Philippines: Fight vs. porn now includes text

by Garry B. Lao
September 14, 2004

The crusade against pornography now includes text messaging, Internet cafés and billboards.

Anti-pornography crusader Rene Bullecer of the Cebu Anti-Indecency Board said they are proposing that the ordinance on anti-pornography be amended to include short messaging service or text messages, Internet cafés and billboards. Bullecer earlier vowed that he would resign from his post as chairman of the Cebu Anti-Indecency Board should he fail to accomplish his zero-pornography program where the print media concerned.

During its regular meeting yesterday morning, the board agreed to propose amendments to City Ordinance 1408 or the anti-pornography ordinance that will now ban cubicles in internet cafés, require billboards to be scrutinized for pornographic or decency imaging before installation and penalize persons sending pornographic text.

Bullecer said that in the proposal to penalize indecent text messages, the offended party shall report to the anti-indecency board and for the board to mete the penalty. Cubicles will be removed in Internet cafés so as to police users surfing pornographic websites.

A penalty of P5,000 will be meted to violators.

Councilor Procopio Fernandez, CAIB vice chairman said he will file the proposed amendments next week. Fernandez is also committee chairman on police, fire, penology and public safety.

City Ordinance 1408 was enacted to create the anti-indecency board but it has specific provisions prohibiting the exhibition, printing, circulation or sale of obscene pictures, films, books or publications and stage shows and skits that are considered pornographic.

The local government code empowers local government units to launch aggressive campaigns against pornography and indecency.

Bullecer said that it is difficult to combat pornography but that he has taken up the challenge to embark on a battle against pornography as the centerpiece in observing the anti-indecency week on September 27 to October 2.

Next to Metro Manila, Cebu City and the Visayas region are said to be notorious in the proliferation of pornographic magazines, tabloids and films.

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