Philippines still battling to prevent child sex abuse, according to US report

Child abuse is still a big problem to face by the Philippines and they are still far from fixing it.

According to a US State Department report on the country's human rights situation, the Philippines still lacks the resources to enforce laws prohibiting the sexual exploitation of minors, keeping child abuse a serious issue there.

"Inadequate prosecutorial resources and capacity to analyze alleged abusers’ computers for evidence were among the challenges to effective enforcement," the country report on the Philippines said.

It also made note of the fact that despite harsh penalties and government initiatives to apprehend offenders, those who coerce children into cybersex activities—some of whom are relatives of the victims—remain unconvinced.

According to the report, criminals and family members continued to use minors in the creation of pornography and in cybersex activities in spite of penalties and enforcement efforts. Additionally, live internet broadcasts of young children performing sex acts for paying foreigners continued to feature boys, girls, and sibling groups.

Despite this, the Philippine government has persisted in prosecuting alleged pedophiles, expelling those who were foreigners, and preventing entry for those who have been found guilty of sex crimes.

Additionally, by allowing them to postpone testifying in court and expanding the use of plea deals in cases involving online child sexual exploitation, the government lessens the chance of retraumatizing child victims.