The Department of Justice yesterday disclosed a government plan to create a registry of foreign sex offenders to prevent their entry into the Philippines.

DoJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix L. Ty said that once the foreign registry is in place, sex offenders would find it hard to enter the country.

"We see in the news that the Bureau of Immigration has intercepted and prevented the entry of many foreign sex offenders," Ty said.

The creation of the registry is line with Republic Act 11930, or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act.

Ty admitted the Philippines is a global hotspot for online sexual abuse and exploitation of children due to poverty, internet availability and knowledge of the English language.

Earlier, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco expressed alarm over the rise in the number of foreign sex offenders coming into the country this year.

He said there have been more than 150 registered sex offenders who were intercepted and prevented from entering the Philippines. The number is higher compared to previous years, he added.