Cebu Citizens-Press Council

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR STRONGER DETERRENCE AND SPECIAL PROTECTION AGAINST CHILD ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

ARTICLE I
Title, Policy, Principles and Definitions of Terms

Section 1.Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.”

Sec. 3.Definition of Terms. –
(a) “Children” refers to person below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition;

(b) “Child abuse” refers to the maltreatment, whether habitual or not, of the child which includes any of the following:

1. Psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and emotional maltreatment;
2. Any act by deeds or words which debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being;
3. Unreasonable deprivation of his basic needs for survival, such as food and shelter; or
4. Failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child resulting in serious impairment of his growth and development or in his permanent incapacity or death.

ARTICLE XI
Remedial Procedures

Sec. 29. Confidentiality. – At the instance of the offended party, his name may be withheld from the public until the court acquires jurisdiction over the case.

It shall be unlawful for any editor, publisher, and reporter or columnist in case of printed materials, announcer or producer in case of television and radio broadcasting, producer and director of the film in case of the movie industry, to cause undue and sensationalized publicity of any case of violation of this Act which results in the moral degradation and suffering of the offended party.

Approved: June 17, 1992

Source: The Lawphil Project – Arellano Law Foundation