PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications, Inc. are intensifying efforts to protect children online in Visayas through the “Better Today for Kids: Bata, Bata Kami ang Iyong Kasangga” Learning Caravan, which recently made stops in Daanbantayan, Cebu, and Miagao, Iloilo.
This initiative, launched in August 2024, aims to raise awareness about the growing threat of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) in the Philippines. With artificial intelligence increasingly used to produce harmful materials, the Learning Caravan provides local government units, educators, barangay personnel, and parents with the tools and knowledge needed to address this pressing issue.
“As internet service providers, one of our priorities is to protect our customers online, especially children. Working alongside the LGUs of Daanbantayan and Miagao enables us to strengthen our call to end OSAEC, creating a safer digital world for our youth,” shared Marylou B. Gocotano, Stakeholder Management Visayas Relations Head at PLDT and Smart.
In collaboration with Save the Children Philippines, the International Justice Mission Philippines, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office Region 6, the caravan engaged over 360 participants, deepening their understanding of the Anti-OSAEC and Anti-CSAEM Act (Republic Act No. 11930) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Sessions also covered the risks associated with AI-generated child exploitation materials and provided practical strategies to combat these threats. The caravan encouraged participants to adopt #BeCyberSmart practices to foster a safer online environment for children.
Lemuel Soliva, a senior high school teacher at Bacolod National High School in Miagao, emphasized the program’s impact, noting, “This seminar reinforces the core values we teach, reminding us of our responsibility to address critical issues like OSAEC and CSAEM in our communities.”
Through initiatives like this, PLDT and Smart are helping the Philippines work toward United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16, which aims to build peaceful and inclusive societies.
