The Department of Health (DOH) faced renewed scrutiny in the Senate on Monday over the growing online promotion of illegal abortion services, medicines, and procedures, Senator Vicente Sotto III said. During the 2026 DOH budget hearing, Sotto warned that these underground networks have become “more aggressive” and are openly advertising on Facebook.
“Taon-taon na lang tinatanong ko ito e’. Your Honor, Mr. President, naglipana iyong abortion facilities, services, products, medicine, at kung ano-ano. Ngayon, naging mas agresibo pa sila. Nasa Facebook na. Lantarang inquiry at pag-aalok ng abortion,” Sotto said, showing screenshots of online promotions and pressing DOH and the FDA for action.
Sotto emphasized that these operations are local, citing Philippine phone numbers and addresses, and cannot be dismissed as foreign-based. “Baka sabihin ng iba, hindi, ano ‘yan, online ‘yan, nasa abroad galing. Hindi. Ang mga phone numbers, local. Mga local numbers natin, iyong mga cell phone at iyong mga address, local din. Kaya dito ‘yon,” he said.
Senator Pia Cayetano, sponsoring the DOH budget, noted that while abortion is illegal and law enforcement has the mandate to act, the DOH can take proactive steps. “The Secretary recognizes that this is a crime and that this is a law enforcement issue. So I mentioned, I just said right now to the Secretary that they can prod PNP to act on it, and NBI because according to the Secretary, they don’t have any law enforcement powers. But of course they can be the one to alert NBI and other law enforcement,” Cayetano said.
She added that the DOH can formalize coordination with authorities. “You can even have a MOA with them na rampant ito, how do we deal with this, so that this can be addressed. Kasi I doubt if it will be on their agenda without you pointing it out to them,” she said.
Sotto urged the DOH to act within its mandate and alert law enforcement proactively rather than wait for complaints to accumulate.