In a significant move to protect the youth, child welfare advocates in Davao Region are pushing for a crucial update to parenting programs, emphasizing that guardians now face their greatest challenge in shielding children from online dangers.
The Call for Digital Parenting Integration
Renee Boy Birondo, the Regional Coordinator for the Regional Sub-committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC) in Davao, highlighted the pressing need during a recent Kapihan sa DavNor forum. The discussion centered on Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM).
Birondo pointed out that parents bear the primary responsibility for safeguarding their children but often struggle to keep pace with digital trends. "There is a challenge for parents on how to regulate these gadgets for their children, to discipline, and to monitor," he stated. He noted that children are frequently more exposed to online communities and influences unknown to their parents, creating a critical gap in protection.
Leveraging the PES Law for Modern Threats
The proposed solution is to integrate the concept of "Digital Parenting" into the modules of the Parent Effectiveness Services (PES) Program. This program is mandated by Republic Act No. 11908 or the Parent Effectiveness Service Program Act of 2022.
Birondo explained that the law requires all Local Government Units (LGUs) to have PES facilitators and develop corresponding modules. "It is there that we will now integrate this," he asserted. The goal is to use this existing, legally-backed framework to institutionalize education on digital safety at the local level.
He further called on LGUs to ensure their PES modules cover all five child protection policy settings: the home, school, community, disaster situations, and crucially, the online space.
Local Government Commitment and Challenges
Echoing the urgency, Lanny Guinit, Assistant Department Head of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), affirmed their commitment to the cause. She pledged technical assistance to LGUs to strengthen child protection policies in both response and prevention.
However, Guinit acknowledged the practical hurdles local governments face. "To the local government, this is a great challenge, in terms of funding and personnel," she said. Despite these constraints, she emphasized that protecting children is a non-negotiable duty for all LGUs and the provincial government, which must assist cities and municipalities in this vital integration.
The forum, held at PTV DavNor 48 and attended by community stakeholders, underscores a regional effort to modernize child protection strategies. By embedding digital literacy and monitoring skills into parent training, authorities aim to build a more resilient first line of defense against the evolving threat of online exploitation.
