natiSenator Risa Hontiveros renewed her call for stronger enforcement and targeted amendments to existing child protection laws as the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality resumed hearings on measures aimed at safeguarding minors.

Hontiveros stressed that children’s welfare must remain central in policies governing tourism-related activities, warning that tourist spaces can expose minors to abuse and exploitation if left unregulated.

“Dapat bigyan ng halaga at puwang ang kapakanan ng mga kabataan laban sa pang-aabuso at paggamit sa kanila gamit ang turismo,” Hontiveros said. (“The welfare of children must be given importance and space against abuse and exploitation using tourism.”)

Two proposed measures were discussed during the hearing. The first, Senate Bill No. 1588, seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11930, or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children Act. The second is Senate Bill No. 559, also known as Sandy’s Bill, formally titled the Child Tourism Safety Act.

Sandy’s Bill aims to protect children from abuse, grooming, and trafficking in tourism and travel settings such as hotels, resorts, and transport terminals. It is named after six-year-old Sandy Garovillas, who died after being stung by a jellyfish at a resort where immediate medical assistance was unavailable.

Under the proposed measure, tourism establishments would be required to ensure access to emergency medical services, deploy trained lifeguards, and maintain adequate safety equipment. The bill also seeks to close gaps that allow child exploitation to persist in tourist destinations.

Hontiveros underscored that further hearings are needed to refine the measures and ensure they are enforceable, not merely symbolic. She said the goal is to pass legislation that can be implemented effectively on the ground.

Representatives from local government units, civil society organizations, and the technology sector attended the hearing, offering input on how existing safeguards can be strengthened.

No vote was taken during the session, but Hontiveros said the discussions will serve as the basis for technical deliberations scheduled to continue next week.