Building safer spaces for Filipino children

The notion of our children navigating the world alone is terrifying. As parents, we seek nothing else but their protection and safety. But with the rise of digital platforms and the younger generation’s affinity for cyberspace, there’s now a growing gap where we cannot always effectively fill the role of guide and protector.

The statistics tell us that our fears are not unfounded; unfortunately, there remains a staggering number of cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, and there are signs that it continues to rise. According to the 2022 Disrupting Harm Study conducted by UNICEF, ECPAT International, and Interpol, about 20 percent of internet-using Filipino children, aged 12-17, fall victim to sexual abuse online.

As the internet and digital technology continue to integrate into our daily lives, it becomes increasingly necessary to establish systems that keep our children safe from elements that seek to harm and exploit them. This involves law enforcement measures, helpful educational programs that promote responsible digital literacy, awareness campaigns, and support services to aid victims.

Thankfully, we parents are not alone in this fight. Recently, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte sought to lead the city’s response to this growing threat by convening with the Mission Alliance Philippines (MAP), the Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse (CPTCSA), the Philippine Children’s Ministries Network (PCMN), Plan International Pilipinas, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Manila to consolidate Anti-OSAEC (online sexual abuse and exploitation of children) efforts.

The Anti-OSAEC initiative is a testament to the critical nature of this issue, where the resolutions we seek require close collaborative projects between international organizations, government agencies, non-governmental bodies, and more.

During the program, Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Christian Lyster revealed that the Philippines is one of the hotspots for OSAEC. Lyster further commented that investigation and prosecution may not be enough. Preventative solutions, such as online media literacy and awareness must be implemented.

“We must create awareness on this challenging problem to prevent victims from being abused. I hope that this conference will contribute to discussions on keeping children safe,” he pointed out.

This multifaceted challenge also needs more active support and engagement. In Quezon City, Belmonte shared her plans to train the newly elected Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials so that programs combating online abuse can be implemented smoothly and effectively. About 10 percent of a barangay’s budget would be allocated to anti-OSAEC programs and projects.

Belmonte affirmed that the SK, as representatives of the youth, are the ones who are closer to the ground and will have a better grasp of what problems are more pervasive than others. “[The SK] have so much power to combat OSAEC,” Belmonte concluded.

Among the numerous challenges the country faces is addressing the uncurtailed access of vulnerable children to social media, and the tech barriers that make it harder to monitor OSAEC incidents and enforce laws.

We lament the heartbreaking possibility of any child becoming a victim of online sexual exploitation. Parent or not, this needs our collective attention and effort. Let us be the stewards and architects of safer spaces for every Filipino child.

Hopefully, the anti-OSAEC initiatives that this collaboration yields can become programs that more local government units, and even the entire nation, can adopt.