PUERTO PRINCESA LAUNCHES PROGRAM AGAINST CHILD-SEX TOURISM

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, August 9 2012 (CIO) - Puerto Princesa City launched yesterday the Child Wise Tourism (CWT) program with the Department of Tourism (DOT) as a stand against child-sex tourism.

In a press conference after the launching ceremony, DOT Undersecretary Maria Victoria Jasmin said bringing CWT in the city is a preventive measure to stop child-sex tourism before it begins.

CWT aims to prevent and stop sexual abuse and commercial exploitation of children by tourists who go from one place to another to engage in sex with children. It also advocates responsible tourism.

“We are here so that people will be aware that there are exploiters not only of the environment but also of our children,” Jasmin said.

She added that law enforcers, industry front liners and workers have to be prepared on what to do, how to spot and how to report suspicious or possible child-sex tourists.

“The approach to child-sex offenders is very sensitive and we will bring the experts here to do appropriate training for the law enforcers, front liners, and other tourism industry players,” Jasmin said.

The CWT campaign is a partnership between the Australian government, Child Wise, and Association of South East Asian Nation member countries. The partnership has resulted in initiatives to uphold children’s rights, including the implementation of child protection laws, improved law enforcement, heightened monitoring and surveillance with police and industry training.

CWT is being implemented in cooperation with the Department of Justice, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT) Philippines and the Philippine National Police. (VSM/TBO/PIA4B-Palawan) (Victoria Asuncion S. Mendoza)