year.
Tapales noted that these cyber tiplines are leads that can lead to investigations and prosecutions of child sexual abuse or exploitation materials. Additionally, the Anti-Money Laundering Council has reported a rise in suspicious transactions linked to OSAEC, from 68,000 to 92,000 between 2021 and 2022, indicating an oversupply of exploitative content. Disturbingly, data from the Department of Justice shows that 42 percent of OSAEC cases are facilitated by parents, with another 41 percent involving close relatives.