THE Mindanao Coalition on Children's Rights (MCCR) has highlighted online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) as one of the major challenges facing children in the Philippines.
During the Kapehan sa Dabaw event on Monday morning, November 11, 2024, at SM City Davao, Vince Molejon, co-convenor of MCCR, said that OSAEC remains a key issue the coalition continues to advocate against.
While the number of OSAEC cases has decreased compared to the surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue remains concerning.
Molejon also addressed the discrepancies in OSAEC data reported by various organizations, government agencies, and security personnel. He stressed the need to revalidate this data, as it does not align across sources.
Although the number of cases has dropped, Molejon noted that the reduction is still inadequate, as the MCCR’s ultimate goal is to prevent any child from falling victim to OSAEC.
“But now it is still rising three days we were discussing it with the Pdea may mga factors of concern talaga na why is it intertwined or interconnected with the drug problem na na involved ang mga parents and the community and why OSAEC is still rising (There are many factors of concern. Three days ago, we were discussing this with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. One is why OSAEC is intertwined with the drug problem, involving parents and the community. This is why the number of cases continues to rise),” he said.
He also shared that, under the coalition’s support, more than 10 children were assisted by various MCCR-affiliated organizations in the third quarter of 2024. This includes one child from Luzon, one from the Visayas, and the rest from Mindanao. Once the children’s cases are processed, they are referred to the appropriate government agencies for further action.
MCCR attributes the recent decrease in OSAEC cases to its promotion of sports for children. The coalition also noted that some parents who were previously involved in exposing their children to OSAEC have stopped due to ongoing awareness campaigns. RGP
