Senator Risa Hontiveros: Champion for Women and Children

Smart Parenting Awards, now in its fifth year, introduces its newest category, the Smart Parenting Gamechangers.

Smart Parenting Gamechangers honors educators, experts, advocates, and entrepreneurs who uplift Filipino families and children with authenticity, passion, and purpose. Each awardee is a standout in their field, shaping the lives of parents and children through meaningful work and a commitment to Filipino values. This recognition celebrates their work and the impact they create every day.

Considered one of the strongest voices in Philippine politics today, Senator Risa Hontiveros has served two Senate terms and spent more than 11 years in Congress. She has personally championed 25 landmark laws, including the Expanded Maternity Leave Law (RA 11210), which gives working mothers 105 days of paid maternity leave, and the Mental Health Law (RA 11036), the country’s first legal framework over mental health. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, she has also shepherded the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act (RA 11861), which provides wider social benefits to solo parents, and the Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313), which protects Filipinos, especially women, from gender-based harassment in public spaces. Outside her political work, she was recognized as a peace advocate and was nominated for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to the peace movement.

Senator Risa continues to advocate for the rights and safety of women and children through the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act. Enacted in 2022, the law criminalizes and penalizes online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. The numbers remain alarming: and estimated two million Filipino children have been subjected to online sexual abuse and exploitation, and 44% of children do not know where to seek help. For lawmakers like Senator Risa, the work ahead is urgent. In this recent interview with Smart Parenting, she explains why the fight against online sexual abuse or exploitation of children is an important one that all parents should understand.

*Smart Parenting interviewed Senator Risa in February 2025.

Smart Parenting (SP): Could you tell us more about the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) law and Anti-Child Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act?

Sen. Risa Hontiveros (RH): The Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) Law provides more protections for children against sexual abuse and exploitation materials. Binibigyan niya ang ating mga investigators and law enforcers ng mas maraming tools, well beyond the prevention stage, para imbestigahan, mag-follow ng leads, and to intercept and arrest the materials and the perpetrators or the producers themselves.

Binibigyan din ng accountabilities and possible penalties yung mga social media platforms, yung mga internet service providers, at mga financial intermediaries. Yung mga technology nila, yung mga platform nila, yung mga financial channels nila, ginagamit dito sa palitan, production, bayaran ng child sexual exploitation and abuse materials. Napaka-specific ng obligations. For example, yung mga social media platforms, obligado sila under law na within 24 hours of notice, dapat nilang i-take down ang material. Pero even after taking it down, kailangan nilang i-preserve, i-turn over sa mga investigators as evidence. And there are penalties in terms of jail terms at fines.

SP: What do families get wrong about human trafficking in the Philippines?

RH: One of the things we get wrong is thinking, “Hindi yun mangyayari sa akin,” or “Hindi yun mangyayari sa mga pamilya tulad natin.” But especially in this day and age of social media, it’s a clear and present danger to families everywhere. And at the very least, kung hindi man tayo nabibilang sa pamilyang pinaka-vulnerable doon, kung hindi man yung mga anak natin ang pinaka at-risk, it’s an area na pwede at siguro dapat tayong makipagtulungan sa iba’t ibang mga magulang at pamilya to address this threat against all children.

SP: What should parents look out for, or what warning signs should they watch for?

RH: Where to go is also provided for in the law, in the National Coordinating Council against OSAEC or CSAEM under the Department of Justice’s Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (DOJ).

I think some warning signs arise in parent-child communication in general, and they’re critical for protecting our children against OSAEC and CSAEM. Hindi ba, kapag napapansin natin na biglang yung mga anak natin become more quiet or withdrawn. I was a shy child, and we have kids who are shy or more introvert than extrovert. Pero kapag sobrang nadagdagan o sumobra, we trust our parental or mom’s instinct. Kapag nararamdaman natin na baka may something, baka may problema, or parang malungkot yung anak ko na hindi na nag-she-share. Is something bothering him or her?

I always say trust our instincts. Lalo na pagdating sa pagiging magulang, lalo na pagdating sa mga anak natin. So maybe that’s the first sign, more of an internal alarm ringing na there’s something off.

SP: What guiding principle did you hold on to while raising your kids?

RH: Yung isang prinsipyo namin nung late husband ko, and I have tried to continue practicing it, is to not play favorites. Or to put it positively, to love each child equally, just differently. In a different way kasi magkakaiba sila. They’re each a unique person. Hindi pala laging naniniwala yung mga anak natin that we don’t have favorites.

SP: So how does that play out?

RH: Sabi ng isa, “Ah, si ano ang favorite.” Tapos sabi ng isa, “Si ano ang favorite.” Sabi ko, “Huh? Hindi naman.” Sabi din nung isa, “Hindi ako, siya nga eh.” Or yung isa pa.

I guess it’s good to have that wake-up call from your kids, kasi baka nga you’re missing something. Or baka I was doing something wrong or not doing something I should have. Pero in the end, they’re also unique human beings so they have their own experiences. Kaya minsan sinasabi ko, “Well sorry, ginawa ko pala 'yun. I don’t even remember it, pero naranasan mo, so it happened."

They have their own experiences, interpretation, and opinion. And for me, that’s part of parenting. Receive all the feedback. Sometimes we agree to disagree even with our kids. Pero in the end, family tayo. Mommy pa rin ako, anak pa rin natin sila. It’s just going through everything day by day.

SP: As a woman raising daughters, what values do you hope they grow up with?

RH: I always pray for them, especially to Mama Mary, a fellow woman, or to their patron saints or guardian angels. I’ve told them, “Treasure having been born a woman. I think it was deliberate in the mind of God. And it’s your way of living and being and loving in this world."

I know there are more particular challenges being a woman, pero sige, ilaban niyo yan. Even in small things, like I’ve never reduced my Hontiveros to H, even when I was married. Kasi pangalan ko 'yun eh. It was the name I was born with. Likewise, sabi ko sa kanila, “Kung magpapakasal kayo or kung mag-li-live in kayo, don’t reduce your Baraquel to a B.”

SP: How do you raise strong women?

RH: By trying to also be strong. It’s work, and I’m very grateful that I have strong daughters. In a way, they’re tougher than me and they help me go through difficult lessons and experiences. And I’m hopeful seeing them grow up na may sariling lakas nila. And they have so much to give as human beings.

Produced by the Smart Parenting Team
Editor-in-Chief and Interview by: Ronna Capili Bonifacio
Asst. Managing Editor/Co-Producer: Em Cruz
Art Director: Mariella Lao
Videographer and video editor: Rolando Pingco Jr.
Associate Publisher: Bettina Santos
Photographs by Cyrus Panganiban (for Esquire, Nov 2022)