The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Friday that it has barred 69 foreign sex offenders from entering the Philippines in the first half of the year.

In a statement, BI commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the number is lower than the 84 foreign sex offenders denied entry during the same period last year, as 58 of those barred this year were convicted sex offenders, while the rest were under investigation or facing charges related to sex crimes.

Meantime, 48 Americans were among those denied entry, followed by four Britons and two Australians.

To recall, the BI launched its Project #Shieldkids last year to combat child sex trafficking and strengthen cooperation among government agencies involved in investigating and arresting sex offenders.