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The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7 – Central Visayas led the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking 7 – Violence Against Women and their Children (IACAT7-VAWC) conduct the Safer Internet Caravan last quarter of 2024 in five schools in Central Visayas.

Left to right: Social Worker Jeramae P. Ceniza educates students of Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, about the Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and the importance of safer internet practices. The Social Marketing Unit’s IEC materials, distributed during the caravans, teach students about the OSAEC.

A total of 479 Junior High School students from Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School (Tagbilaran City), Tangke National High School (Talisay City), Marigondon National High School (Lapu-Lapu City), Tipolo National High School (Mandaue City), and Lahug National High School (Cebu City) participated in the caravans.

In collaboration with the Department of Education, World Hope International, and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, the caravan with the theme “Together for a Better Internet” aims to equip children and young people to become proactive in using digital technologies for better and safer internet use.

It includes topics such as Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM), tips for online safety, social media safety and privacy features, and reporting mechanisms to be employed should they feel abused or they know someone experiencing abuse.

For IACAT7-VAWC, the caravan is one of the advocacy activities that promotes safer internet to eliminate OSAEC cases in highly urbanized areas where a number of cases are reported.

Council’s secretariat Xhelxea Francesca A. Lerios, who spearheaded the school caravans, said, “Teachers and students are appreciative of it because it has provided them with important information to help avoid and report internet abuse, as the majority of victims nowadays are teenagers like them.”

According to her, DSWD 7 will continue to promote the campaign in partnership with other government agencies in the council that will reach out to more communities and schools.

Meanwhile, a grade 10 student of Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School expressed during the evaluation that the topics shared made him aware of the dangers of the internet, especially to young people like him. “I know that I am a responsible digital citizen, but I can do more by educating my peers and other people on the use of the internet responsibly,” he said.

In the recent report shared by DSWD 7, the Department has served 39 victim-survivors of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) and 18 for OSAEC and CSAEM. Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons of DSWD 7 accepted these referred victim-survivors for psychosocial counseling, education, livelihood, and medical assistance, or even providing temporary shelter at the DSWD 7-managed centers and residential care facilities.

Home for Girls and the Regional Haven for Women are two of the centers and residential care facilities of DSWD, which cater to abused girl children and women.

Regional Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero continues to remind everyone of the dangers that OSAEC/CSAEM will inflict on the children. “We will never stop advocating the elimination of these kinds of activities in the community. But rest assured that DSWD will be in close partnership with law enforcement agencies in rescue operations, and our facilities are at par with standards which will cater to them should they need temporary shelter,” she said. ###

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