2009 R - 83 - SUPPORTING THE PASSAGE OF SENATE BILL NO. 2317 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “AN ACT PROHIBITING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, IMPOSING PENALTIES

EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF OLONGAPO, HELD ON JULY 1, 2009 AT THE CITY HALL.

PRESENT:

Hon. Cynthia G. Cajudo - - City Vice-Mayor & Presiding Officer
Hon. Gina Gulanes-Perez - - - City Councilor
Hon. Sarah Lugerna Lipumano-Garcia- “ “
Hon. Edwin J. Piano - - - “ “
Hon. Angelito W. Baloy - - - “ “
Hon. Anselmo A. Aquino- - - - “ “
Hon. Elena C. Dabu- - - - “ “
Hon. Jonathan G. Manalo- - - “ “
Hon. Cheenee F. Hoya- - SK Federation President

ABSENT:

Hon. John Carlos G. Delos Reyes- - - City Councilor
Hon. Rodel S. Cerezo - - - - - - - “ “
(On Official Business)
Hon. Aquilino Y. Cortez, Jr.- - City Councilor
(On Official Travel Abroad)
Hon. Carlito A. Baloy - - - President, Liga ng mga Barangay
(Sick Leave)

RESOLUTION NO. 83
(Series of 2009)

A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE PASSAGE OF SENATE BILL NO. 2317 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “AN ACT PROHIBITING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, IMPOSING PENALTIES FOR THE COMMISSION THEREOF AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, child pornography in the Philippines is a little known issue owing to its clandestine operations but the magnitude of its impact on children’s exploitation can be harrowing;

WHEREAS, the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, defines child pornography as “..any representation, by whatever means, of a child engaged in real or simulated explicit sexual activities or any representation of the sexual parts of a child for primarily sexual purposes.” The Philippines being a State Party to both the UN CRC and aforesaid Optional Protocol is duty-bound to undertake all necessary measures to protect children from such life-threatening risk and degradation;

WHEREAS, pornographic exploitation of children is growing at an extremely alarming rate given the backdrop of poverty, sex trade and sex tourism, trafficking, and especially with evolving advanced technology and globalization. Recorded cases in the Philippines show children ages 12 to 17 are common prey. However, some reports involve victims even younger than age five;

WHEREAS, prostituted children, usually girls, become readily accessible subjects of pornographers. With the number of child sex workers placed between 40,000-100,000 (IBC Country Profile in the Philippines, undated) one can only be appalled at the enormity of exploitation these children suffer;

WHEREAS, large scale sex rings of pedophiles rake in profits from the violation of children captured in video and sold in a lucrative business of pirated VCDs and DVDs. Young girls and boys are made to do unimaginable things in cybersex dens. Mobile phones and digital cameras, like the internet, facilitate speedy production, possession and distribution of pornographic photos and videos;

WHEREAS, poverty acts as a major push factor for children being caught in the web of child pornography especially those belonging to low income and extremely disadvantaged families. Street children particularly those plying the red light districts or notorious beach fronts are highly at risk;

WHEREAS, child pornography serves as a permanent testament to the sexual abuse of a child. It places the child in a hideous cycle of victimization and to far-reaching negative psychological effects;

WHEREAS, the rampant problem in child pornography renders Republic Act 7610 insufficient and inefficient to protect and guard the children from such a terrible crime;

WHEREAS, the stand of Senate Bill No. 2317, known as the “Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009,” prepared jointly by the Committees on Youth, Women and Family Relations and Justice and Human Rights with Senators Madrigal, Escudero, Zubiri, Lapid, Revilla, Legarda and Gordon as authors thereof, is to strengthen the measures against pornography, involving children by defining the crime in a larger scope and imposing severe penalties;

NOW, THEREFORE, with the unanimous accord of the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod present;

RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the Sangguniang Panlungsod in session assembled, to support, as it hereby supports the passage of Senate Bill No. 2317 otherwise known as, “An act prohibiting child pornography, imposing penalties for the commission thereof and for other purposes.

APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, July 1, 2009.


CYNTHIA G. CAJUDO
City Vice-Mayor & Presiding Officer

GINA GULANES-PEREZ JOHN CARLOS G. DELOS REYES
City Councilor City Councilor
(Absent)

RODEL S. CEREZO SARAH LUGERNA LIPUMANO-GARCIA
City Councilor City Councilor
(On Official Business)

EDWIN J. PIANO ANGELITO W. BALOY
City Councilor City Councilor

AQUILINO Y. CORTEZ, JR ANSELMO A. AQUINO
City Councilor City Councilor
(On Official Travel Abroad)

ELENA C. DABU JONATHAN G. MANALO
City Councilor City Councilor

CARLITO A. BALOY CHEENEE F. HOYA
President, Liga ng mga Barangay SK Federation President
(Sick Leave)


ATTEST:


ELFLIDA S. SALMON
Council Secretary


APPROVED BY HIS HONOR, THE CITY MAYOR ON______________________.


JAMES GORDON, JR.
City Mayor
ATTEST:


DELFIN A. JUICO, JR.
Secretary to the City Mayor