A FORUM discussing ways to ensure safer internet for children was held on March 7 in Benguet.
Bernardo Cadaon Jr., secretariat of the Regional Committee against Trafficking, Violence against Women and Children, said the advocacy for safe internet use is an inter-agency collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) targeting public and private schools.
"Magandang venue para mapaalam sa mga kabataan na mayroong na tayong proclamation na ganito para mas maintensify pa iyong ating advocacy on safer internet use," said Cadaon.
"Maging responsible user of internet and any forms of social media ang mga kabataan, ipaalam na dapat maging aware sila environment nila especially sa pagshare ng information. Usually kasi sila iyong madalas nagiging biktima. Iyong mga kabataan very vulnerable sa mga cases ng cyber bullying, online sexual exploitation and trafficking," he added.
The forum was held in line with the Proclamation No. 417 known as the Safer Internet Day for Children Philippines.
The government line agencies are targeting the youth, who are vulnerable to online sexual exploitation, cyber bullying, and identity theft.
On the same day, DICT-CAR training specialist Michael Rabara discussed cyber security with the students from Regional Science High and Benguet National High School.
The committee also incorporated ways to detect signs of child abuse following previous reports of perpetrators include family members or relatives subjecting their children to online sexual exploitation.
Aside from Benguet province, the committee is also partnering with its provincial committee to intensify information dissemination drive to other provinces in Cordillera region for this year.