ATTRIBUTABLE TO pornography and sex-related content on the internet, social media and other digital media, young Filipinos nowadays are driven to engage in early sex according to a study by the Commission on Population (PopCom). Researchers from the University of the Philippines Population Institute and the Demographic Research and Development Foundation analyzed data from the nationwide Youth Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS) study per region.
The study, “Post-Millennial Filipinos: Renewed Hope versus Risks,” looked into the sexual behavior of young adults (ages 15 to 24) in each of the country’s 17 regions.
Part of the study found that adolescents in Central Luzon (Region III) who were exposed to the internet early were also more likely to initiate sex. Those who had accessed the internet and who regularly drink at a younger age were more likely to engage in early sex.
The PopCom said their findings should help policymakers to address teenage sex and pregnancies and sexually risky behavior among the youth with tailor-fit programs per region.
Heeding to this call, Quezon City representative Precious Hipolito-Castelo (2nd district) filed proposed bill “Restrictions on Tabloids Act or HB 04733 and co-authored by Paranaque representative Joy Myra Tambunting (2nd District).
It intends to incorporate systematic domestic regulatory system banning the youth from all forms of pornography to address the rising rates of teenage pregnancy, coupled with alarming increase in HIV infections.
It also aims to regulate the proliferation of tabloids containing sexual stories and images distributed for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal by classifying it once and for all as pornography or x-rated. As such they shall be denominated as “only for adults” and shall be availed of exclusively by persons at least 18 years of age.
Movies and television programs are strictly reviewed and classified, by the same token, smutty tabloids should be regulated to protect the moral integrity of our children.
With our country experiencing rising rates of teenage pregnancy, coupled with alarming increase in HIV infections, our leaders would do well to incorporate systematic domestic regulatory system banning the youth from all forms of pornography.
Studies across the world have shown the numerous disastrous consequences of porn use-addition, sexual dysfunction, destruction of marital relations, escalation to more violent and degrading forms of pornography and contribution to the worldwide human trafficking scourge.
On the other hand, according to Juan Carlos Tulalian, a graduate student currently taking master of arts in youth studies at Quezon City’s Alliance Graduate School, “the unresolved case and issue of teenage pregnancy, pre-marital sex, rape, sex violence, sex trafficking and other sexual related cases are increasing.
This is because the major concerns and top priority of the national government are the increase of teenage pregnancy and HIV cases. Instead of looking at the bigger picture of the problem, I’d rather look for the root cause to discover where these problems all started.
This led me to research the effects of porn on adolescent males and I found out that the Philippines ranks as #1 in terms of access to porn.” Tulalian, who also served as youth minister in Nueva Vizcaya and currently serves as facilitator & youth counselor at Movers Community, concluded that “early sexual experience are the main contributing factors of sexual problems among the young people today.
Some of the first victims are children who are abused at the hands of others who have become addicted to the effects of porn. Then, in late childhood, the effects of porn continue into the formative years of adolescence and become habitual.
The wheels of justice grind exceedingly slow. But they grind exceedingly fine. Do you recall
David Timothy Deakin? Recently, Angeles City’s Judge Irineo Pangilinan Jr. of the Regional Trial Court sentenced Deakin to life imprisonment and human trafficking on charges of sexually exploiting Filipino children using webcams to sell videos, photos and livestreams to buyers abroad.
The conviction is a strong warning to cyberspace offenders because the NBI are collaborating worldwide to catch them. Deakin was ordered to pay a fine and indemnify his victims. The ruling was handed down online because of coronavirus quarantine restrictions.
The US FBI provided the information that led to Deakin’s arrest in 2017. This is so far the largest amount of digital evidence ever seized in the country related to online sexual exploitation of children. Agents also found children’s underwear, toddler shoes, cameras, bondage cuffs, fetish ropes, meth pipes and stacks of hard drives and photo albums in Deakin’s two-bedroom apartment in Mabalacat City.
Our law enforcement and justice institutions should be persistent in protecting our children’s vulnerability during the COVID19 lockdown. The Philippines has emerged a major destination for child sexual exploitation—an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 children are involved in prostitution rings— with swelling number of cases every year.
With the ability to speak English, availability of internet connections, and money transfer systems have combined with poverty and wide access to vulnerable children in the country. Parents have agreed to have their own children victimized for the money. Unforgivable. Inexcusable.
***
FEEDBACK: Column entitled, “In Memoriam, Cong. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin’s birthday”
Retired US Navy Master Chief June Gonzales Centeno: “My Salute to you my Brader Mark AC Sison! Pure and unbiased writing on this column. Mutual respect and decency exist between political adversaries. And your tribute to the Great Man on his birthday is heartwarming.”