The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has mandated that agencies supplying workers to cruise ships enhance their pre-departure briefings to address concerns around the growing number of Filipino seafarers detained abroad for sex-related offenses, including child pornography.
On October 29, the DMW issued an order requiring agencies to emphasize Republic Act 11930, which targets online child sexual abuse and exploitation. Under this directive, agencies must educate seafarers on the criminal implications of engaging with child exploitation content, whether subscribing to, possessing, or accessing such material in any setting.
DMW chief Hans Cacdac underscored the agency’s commitment to safeguarding children from exploitation and emphasized its role as a member of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). Recent reports indicate an increase in Filipino seafarers facing arrests in the United States, where stringent laws prohibit the production, possession, viewing, and distribution of child pornography.
