THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) on Monday underscored the need to strengthen the justice system’s response to cases involving children facing abuse, neglect, exploitation, and discrimination, as it opened its 2025 Justice Summit.
“This summit calls to expand access to justice covering not just courtrooms and barangays but also communities — even homes in our everyday lives,” DoJ Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez said at the opening ceremony in Pasay City.
The summit, which runs until Nov. 6, forms part of the department’s push to align justice reforms with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, which seeks broader access to legal services for marginalized sectors.
Its first day coincided with National Children’s Month and focused on the state of child rights in the justice sector, particularly the need for more coordinated case management among law enforcement, social workers, and local institutions.
DoJ Acting Secretary Fredderick A. Vida said many children continue to face abuse and neglect without adequate legal support.
“Children are not just the future of our nation but the heart of it,” he said in a speech. “They deserve a justice system that protects their innocence and ensures their safety.”
He added that many cases remain unreported as victims are often afraid to speak up.
According to Normina “Jhie” E. Mojica of the Council for the Welfare of Children, children make up 36.5% or 39.7 million of the Philippines’ 109 million population.
About 23.4% of children live in poverty, ranking fourth among the highest poverty incidences in the country.
Ms. Mojica also cited data on online sexual abuse and exploitation, noting a 192% increase in child sex trafficking and online enticement cases globally to 546,000 in 2024 from 156,000 in 2023.
The Philippines recorded 1.7 million CyberTipline reports this year, down from 2.7 million in 2023, but reports of self-generated child sexual abuse materials surged by over 1,300%.
Child labor remains a concern, with children working in farms, plantations, mines, factories, streets, and private homes. The Department of Labor and Employment has identified hazardous sectors such as mining, construction, and deep-sea fishing as among the worst forms of child labor.
Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, in her message of support, said open government and open justice “are two sides of the same coin,” both grounded in transparency, accountability, and participation.
She said resource allocation for access-to-justice programs, women’s protection, and prison reform “is an investment not only in projects, but in people and in principles.”
“We must ensure that every reform we pursue, whether in policy, budgeting, or justice delivery, leads to tangible improvement in people’s lives,” she added.
In a brief interview, Ms. Pangandaman said she welcomed the DoJ’s focus on children and women, noting that it aligns with the government’s budget priorities.
“I’m happy to know that the DoJ is focusing on children and women, so we can help the public access government programs and projects for them — especially budget-wise,” she said.
The three-day event, themed “Advancing a Human Rights-Based Justice System,” gathers representatives from government agencies, nongovernment organizations, civil society, and the justice sector to improve coordination in protecting vulnerable groups. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking