A CHILD rights group on Tuesday lauded the Senate’s approval of a measure that will raise the age for determining statutory rape from 12 to 16 years old.

Voting 22-0-1, with one abstention, senators passed on third and final reading SB 2332 or An Act Increasing the Age for Determining Statutory Rape and other Acts of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation to Protect Children last September 27.

Child Rights Network Convener Romeo Dongeto said the passage of the bill is “monumental and historical” as child rape victims will now have an access to justice and can nurture safer environments against sexual violence.

“Child rights advocates all over the Philippines are beyond elated with this development. Despite the grim situation we are facing amid the ravaging pandemic, we see a shining beacon of hope with the passage of the End Child Rape Bill,” Dongeto said in a statement.

“We offer our profound appreciation to all our senators who made it possible for SB 2332 to pass just in the nick of time, despite Congress having a lot in its hands right now – from passing the national budget to ensuring an effective pandemic response,” he added.

The bill amends pertinent provisions of Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code and the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, which sets the age to determine the crime of statutory rape – or crime involving sexual contact with a child below the age of 12.

In the bill, the age will be raised to below 16 years, which is currently the global standard.

He stressed that the public advocacy “played a crucial role” during the whole process.

CRN along with several groups of medical professionals, public personalities, and legislators worked non-stop to campaign for the bill.

An online petition supporting the bill already raised over 314,000 signatures as of writing.

“It took years for advocates to push for the bill in the legislative mill successfully. It took herculean efforts of campaigning for groups and experts to push Congress to prioritize ending child rape, an issue that for decades was generally overlooked or was even ignored at some point,” Dongeto said.

“With the passage of the End Child Rape Bill, the future where no child is forced to undergo the harrowing experience of testifying in court how they were raped is no longer a distant dream, but now on the verge of becoming reality,” he added.

Dongeto also called on Congress to immediately convene the bicameral conference committee for the bill and “have the landmark legislation up for the President’s signature as law before the start of the filing of candidacy for the national polls.”