Manila: The Philippine National Police (PNP) Women and Children's Protection Center (WCPC) has announced its active coordination with social media platforms in response to a rising trend of online child-selling cases in 2025.

According to Philippines News Agency, the WCPC chief, Brig. Gen. Maria Sheila Portento, shared that eight individuals were apprehended last year for selling their babies, a noticeable increase from the five cases recorded in 2024. Portento highlighted the crucial role of monitoring online sites and working closely with social media platforms to request the removal of such illegal advertisements.

Portento emphasized the increasing prevalence of this crime due to the accessibility of online platforms. She reported that WCPC operations over the past two years have successfully rescued 13 infants, with five rescues in 2024 and eight in 2025. However, she noted that these figures only reflect cases handled by the WCPC and do not include incidents outside online platforms.

The primary motivation for those arrested, as identified by Portento, is financial hardship. She underscored that parents unable to care for their children have the option to legally surrender them through the National Authority for Child Care, without resorting to illegal transactions for profit.

In a recent operation, WCPC operatives detained a 17-year-old mother in Quezon City for allegedly attempting to sell her one-month-old baby for PHP55,000. The authorities have since handed over the infant and the teenager to the city social services department. The minor could face charges related to human trafficking and violations under Republic Act No. 7610, also known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.