PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called on the government to intensify its efforts to combat the online sexual exploitation of children.

“It brings me an overwhelming sense of shame that, as public servants, we are not doing enough. We must do more,” Marcos stated during the 2024 summit “Iisang Nasyon, Iisang Aksyon: Tapusin ang Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) Ngayon.”

“This is sexual abuse and exploitation of children. I leave it to your imagination—and in some cases, I imagine your imagination cannot even begin to fathom what these poor children endure,” he added.

The President also called for collective action from both the public and the government to eradicate cases of OSAEC.

“We must do more. One of the most cherished aspects of Filipino culture is family. We are so well known for this that Filipinos are the number one caretakers of foreign children around the world,” he emphasized.

According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), 1,099 victims have been rescued through 237 operations, leading to the arrest of 138 suspects, the filing of 139 cases, and the conviction of 41 perpetrators.