Anti-Child Pornography Law Enacted In The Philippines

November 18, 2009 2:55 p.m. EST

Manila, Philippines (AHN) - President Gloria Arroyo on Tuesday signed into law a bill making child pornography illegal, handing a victory to child welfare activists in a nation that ranks fourth worldwide in the number of prostituted children.

The Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 penalizes anyone who produces, aids in the production, distributes or assists in the transmission or promotion of digital, electronic or mechanical content representing children engaging in real or simulated sexual activities.

Under the law, children exploited in such material are recognized as victims of violent crime. Perpetrators can face as much as a life sentence or P5 million in penalties.

Internet providers and hosts will be held liable for the content provided by their services. In addition, an Inter-Agency Council composed of Cabinet officials, law enforcement chiefs and representatives of non-profits, will be created to ensure children's rights.

Child welfare activists had been pushing hard for some time for lawmakers to approve the law. End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography, and the Trafficking of Children (ECPAT) was gathering signatures for a petition to Congress. Last month, the group joined Unicef, a sectoral organization called Akap Bata, in a huge demonstration in Manila. Unicef had specifically called for the law to be passed before next year's general elections.

The bill's enactment comes six months before voters cast their ballots. The Senate approved the legislation in May, while the House of Representatives passed it in August.