SURVIVOR leaders have launched a grassroots campaign to protect Filipino children from online sexual abuse and exploitation (OSAEC).
The Philippine Survivor Network (PSN), composed of adult survivors of child sexual exploitation, introduced the Hope U Protect campaign to educate vulnerable communities and advocate with local governments to pass and enforce needed measures.
The Hope U Protect campaign works to teach children how to recognize safe and unsafe situations and where to seek help; support parents and communities in guiding and protecting children; and partner with selected local governments to pass and implement anti-OSAEC ordinances.
“This campaign matters because OSAEC is not just an issue happening somewhere far away. It can happen inside homes, through phones, through social media, and through the internet spaces where children spend their time,” Patricia Berame, survivor leader and PSN member, said during the launch.
“It is a hidden crime that wounds children deeply, silences families, and takes away the safety every child deserves. That is why people must care. Because every child is precious. Every child carries the image of God. Every child deserves to be protected, believed, and given the chance to grow without fear,” she added.
The campaign was unveiled on July 1 during the Manila Prayer Gathering (MPG), an ecumenical event organized by International Justice Mission (IJM) Philippines marking its 25 years of combating child sexual exploitation.
The gathering brought together hundreds of supporters from government agencies, civil society organizations, faith communities, and child protection advocates.
By placing Bridges for Change, PSN’s 11-member survivor leadership core team, at the forefront of advocacy and community action, the Hope U Protect campaign signals a new era of survivor leadership in protecting children.
The campaign aims to mobilize survivor leaders and families across selected cities, driving grassroots change and building lasting systems of protection.
The scale of the crisis
OSAEC is a crime that often takes place inside homes, facilitated by trusted adults such as parents, relatives, or neighbors acting as traffickers.
One of its most devastating forms is the livestreaming of child sexual abuse, where a local trafficker abuses a child in real time in exchange for money from a foreign sex offender abroad.
The Scale of Harm study by IJM and Nottingham Rights Lab revealed that in 2023, nearly half a million Filipino children -- one in every 100 -- were trafficked to produce child sexual exploitation material.
The study also found that a quarter of a million Filipino adults were involved in this form of trafficking.
Despite the passage of the Anti-OSAEC and Anti-CSAEM Act (RA 11930) in 2022, harmful cultural norms continue to perpetuate the abuse.
The Hope U Protect campaign seeks to minimize the number of children affected by OSAEC through survivor-led strategies. Its objectives include:
* Reaching 100,000 schoolchildren with age-appropriate education on online safety.
* Engaging 1,000 parents, teachers, and adults in awareness and prevention.
* Supporting selected six local government units in passing anti-OSAEC ordinance or monitoring its implementation.
Campaign activities range from learning sessions for children on good and bad touches, animated films on reporting abuse, and helpline memorization, to creative parent-focused approaches and family development workshops.
Partnership with government and communities
The campaign aligns with the broader national vision of Bayang Walang Bahid ng OSAEC (“A Nation Free from OSAEC”), launched jointly by IJM and the Philippine Government at the 2024 National Summit Against OSAEC attended by President Ferdinand Marcos.
Building on this vision, survivor leaders will work hand in hand with local government units, barangay officers, and schools to ensure ordinances are passed and implemented effectively, while awareness drives reach the communities and families most at risk.
“In my 23 years of working on this mission, one of the greatest honors has been to witness the courage of survivors -- young women and men who have endured so much, and who now stand not just as witnesses, but as leaders, as partners, to help transform the very systems that once failed them. Survivor voices play an essential role in transforming behaviors and shifting social norms in our communities,” said Atty. Sam Inocencio, IJM Philippines National director.
Survivor leaders urge communities to break the silence and report suspected cases immediately.
Aside from local hotlines, anyone with information about OSAEC incidents may reach the PNP Women and Children Protection Center’s “Aleng Pulis” helpline through its Facebook page or by calling 0966 725 5961 (Globe) or 0920 907 1717 (Smart).
Another reporting channel is the IACAT 1343 Actionline, which operates nationwide. (PR)