16/03/2026
CREATION OF BAGUIO CITY S*X OFFENDER REGISTRY PUSHED
Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr. has proposed an ordinance seeking to establish the Baguio City S*x Offender Registry (BCSOR), a system that will require convicted s*x offenders residing, working, studying, or temporarily staying in the city to register and disclose their status in order to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and enhance community safety, particularly for children and students.
The proposed measure establishes the Baguio City S*x Offender Registry (BCSOR) as a monitoring system for individuals convicted by final judgment of s*xual offenses who reside, work, study, or temporarily stay within the city. The registry will serve as a proactive tool for the city government to help prevent repeat offenses and strengthen the protection of the community, particularly children and other vulnerable sectors.
Under the ordinance, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) will serve as the primary custodian of the registry and will be responsible for managing offender registration, maintaining a secure and updated database, and classifying offenders according to the severity of their crimes.
The CSWDO will also provide mandatory counseling and rehabilitation programs for certain offenders through community-based welfare services and coordinate with the Department of Justice for data sharing involving national or international offenders.
The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), through its Women and Children Protection Desk, will act as the enforcement arm of the registry. The police will verify the residential and employment addresses declared by registered offenders and intensify monitoring in high-traffic tourist areas and other designated safe zones.
The Management Information and Technology Division (MITD), meanwhile, will design and maintain the digital infrastructure of the registry, ensuring the security and integrity of the database in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
The measure also assigns responsibilities to other city offices. The Permits and Licensing Division and the City Tourism Operations Office will ensure that accommodation establishments such as hotels, condominiums, and transient houses comply with reporting requirements and cross-check relevant data with the registry, particularly in child-sensitive industries such as schools and internet cafés.
The City Health Services Office (CHSO), through its Mental Health and Wellness Unit, will provide psychological assessments and mental health support for offenders as part of rehabilitation efforts.
At the barangay level, the Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children (BCPC) and VAWC desk officers will serve as grassroots monitoring units. Barangays will maintain confidential records of registered offenders residing within their jurisdiction and participate in regular capacity-building programs on child protection and offender monitoring.
The ordinance introduces a tiered classification system for offenders based on the seriousness of their crimes. Tier I offenders, covering less serious offenses punishable by one year or less, will remain in the registry for 10 to 15 years. Tier II offenders, involving more serious crimes or repeat Tier I violations, will remain in the registry for 15 to 25 years. Tier III offenders, which include habitual offenders and those convicted of heinous s*xual crimes, will remain in the registry for life.
All convicted s*x offenders residing or working in the city will be required to register within ten working days from arrival in Baguio or release from imprisonment. Existing residents will be granted a 90-day grace period to comply once the ordinance takes effect.
Registered offenders will also have the duty to disclose their status in writing to their employer or prospective employer, the head of their educational institution if applicable, and the punong barangay of their place of residence. For visitors staying in hotels or transient houses for more than three days, disclosure must be made upon check-in.
The measure also provides for monitoring restrictions, particularly in areas considered safe zones for children. Registered offenders will be restricted from entering within a 200-meter radius of elementary and secondary schools, public parks when children are present, and child development centers.
Violations of the registration and disclosure requirements will be subject to penalties, including fines ranging from P1,000.00 to P5,000.00, imprisonment of up to 30 days, or both depending on the number of offenses.
Schools, businesses, and accommodation establishments that knowingly employ or house an unregistered offender or fail to report non-disclosure may face fines and possible cancellation of their business permits for repeated violations.
The ordinance also proposes the creation of a Baguio City Victim Protection and Assistance Fund where all administrative fines collected will be deposited. The fund will be used to support medico-legal services for survivors, provide psychological and livelihood assistance to indigent victims, and finance training programs for barangay child protection councils.
The funding for the implementation of the registry will be sourced from the city’s general fund and included in the annual budgets of the concerned offices.
The ordinance further mandates that all registry information be handled in compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012, limiting public access to basic offender information such as name, photograph, and nature of the offense while excluding specific home addresses to prevent vigilantism.
The proposed ordinance has been approved on first reading by the Baguio City Council and referred to the Committee on Public Protection and Safety, Peace, and Order for review. -Jordan G. Habbiling
