In November 2021, a prominent teacher at the Philippine High School of Arts in Los Baños, Laguna died under vague circumstances. This was the start of an avalanche of revelations about this teacher's sexually abusive behaviour and the school that protected him all these years.
His death was the catalyst that broke a seal of silence amongst former students of the Philippine High School of Arts who have been harbouring secrets and nightmarish trauma from their youth - trauma from being sexually abused by students, staffers and teachers who should have known better as adults with a duty of care towards vulnerable individuals.
Details of the scandal would not have made it beyond Luzon or the Philippines were it not for an intrepid reporter for VICE News, JC Gotinga, who broke news of the scandal in June 2022. He interviewed numerous former students who told him of their experiences, what the school did in the aftermath and how their lives turned out after leaving the exclusive school.
This episode owes everything to JC Gotinga's reporting as well as videos from GMA, ABSCBN and One News PH. I want to encourage you to read his main article and his follow- up article published shortly after the main one. I also encourage you to watch the YouTube videos from the three channels I mentioned in the episode
I have tried to collate all the information in these main sources and some secondary sources as well to give an overview of the case and give my own thoughts on the matter, an issue that deeply disturbs me.
I hope you find value in this episode.
If you have experienced something similar as described in the episode, please reach out and talk to someone. Here are some resources:
PHILIPPINES
USA
To report an incident or suspicious situation that may involve the extraterritorial sexual exploitation of children, file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com , or call 1-800-843-5678.
UK
Call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online. call our Helpline on 0808 800 5000. Dedicated child protection specialists will be able to advise and take any necessary action.
CANADA
AUSTRALIA
If it's not an emergency, call Police on 131 444. Report suspected child abuse to the Child Protection Hotline on 1800 700 250 (24 hours, 7 days a week) or Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000. Online: Members of the public and professionals can submit a report online.
NEW ZEALAND
Suspected abuse of a child should be reported to Oranga Tamariki and/or the NZ Police. Oranga Tamariki and the NZ Police are able to investigate allegations and hold offenders accountable. You can find information about reporting suspected abuse of a child to Oranga Tamariki on their website. 105 is the number for Police non-emergencies. 111 is the emergency number for Police, Fire and Ambulance. Call triple one when you need an emergency response from Police, Fire or Ambulance.
SINGAPORE
If the sexual assault or sexual harassment involves a child (below 14) or young person (14 to 16), you can contact the Child Protection and Welfare Service (under the Ministry of Social and Family Development), specifically you can call the National Anti-Violence Helpline at 1800-777-0000
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