HOUSE Assistant Majority Leader and Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Partylist Rep. Margarita “Atty Migs” Nograles today said she is presently in the United States and met with US law enforcement and Filipino-American advocacy groups to discuss possible areas of cooperation in the fight against child pornography and livelihood generation for women in the Davao region.
Nograles said that she had met with representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and various Filipino-American advocacy groups like the “Project Ligtas Bata” and the New Pathways to Enterprise. She was also invited by the New York City Consulate to give a talk to the Filipino community.
Nograles posted in her social media account several pictures of her visit to the US. She said she went to the US to visit her sister who is living in New Jersey.
“ So, I’m here in New Jersey to visit my sister for personal reasons as she needs family right now, which I can’t disclose. Kung kailangan tayo ng ating pamilya, kahit gaano tayo kabusy, bigyan natin sila ng panahon,” Nograles said in her post.
While in the US, Nograles said she was invited by the New York City Consulate for a legal
open forum “regarding marriage laws, property, inheritance, and many questions for women.”
She participated in the legal forum as her extension and part of her passion project to give free legal advice called Paano Ba Attorney in all her social media accounts “Atty. Migs Nograles.”
Nograles said she also visited Washington DC to meet with several representatives of the FBI and the Fil-Am anti-child sexual exploitation advocacy group Project Ligtas Batas which is headed by Fil-Am State Prosecutor Joyce King.
There are also discussions with the consulate and the Philippine embassy that she will continue having legal talks via Zoom with Filipino communities in Washington and New York.
“ ALAM NYO BA? Every second, the US government receives a tip about a child being exploited through child pornography or pictures/videos being sold online. Worse minsan sariling magulang or kapamilya pa gumagawa nito. That’s one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve heard and learned here while still working, even during my personal trip,” Nograles said.
“ We met with FYLPRO Ligtas Bata (https://ligtasbata.com/about/), and one of the heads is FilAm State Prosecutor Joyce King. She shared with me regarding child trafficking and pornography where many sellers from the PH provide photos or videos to buyers in the US. And met with FBI agents pa para malaman paano nila nagagawa ito at mahuli mga ito, “ Nograles said.
Nograles noted that in their discussions, they agreed to work together to craft legislation that would strengthen existing cybercrime laws to address the problem of child sexual exploitation and pornography.
“ Excited to work closely with them as US counterpart sa batas nila we can pattern, and also DOJ ( Department of Justice), hopefully, DICT ( Department of Information Communication Technology) para upgrade na cybercrime laws natin (from trafficking, child pornography, bullying, libel, etc),” said Nograles.
She also met with the members of the New Pathways to Enterprise, another Fil-Am group
that is involved in providing livelihood training to women around the world so that they can also do the same in the Davao region.
