The campaign calls on the private sector and media to help boost children’s online safety.
In celebration of Safer Internet Day, ChildFund Philippines will launch the Web Safe and Wise Philippine campaign on February 10, Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Zoom and ChildFund Philippines Facebook page. The national launch is part of the Web Safe and Wise global campaign led by the ChildFund Alliance.
“Child Online Safety is not a new discussion, especially here in the Philippines,” says Anand Vishwakarma, Country Director, ChildFund Philippines.
“Unfortunately, as of last year, the country remains to be the top global source of child sexual abuse and exploitation materials,” adds Vishwakarma.
“With the launch of the Web Safe and Wise Philippine campaign, we are hoping to create a better digital world by collaboratively working with the private sector and the media, to produce safeguards that complement the government’s efforts to make online spaces safer for Filipino children.”
According to UNICEF, one in every two Filipino children experienced online abuse and exploitation in 2021 alone. With the internet’s widespread use, ChildFund recognizes the need for a collective effort to protect children against all forms of abuse, violence and exploitation happening online.
Joy Catagan, 21, OSAEC warrior from Cagayan de Oro, calls on the various sectors to work with them to help keep young Filiipinos safe online. “We, the youth, must be protected, given the information they need to comprehend dangers and risks online, and given the opportunity to learn how to do so. “
With child participation, stakeholder collaboration, parental control, continuous online education, and the strict enforcement of Republic Act 11930, or the Anti Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) Act, ChildFund hopes to foster digital literacy among the country’s children and youth while protecting them from harmful online content and perpetrators. RA11930 is a landmark law that is one of the first of its kind in East Asia and the Pacific.
“I am proud that our efforts significantly contributed to the passage of a new law against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children including the online production, selling and distribution of child sexual abuse materials in the Philippines last year,” says Anand Vishwakarma.
“Through the #ShutdownOSEC campaign, and through the collective efforts of the civil society groups that pushed for RA 11930, we created a monumental win for all Filipino children.”
“Media is also instrumental here,” adds Allan Nuñez, advocacy specialist of ChildFund Philippines. “They have the responsibility of ensuring informed reporting on issues related to child online safety and protection, following an ethical approach to media coverage, and even using consistent terminologies to raise awareness of the public on the issue.”
Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, chairman of the National Council for Children’s Television, a partner in this campaign, agrees: “To be #WebSafeandWise means that one can understand the ways media is created to inform, entertain, and persuade; and be critical when it is used to misinform, mislead, and attack vulnerable minds.”
ChildFund Philippines recognizes its partners in this campaign: the Philippine Press Institute; National Council for Children’s Television; Generali–The Human Safety Net Philippines; OSAEC Warriors, Xavier Science Foundation and Kaabag sa Kalambuan pinaagi sa Kabtangan sa Katilingban (KKKK) from Cagayan de Oro; Probe Media Foundation Inc.; and ChildFund Alliance (ChildFund Korea, ChildFund Japan, Educo).
About ChildFund Philippines
ChildFund Philippines is a child-focused NGO serving children, youth and their families in the Philippines since the 1970s. We are a program office of ChildFund International, a global not-for-profit organization with the primary purpose of helping children break the generational cycle of poverty and achieve their full potential. ChildFund Philippines works alongside local partners in over 21 provinces in the country to ensure that children and youth are safe, healthy, educated, and skilled. Its primary advocacy is on promoting children’s and youths’ rights and preventing child labor and online sexual exploitation. Our recent work with the Philippine government, NGO partners, private sectors, the media, and child protection champions resulted in the #ShutdownOSEC campaign, introducing OSEC-targeted congressional bills and the increased engagement of OSEC media coverage.
