PLDT Group Backs Antipolo Drive for Safer Digital Spaces

For young Filipinos, the internet has become part of everyday life—for learning, communicating, researching, and recreation. With Filipinos spending an average of eight hours and 52 minutes online each day, helping young people understand how to protect themselves, recognize online risks, and know their rights has become increasingly important.

Recognizing this need, the City Government of Antipolo, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), brought together government agencies, schools, civil society organizations, and private sector partners for the second run of its Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Public School Caravan on Anti-Trafficking, Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC), and Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Materials (CSAEM).

Building on last year's initiative, the caravan reflects Antipolo's continuing efforts to make child protection relevant to the realities young people face online. The four-leg caravan visited Antipolo National High School, Old Boso-Boso National High School, Binayoyo Integrated School, and San Roque National High School, extending child protection and digital safety discussions to students in different communities across the city.

As advocates for safer spaces for children, PLDT and Smart joined the caravan as partners, helping students better understand digital safety and emerging AI-powered threats. The sessions highlighted how bad actors are increasingly turning to AI to create practical ways to produce CSAEM, underscoring the need for greater awareness and vigilance online. Students were equipped with practical ways to recognize online scams, protect personal information, identify potentially harmful online interactions, and make more informed decisions in digital spaces.

For the city, sustaining the caravan also means giving young people knowledge they can share beyond the classroom and into their homes and communities.

Councilor Robin G. Say, speaking on behalf of Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares, likewise emphasized the importance of making digital safety education accessible to young people.

“Programs like this are very timely because they help our students understand important issues that affect them as young people and members of the community. Today, a single click on a cellphone or computer can change many aspects of our lives, so our young people need to know how to use technology responsibly and protect themselves online. We hope they will share what they learn with their classmates, siblings, and families. On behalf of Mayor Ynares, I congratulate the school and the students who are part of this important discussion,” he said.

“The return of the caravan for a second year reflects the importance of sustaining conversations on child protection and digital safety. By bringing these discussions directly to our schools, we can help young people better understand the risks they may encounter online and know where to seek help when they need it. We are grateful to our government, school, civil society, and private sector partners for coming together to help make these conversations possible and reach more children across Antipolo,” said Donita May Mendoza, Registered Social Worker of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) of Antipolo City.

Law enforcement and child protection partners emphasized that protecting children from online exploitation requires a whole-of-nation approach, with each sector bringing its own expertise to the effort.

“Child protection is a national responsibility. It takes a country to protect a child, and that requires all of us to work together. Each sector has a vital role to play—from prosecution and investigation to social welfare, local government, and education. When we bring these strengths together, we can better protect children, especially because schools are closest to the children we seek to protect,” said Ma. Lara Dominique B. Sanchez, Prosecution Attorney of the Department of Justice.

For the PLDT Group, helping young people understand emerging digital risks is part of promoting safer and more responsible use of technology.

“As technology continues to evolve, so do the ways it can be misused to deceive and exploit people online. Through collaborations like this, we hope to help young people recognize emerging threats, think critically before engaging online, and make safer choices in their digital lives. Protecting children online is a shared responsibility, and partnerships with government, schools, and child protection organizations are essential to making these efforts meaningful,” said Stephanie Orlino, AVP and Head of Stakeholder Engagement for PLDT and Smart.

Support for the four-leg caravan is part of the PLDT Group’s #KonektedForSaferInternet advocacy and reinforces the value of multi-stakeholder partnerships in creating safer digital spaces for children.

The initiative also contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, by promoting digital safety awareness and child protection collaborations.