TACLOBAN CITY — The Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) will launch the Tri-City Specialty Justice Zone in Eastern Visayas on November 5, 2025, marking a major step toward improving coordination among justice agencies in addressing online and sexual exploitation crimes against children.
The initiative, which covers the cities of Tacloban, Ormoc, and Calbayog, aims to strengthen the region’s justice system in handling cases of Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Material (CSAEM).
Launching activities are scheduled simultaneously at the Summit Hotel in Tacloban City, Sabin Resort Hotel in Ormoc City, and Calbayog City Sports Center in Calbayog City.
The three cities were selected after successfully meeting the criteria under the Justice Zone Components, which require at least 40 inter-agency reforms covering the entire criminal justice process—from case initiation and investigation to prosecution, adjudication, and post-judgment implementation.
The JSCC Technical Working Group on Processes and Capacity Building (TWG-PCB) led the assessment that determined the readiness of the three cities, with preparatory activities including stakeholder consultations, orientation sessions, and development planning workshops.
Once launched, the Eastern Visayas Tri-City Zone will become the seventh Specialty Justice Zone in the country, following similar initiatives in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Ozamiz established in September 2024. These zones are part of the JSCC’s broader effort to promote localized, multi-sectoral coordination to address specific justice challenges within communities.
The JSCC, formed through a joint declaration on April 30, 2010, is composed of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). Its inclusion under Chapter 13 of the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 underscores the national government’s commitment to advancing peace, security, and the rule of law.
Through the establishment of the Tri-City Specialty Justice Zone, the JSCC seeks to enhance efficiency, responsiveness, and integrity within the justice system—ensuring that crimes against children, especially those involving online abuse and exploitation, are addressed with coordinated and specialized action.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
