PH ranks 15th in child protection index, trails in abuse prevention

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines ranks 15th among 60 countries assessed for their efforts to prevent and respond to sexual violence against children, but its weaker performance in prevention highlights the limits of relying on legal sanctions alone.

Dr. Rogelio Alicor Panao, Inquirer data scientist and an associate professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, examined the country’s results in the 2026 Out of the Shadows Index, developed by Economist Impact, with advocacy led by Together for Girls.

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The Philippines scored 60.8, above the global average of 52.6. It ranked behind India, South Korea and Vietnam but ahead of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

“However, its weaker performance in prevention highlights the limits of relying on legal sanctions alone,” Panao wrote in his analysis.

The country’s overall standing reflects uneven performance across the index’s four components.

Its strongest showing was in Justice, where it ranked 16th with a score of 69.2, suggesting that its legal framework for addressing sexual offenses against children is relatively well developed.

In Prevention, however, the Philippines placed 25th with a score of 46.7, pointing to weaker mechanisms for stopping abuse before it occurs.

“The findings point to a gap between punishing abuse and preventing it,” Panao wrote.

Gaps in prevention, survivor support

The Philippines also scored 51.1 in Governance and Accountability, ranking 19th, and 60.0 in Healing, placing 28th.

The index evaluates government responses through 23 indicators grouped into four areas: Governance and Accountability, Prevention, Healing and Justice.

Governance and Accountability covers national action plans, budget transparency and the formal involvement of survivors in policymaking. Prevention measures include mandatory background checks, caregiver support, school-based education and accessible helplines.

Healing assesses access to free, multidisciplinary crisis care, psychosocial support and pathways to financial compensation. Justice examines the criminalization of offline and online offenses, specialized law enforcement and child-friendly court safeguards.

Panao said the country’s scores in Governance and Accountability and Healing indicated room for improvement in government oversight and survivors’ access to support.

“The index further identifies a lack of transparent budgeting for initiatives against sexual violence against children, raising concerns about how public commitments translate into concrete state support and action,” he added.

Strengthening child protection

The index’s findings come amid concerns over child grooming and the online sexual exploitation of children. Panao said child protection efforts should extend beyond prosecuting offenders to reducing risks and supporting survivors.

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“The report underscores the need for stronger safeguarding systems, transparent public spending, and accessible recovery services,” he wrote.

The index assesses how 60 countries respond to sexual violence against children. Its four components examine government accountability, preventive safeguards, access to recovery services and the strength of legal and justice systems.

For the Philippines, the results highlight the need to strengthen measures intended to stop abuse before it happens while ensuring that survivors can access support and recovery services. /dm