Girlie bats protection in online spaces for children
COUNCILOR Girlie Balaba, Chair of the Committee on Social Services, continues to fight for the rights of children, especially against online sexual abuse and exploitation.
On Monday’s regular session presided over by Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, Balaba reported the study conducted by the International Justice Mission where one in two Filipino children experienced online sexual violence.
She said that according to the Philippine Kids Online Survey, 90% of Filipino children can access the internet whenever they want or need while 59% can connect to the internet without adult supervision and 2 in 10 children are vulnerable to be victims of child online sexual abuse and exploitation.
“We continue to fight for these children and so with our law enforcement agencies, however, we need to establish proper mechanisms for our social workers and victims to work on, what to do, where to go, and what support to provide,” Balaba suggested.
With this, she presented a proposed ordinance prohibiting acts of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children in Cagayan de Oro with corresponding penalties and providing a supportive environment for the survivors and funds for the purpose.
The proposed ordinance was referred by Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez to the Committees on Social Services and Public Order chaired by Councilors Balaba and Romeo Calizo, respectively.