CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (June 10) — Once identified as a hotspot for online child sexual abuse, Iligan City is reporting significant gains in its fight against internet-based exploitation of children through sustained enforcement, community awareness campaigns, and stronger inter-agency coordination.
The city government on Tuesday launched a school and barangay caravan aimed at educating communities about laws protecting children from Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Materials (CSAEM).
Led by the City Social Welfare and Development Office and the Task Force OSAEC, the campaign will cover six barangays and their schools, bringing information drives directly to students, parents, teachers, and community leaders.
City officials credited intensified efforts since 2022 for the decline in OSAEC and CSAEM cases, following years when Iligan was among the areas flagged for high incidents of online child exploitation.
Central to the campaign is the implementation of Republic Act No. 11930, or the Anti-OSAEC and Anti-CSAEM Act, which strengthened the government’s legal and enforcement mechanisms against child abuse facilitated through digital platforms.
Authorities say enforcement remains aggressive. In a recent operation, members of the Task Force OSAEC and the Iligan City Police Office rescued a 14-year-old girl from an alleged offender.
Iligan City Police Office Officer-in-Charge Col. Mario Baquiran Jr. warned that online platforms are no longer safe havens for offenders.
“Perpetrators cannot hide behind gadgets and digital transactions,” Baquiran said, adding that cyber investigations and monitoring operations will continue.
The city hopes that sustained community education, stronger law enforcement, and public vigilance will further protect children from online exploitation and prevent future abuse cases.
