Teodoro’s wife rallies vs child pornography

In what could be the strongest warning to child pornographers, pedophiles, cyber-sex den and unscrupulous internet café operators, the House of Representatives unanimously approved on its third reading (last Monday, August 24) the Anti-Child Pornography Bill (House Bills 6440)
“We must protect our children. We must not allow their abuse and exploitation. It’s about time that we apprehend and prosecute these child pornography propagators,” principal author Rep. Monica (Nikki) Prieto-Teodoro said. “The approval and implementation of House Bill 6440 takes legal action on violators and provides a deterrent to would-be offenders.
“An estimated 100,000 websites carry child pornographic images. Approximately 20% of internet pornography involves children and over 2,000 child pornographic images are posted online everyday,” rep. Prieto-Teodoro said. “According to DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), more than 60,000 street children may be victims of child prostitution. In fact, the Philippines ranks fourth among countries with the most number of prostituted children”
Rep. Prieto-Teodoro, a child rights and welfare advocate, and the Chairman and Founder of the Committee on the Welfare of Children, said the lack of strict laws against child pornography and the ineffective prosecution of perpetrators are they key factors that make the Philippines in haven for those who produce, use and distribute child pornography.
“HB 6440 institutionalizes the country’s sincere effort to safeguard our children and educate everyone on the threat of child pornography as this takes advantage of their innocence and poverty. Now that we have passed it on third reading, we’re getting ready for the bicameral conference,” she said.
HB 6440 defines child pornography as any visual, audio or written repsesentation of a child engaged in real or simulated sexual activities or the demonstration of the sexual parts of a child for sexual purposes.
Any person who produces, distributes, publishes and commits other related acts would be subject to the penalties for their actions. Violators may include Internet Service Providers and Internet Content Hosts.
The principal authors of the Anti-Child Pornography Bill are Representatives Prieto-Teodoro, Darlene Custodio, Rene Velarde, Ignacio Arroyo, Rufus Rodriguez, Narciso Santiago, and Matias Defensor.