Panayam kay Executive Director Usec. Angelo Tapales ng Council for the Welfare of Children patungkol sa paglagda ng PNP-ACG at ng CWC sa kasunduan para labanan ang online abuse children sa bansa
Panayam kay Executive Director Usec. Angelo Tapales ng Council for the Welfare of Children patungkol sa paglagda ng PNP-ACG at ng CWC sa kasunduan para labanan ang online abuse children sa bansa
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00:00With the help of the Philippine National Police and the Council for the Welfare of Children
00:05against the online abuse of Filipino children,
00:08we will discuss with Undersecretary Angelo Tapales,
00:13Executive Director of the Council for the Welfare of Children.
00:17Yusec Tapales, welcome back to Bagong Pilipinas.
00:20Good afternoon to all the viewers of Bagong Pilipinas.
00:25Of course, Ma'am Nina Yusec Edo is my colleague in the DSWD.
00:31Good afternoon and thank you for inviting the Council for the Welfare of Children.
00:36Of course, first of all, we would like to know
00:38what this Anti-Cybercrime Group of the Philippine National Police
00:44and the Council for the Welfare of Children is about.
00:47And what does this include?
00:49The Memorandum of Understanding with the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group
00:55actually, this is already the 31st Memorandum of Understanding
00:59since we established the CWC Makabata Helpline 1383.
01:03This is already the second in the PNP
01:05because last year, the PNP Women and Children Protection Center was our MOU.
01:10This is our MOU with the PNP ACG.
01:13We really pursued this because it is very important.
01:17The Council for the Welfare of Children is a specific number
01:24of Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children in our country.
01:27So, the Council for the Welfare of Children should have a partner within the PNP,
01:32a unit that is really focused on cyberspace,
01:36that is really monitoring cybercrimes,
01:38including the so-called Child Pornography,
01:42Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation materials.
01:45So, in not so many words, our MOU will really clarify the coordination of each agency.
01:51Of course, we, the Council for the Welfare of Children,
01:55will have competent persons to man the helpline.
01:57We will fund that.
01:59Our people are really trained.
02:02As for the part of the PNP ACG,
02:04they will receive referrals from the Makabata Helpline 1383
02:09to investigate, arrest, and sue the people.
02:13They will also have focal persons to receive our referrals from them.
02:18And they will treat the Makabata Helpline 1383
02:21as an additional helpline or hotline
02:24that will be promoted by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group
02:27on all child crimes involving information, communication technology,
02:32or as long as it is in the cyberspace, Ma'am Nina.
02:34You know, partner, that is a very good initiative from our agency.
02:39Usec Jello, let us clarify for our fellow countrymen.
02:43Does this agreement mean that the PNP will be able to give access
02:47to the Makabata Helpline to file complaints
02:51to the Philippine National Police?
02:52And how will this help in quick action
02:55to those who receive complaints?
02:57Yes.
02:58Not all of our data will be accessed.
03:01But, of course, full access with respect to the data
03:05in connection with the mandate of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group.
03:08For example, those we refer to as having cyberspace
03:12or cybercrime complexion,
03:14or those involving information, communication technology,
03:17we also executed, partnered with our MOU,
03:20the so-called data sharing agreement.
03:23In this data sharing agreement,
03:25it is the obligation of the Council for the Welfare of Children
03:27to share information with the PNP ACG
03:30so that they can respond quickly,
03:33have a strong investigation,
03:35and, of course, when they are arrested,
03:38the case will be filed so that the data is complete.
03:41So, this is a seamless sharing of data,
03:43having in mind, of course, the privacy concerns
03:46with respect to personal information,
03:48the private information of the children
03:50and those who have complained.
03:52Usec, the directive given by President Marcos
03:56is for us to have a centralized system
03:59for reporting cases of online sexual abuse
04:02to the youth.
04:04Is this part of their agreement with the PNP?
04:07Yes.
04:08Ma'am Nina, very good question.
04:11Because we have two sectoral meetings
04:13with our beloved President,
04:14as I mentioned earlier,
04:16our beloved President has special attention
04:19to bring down or eradicate
04:22the grave problem of online sexual abuse
04:25and exploitation of children.
04:26Our participation in MOUs
04:28with various government agencies,
04:31including the private sector,
04:33is in line with the obvious efforts
04:35of our government and our President
04:37to really eradicate all forms of violence
04:40against children, including online sexual abuse.
04:43We also have a pending executive order
04:46drafted by our President.
04:48Of course, we repaired it together with the DSWD.
04:52The DSWD helped us with that.
04:54This Executive Order on the Makabata Program,
04:57it will streamline the government's efforts
05:00concerning children in need of special protection,
05:02including those who are subject to abuse,
05:05those who are abandoned,
05:06those who are subject to online and offline sexual abuse.
05:09Hopefully, our beloved President will sign that.
05:12Because that will give us the right
05:15or power to hire additional personnel.
05:18And we will be 24x7, Ma'am Nina.
05:21Yusef Jelota, let's clarify.
05:24Not only sexual abuse can be reported
05:26to the Makabata Helpline,
05:27but all kinds of abuse can be reported to children.
05:31In the update, how is the volume of calls
05:34and complaints you receive using the Makabata Helpline
05:38based on your latest data?
05:41Yusef Edu, based on our latest data,
05:44as of July 31, 2024,
05:47we have received 886 reports and 899 concerns.
05:52Sometimes, when someone calls,
05:53there are more complaints than people.
05:56So, there are 899 concerns already
05:58until July 31, 2024.
06:00If we combine that with our data up to July 31, 2023,
06:05it was only 126 last year.
06:07So, now, we have 899.
06:09People are becoming aware
06:11and our MOUs are helping.
06:14Wow, that's a big jump.
06:15But out of these 800,
06:17how many are real?
06:19I mean, those that need to be acted on.
06:23The bulk here,
06:25almost 20% are inquiries.
06:27Inquiries about support,
06:29child custody,
06:30possible violation of children's rights,
06:32questions about violence against children.
06:35Our lawyers and social workers
06:37are responding to those
06:39using the Makabata Helpline 1383.
06:40A large portion of those
06:43are those we refer to partner agencies
06:45like the NBI, the PNP.
06:48Those are the ones that need to be rescued.
06:50We have success stories like that
06:52that we have helped.
06:54But the Council for the Welfare of Children Helpline
06:56or Makabata Helpline
06:58is not rivaling any existing hotlines
07:00or helplines in the Philippines.
07:02Instead, what we do is
07:03we supplement and complement
07:05what the current helplines or hotlines
07:07are already providing.
07:08So, if we can provide a solution,
07:10we provide relief.
07:11But, of course, if the relief or intervention
07:13is beyond our mandate,
07:14we refer to our partner agencies
07:16like the PNP.
07:18And last week,
07:19the Bureau of Immigration
07:20for sexual predators.
07:22They are our MOUs.
07:24One more question.
07:26What are the most frequent complaints?
07:29What is the bulk of these reports
07:32and complaints to Makabata Helpline?
07:34The bulk of this is, of course,
07:36the umbrella of violence against children.
07:38So, there is physical violence.
07:40There are people who complain
07:41that their neighbors were hurt,
07:42their parents were hurt.
07:43There is corporal punishment.
07:45There is sexual violence
07:47whether offline or online.
07:49There is psychological violence.
07:51But the range, the spectrum is very wide
07:53including the number of assignments.
07:55My mom got mad.
07:56She reported it to us.
07:58The number of assignments.
07:59I can relate to that.
08:01You know, it's possible.
08:03Even I, as a parent,
08:05get stressed with the number of assignments.
08:07But, kidding aside,
08:09those should not be called.
08:11Yes.
08:12So, it is better for us
08:14to assess all the calls
08:16and give attention.
08:17But, sometimes,
08:18because the child is the one who calls,
08:20while for adults,
08:21it might not be a big problem for us.
08:23Because sometimes,
08:24the child is the one who calls
08:25because he wants to talk to someone.
08:26So, that's where our social workers come in.
08:29And we also have a partner there,
08:31the Kaibigan Chatline.
08:34This is a chatline manned by teens also.
08:36So, it means that if there is a teen
08:38who has a problem,
08:39even if it's in love life,
08:40he just wants to talk to someone,
08:41we can hook them up
08:42to this partner agency
08:44so that their counseling
08:45happens peer-to-peer.
08:47So, all concerns of the child,
08:49we take it seriously.
08:50Sorry, one more thing.
08:51Peer-to-peer, Kaibigan.
08:53So, what is the age of these people?
08:54Are they trained enough
08:56to take these calls?
08:58This Kaibigan Chatline
09:00is maintained by
09:01Positive Youth Development Network.
09:03It's an NGO
09:04where their advocacy is also child rights advocacy.
09:07They train these people
09:09to talk to their peers.
09:11Because sometimes,
09:12children don't want to talk to adults.
09:14They want anonymity.
09:15They are shy.
09:16Sometimes, they want
09:17someone who can understand them.
09:19And that's where
09:20Kaibigan Chatline comes in.
09:22I'm also a partner.
09:23I'm very curious
09:24because we know that
09:26Yusek Jello,
09:27we really have laws
09:28protecting our children.
09:29You also mentioned
09:30corporal punishment.
09:32And our social norms.
09:34There are generations
09:35who grew up on sticks.
09:36So, how do we reconcile?
09:38It's us, right?
09:39Oh, is that so?
09:40We're okay.
09:41How do you reconcile
09:42in your implementation?
09:43I'm not that hard-headed.
09:44You know, Yusek Edu,
09:45I think we're the same.
09:47They grew up on sticks.
09:50They said,
09:51if we're okay,
09:52maybe there's nothing wrong.
09:53But other experts said,
09:55Yusek, if you're not a stick,
09:57maybe you're not Yusek anymore.
10:00So, I laughed
10:01when I heard that.
10:02Anyway, kidding aside,
10:04there are many pending bills
10:05in the House of Representatives
10:07and in the Senate
10:08promoting positive parenting.
10:10That's where corporal punishment
10:11is also prohibited.
10:12Hopefully, it becomes law
10:13because this version
10:15filed in the House of Representatives
10:16and in the Senate
10:17is not like the previous version
10:19where the penalty is really high
10:21and created new species of offenses.
10:23Now, the pending bills
10:24only refer to the existing laws
10:27that have crimes and penalties.
10:29So, this should not be a problem.
10:33Okay.
10:34In your assessment, Yusek,
10:35how is the participation
10:36of barangay leaders
10:38and social workers
10:39in the process of monitoring
10:40and reporting cases
10:42of online child sexual abuse?
10:44We know that the speed of response
10:46is very crucial.
10:48So, down to the grassroots,
10:49the social workers in the barangay
10:51should be able to respond immediately.
10:53Okay, that's right, Yusek Edu.
10:55Ma'am Nina, you know,
10:57there are really LGUs
10:59that are really good.
11:01I can't mention all of them,
11:02but maybe one good example
11:04is Valenzuela.
11:05Valenzuela is the first
11:07pathfinding city
11:08for violence against children
11:10in the world.
11:11They achieved that in 2019.
11:13That's number one in the world.
11:14So, the Philippines
11:16is a pathfinding country.
11:17It was like that in 2016.
11:19In 2019, Valenzuela was the first
11:21pathfinding city in the world
11:22to address back.
11:23That means they have a lot of programs
11:25and effective programs
11:26for violence against children.
11:28That's what LGUs are doing.
11:30Although, of course,
11:31we have to admit that
11:32we have to do more.
11:33There's a so-called
11:34Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit.
11:36It's held every year.
11:37It's led by the DILG,
11:38the DSWD, and the CWC.
11:41In 2022,
11:42it was only accepted
11:44by the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance.
11:46That means your LGU is child-friendly.
11:49It was only 372 in 2022.
11:52In 2023,
11:54it was 782.
11:56110% increase.
11:57Now, unofficially,
11:58because the CWC Board
11:59hasn't held a meeting yet,
12:01it's around 900 now.
12:03So, we can see the appointed
12:04trajectory.
12:05Here at CMLGA,
12:07the functionalities
12:08of what we call
12:09the Barangay Councils
12:10for the Protection of Children.
12:12So, we're going to focus on that.
12:14There are many good things,
12:15but we have to do more
12:16because we have 1,634 LGUs.
12:19I want to continue
12:20interviewing in Valenzuela
12:22so that we can learn
12:24and learn from our leaders
12:26in the LGUs.
12:27Who was the mayor there at that time?
12:29Gatchalian.
12:30Mayor Wes Gatchalian.
12:31Special shout-out
12:32to our boss in Valenzuela.
12:34Of course,
12:35to our boss at DSWD,
12:36Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
12:37Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
12:38Secretary Rex Gatchalian
12:39was the one who started it.
12:41Senator Wynne.
12:42Let's ask Secretary Rex Wynne.
12:45You have a topic already.
12:46Yes.
12:47Alright.
12:48Well, I also want to know,
12:49Usec,
12:50what is the latest mode
12:51that they're doing
12:53when it comes to
12:55online sexual abuse
12:57of children?
12:58I heard that there are
12:59beauty pageants
13:00or something like that.
13:01What is this?
13:03You know,
13:04Ma'am Nina,
13:05we are already familiar with
13:06online sexual abuse
13:07where a child was taken,
13:08photographed,
13:09and videotaped
13:10by a rapist.
13:11But now,
13:12we have received reports
13:14through the Maka Bata Helpline
13:151383
13:16that they are using
13:17some beauty pageants,
13:19children's beauty pageants,
13:20and the children's
13:21modeling photoshoot
13:23to produce videos
13:25or pictures
13:26of rapists.
13:28It was said that
13:29it was posted
13:30in group chats
13:31where there are old people,
13:32suspected pedophiles
13:33or sexual predators
13:34or it could even be
13:35sold on the dark web.
13:36Now,
13:37we have already
13:38contacted the PNP
13:39Women and Children
13:40Protection Center
13:41and of course,
13:42the Anti-Cyber Crime Group
13:43to monitor
13:44our cyberspace
13:45with these things.
13:46Again,
13:47children's beauty pageants
13:48and modeling photoshoots
13:49are not prohibited
13:50but there are some
13:51that seem to be
13:52going beyond
13:53the bounds of propriety.
13:54So,
13:55these are
13:56real modeling shoots
13:57or not?
13:59These are the ones
14:00that are being used
14:01because it could also be
14:02a legitimate
14:03modeling shoot
14:04or a beauty pageant
14:05and it was done
14:06without their consent.
14:07Yes.
14:08These are the ones
14:09that are being used
14:10to produce
14:11real modeling photoshoots
14:12and real child
14:13beauty pageants
14:14because I think
14:15they are using this
14:16as creative ways
14:17to violate the law.
14:18It is not obvious
14:19or simple
14:20to violate the law.
14:21That is why
14:22they are making a mistake
14:23under the Anti-Osaic
14:24Act 2
14:25in Section 4.
14:26Sexualization of children
14:27is already prohibited.
14:28Sexualization
14:29of children
14:30is already prohibited.
14:31Sexualization
14:32of children
14:33is already prohibited.
14:34If you did a beauty pageant
14:35or a photoshoot
14:36but you made
14:37the child
14:38a sexual object
14:39or an object
14:40of desire
14:41of another person,
14:42that is prohibited
14:43by the law.
14:44So,
14:45those who are listening,
14:46that is prohibited.
14:47There are LGUs,
14:48I will start
14:49right away,
14:50Valenzuela
14:51is planning
14:52to issue
14:53an ordinance
14:54regulating child
14:55beauty pageants
14:56and photoshoots
14:57to have
14:58reasonable standards
14:59in conducting this
15:00in their territory.
15:01Okay,
15:02that's good.
15:03I hope
15:04we can see
15:05the regulations
15:06so that
15:07others can follow.
15:08And maybe
15:09your parents
15:10don't know
15:11that this
15:12will be used
15:13in sexual
15:14online abuse,
15:15right?
15:16You know,
15:17ma'am Nina,
15:18other parents
15:19may not know
15:20that this
15:21can be used.
15:22But sometimes,
15:23the fact that
15:24your child
15:25was dressed
15:26in a rag
15:27if you,
15:28mommy,
15:29daddy,
15:30my uncle,
15:31my nephew,
15:32my aunt,
15:33my cousins,
15:34my neighbors,
15:35my neighbors
15:36may not know
15:37that this
15:38is a sexual
15:39online abuse.
15:40In that case,
15:41we should not
15:42let our children
15:43be sexualized
15:44with our
15:45participation
15:46and facilitation.
15:47It's not an
15:48excuse.
15:49We should
15:50always watch
15:51our children
15:52because
15:53not all
15:54of them
15:55are good people.
15:56Yes.
15:57Jelo,
15:58we still have
15:59coming from this very traumatic experience.
16:02Of course, the DSWD is leading the way.
16:04Under the Anti-Oxidation Act, there are aftercare services that can be extended to the victims
16:13like educational services, livelihood services, medical and counseling services.
16:19That is provided by the DSWD and of course by our LGUs.
16:24Our role there is to make sure that it is provided because our government does not lack good programs.
16:32But sometimes, of course, the implementation across the islands or across the territory
16:37or across the country, we need to monitor that.
16:39That is why the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit, there will be OSAIC indicators starting 2025.
16:45We have already adjusted that with the DILG and DSWD to our beloved President.
16:52We are finalizing that.
16:53Actually, recently, about two weeks ago, the DILG issued a circular memorandum
16:59that there are OSAIC indicators that the LGUs need to meet to confirm the Seal of Self-Friendly Local Governance.
17:06Thank you very much for your time, Undersecretary Angelo Tapales,
17:11Executive Director of the Council for the Welfare of Children.
17:15Thank you, sir.
17:16Thank you very much.
17:17Good afternoon to all of us.