SENATE PROBE INTO ONLINE SELLING OF BABIES SOUGHT

“BABIES are not commodities,” Senator Pia S. Cayetano emphasized on Wednesday as she called for a Senate investigation into the alarming rise in cases of babies being sold on social media platforms. ‘

This follows reports from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) of syndicates exploiting vulnerable families online.

“These are heartbreaking reports that demand swift and coordinated action. The sale of children online is a gross violation of their rights and a crime under our laws,” said Cayetano, a long-time advocate for the rights and welfare of women and children.

She cited the need to fully enforce the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act, two landmark laws she authored and helped pass.

The Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act considers the sale of babies and adoption in exchange for money as trafficking of persons, while the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act streamlines the adoption process to make it more accessible and affordable for Filipino families.

“I am filing a Senate resolution to investigate not only the possible involvement of syndicates in these online baby-selling cases, but also the systemic gaps that allow this to happen, and to ensure that our law enforcement agencies, social workers, and regulatory bodies are equipped and coordinated in stopping this practice,” Cayetano stated.

The senator also urged for stronger community education and digital monitoring efforts, in light of reports that even unborn babies are being offered for adoption in exchange for money.

“This issue is a painful reminder of the deep poverty and desperation that some families face, but that cannot justify the exploitation of our children. We must give mothers and families real alternatives, including accessible social services and a humane, efficient adoption system,” she added.

Cayetano reaffirmed her support for the National Authority for Child Care (NACC) in carrying out its mandate, including sufficient funding for personnel, programs, and public awareness efforts.

“Our children deserve to grow up in safe, loving homes, and not be traded in online marketplaces. I will continue fighting for laws and policies that protect every Filipino child from abuse, neglect, and exploitation,” she added.