“We feel terribly saddened by all that happened in Paris. But here, life goes on and there is also a need to protect children from exploitation,” said Valerie Sfeir, coordinator of the International ChildSafe Campaigns.
Scores of local children joined of the movement’s paradefrom Astro Park in Fields Avenue, long considered this city’s red light district where police have raided cybersex dens that victimized minors. The parade culminated in a program promoting “ChildSafe Traveler Tips.”
Lily Flordelis of the Bahay Tuluyan home for exploited children said the Childsafe Movement, in coordination with government agencies and her institution, has come up with “seven better ways to protect the children in the Philippines.”
“We intend to coordinate with the Commission on Immigration so that leaflets on these seven ways could be distributed to incoming tourists in all our ports,” she said.
Sebastian Le Mouellic, CYTI Alliance international coordinator, said that while French nationals doing missionary in various countries have been affected by the bombings in Paris, they are expected to go on with their foreign missions as a way of showing the world that helping in many ways should remain paramount.
He said that his group has been coordinating with the Bahay Tuluyan for launching of the ChildSafe project in this city which, he noted, is one of the country’s favorite tourist destinations.
The ChildSafe seven tips urge foreigners in the country to support ChildSafe members, not to consider children as tourist attractions, refrain from buying from or giving to begging children, think before taking a child with them anywhere, stay away from situation of potential sexual exploitation of children, protect children from exploitative labor, and keep their eyes “wide open.”
Warning against buying from or giving to begging children, the tips came with an explanation that “by buying from these children or giving them money, you help maintain this unsafe daily working life, preventing them from attending school or training, trapping them in their cycle of poverty.”
On the warning of taking minors anywhere, the tips said that “taking a child into a hotel, entertainment venue, beach anywhere is dangerous for you and the child” as it “puts you at risk of being accused of abusing a child against the law.”
