The Senate has just approved a bill to change the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16. An official from the Child Protection Network explains why this hard-fought policy matters
In a conservative Catholic country like the Philippines, it is utterly surprising—even to many locals—that sexual contact with a 12-year-old child is still backed by the law.
Under Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code and as maintained by the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, an adult abuser can get away with what most other places in the world consider statutory rape if he or she can convince the high court that the child "gave consent".
But change is finally underway. After years of advocacy led by the Child Protection Network (CPN), on September 27, 2021, senators approved Senate Bill (SB) No. 2332, which would consider it rape if an adult makes sexual contact with a minor below 16 years old. The proposed law was authored by senators Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Win Gatchalian, Nancy Binay, Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Joel Villanueva, Pia Cayetano, and Grace Poe.
The House of Representatives passed its own version in December 2020. Now members of the bicameral committee will discuss and settle the provisions of the bills. The reconciled version of the proposed law will then be sent to President Rodrigo Duterte for approval.
"I applaud our present Senate and Congress,” said CPN Executive Director Dr Bernadette "Bernie" Madrid in an interview with Tatler. “This took a long time to happen; in fact, many of them did not know that our age of statutory rape was below 12 years. They were shocked by it."
Related: How To Help The Child Protection Network Safeguard 500 Young Lives
You ask anybody in the street if they think a 12-year-old is ready to be a parent and nobody will reply 'yes'