THE BUREAU of Immigration and the Council for the Welfare of Children officially launched their collaboration under the Project #ShieldKids campaign.

This initiative which includes the opening of CWC’s Makabata Helpline, aims to combat sexual predators and protect the welfare of children in the Philippines.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, together with Undersecretary Angelo Tapales of the CWC signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance child protection.

The MOU highlights the integration of the Makabata Helpline 1383, a vital resource for reporting child abuse and protection issues, into the #ShieldKids campaign.

This collaboration will ensure that reports of foreign nationals involved in child exploitation are swiftly acted upon.

Project #ShieldKids is a three-tier effort designed to harmonize government actions against sex offenders. The campaign prioritizes cases involving foreign nationals and child trafficking and institutionalizes communication among agencies investigating and arresting pedophiles and traffickers.

Tansingco emphasized the importance of a focused approach to tackling child exploitation, especially with the increase in attempts by registered sex offenders to enter the country.

“The threat against our children is real and imminent. With the reopening of our borders post-pandemic, we have seen a rise in attempts by sexual predators to enter the country. We must protect those who rely on us for their safety,” said Tansingco.

In 2023 alone, the BI excluded 171 foreign nationals previously convicted or wanted for sex crimes wherein notable arrests included French pedophile Theddy Douglas Tissier in Makati and octogenarian pedophile David John Buckley in Cebu.

Under the #ShieldKids campaign, the BI has also opened the Commissioner’s helpline on Facebook, encouraging concerned citizens to report potential cases of child exploitation and abuse involving foreign nationals.

“The partnership with the CWC’s Makabata Helpline is a significant step in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our society. By defending our children, we safeguard our future,” added Tansingco.

The BI and the CWC encourage concerned citizens to report foreign sexual predators to the Makabata Helpline 1383 or the BI Commissioner’s helpline at Facebook.com/immigration.helpline.ph.