MANILA - The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has issued show cause orders against internet service providers (ISPs) in the country over their supposed failure to stop the spread of child pornography online.

This, after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered sanctions against ISPs that have failed to do so.

• Duterte, Cabinet want telcos sanctioned for child pornography

In a statement, the NTC said it has issued show cause orders to ISPs over the weekend for "failing to install available technology, program or software that will block access or filter all websites carrying child pornography materials."

"The ISPs were required to explain in writing why they should not be administratively sanctioned for such violation. They were also required to attend hearings before the Commission starting the second week of February 2021," NTC said.

According to NTC, the country currently has over 500 ISPs nationwide.

Duterte's order came amid reports that online child pornography doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transaction reports related to online sexual exploitation rose from 19,000 in 2019, to 47,937 in 2020, when the Philippines went on varying degrees of quarantine restrictions to halt the pandemic.

The median age of those involved in these transactions is 11, said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

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