SAFEGUARDING children from the growing shadow of online sexual abuse and exploitation (Osaec) and child sexual abuse or exploitation materials (CSAEM), a Davao City councilor has proposed an ordinance equipping Dabawenyo families with the knowledge and skills needed to protect their children from online risks.
Authored by Councilor Richlyn N. Justol-Baguilod, chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, and Family Relations, the proposed ordinance titled “Strengthening the Implementation of The Parent Effectiveness Service Program in the City of Davao Pursuant to Republic Act No. 11908, Providing for its Local Adaptation, Implementation, Monitoring, and Sustainability, and Providing Funds Therefore” seeks to establish a Parent Effectiveness Service program to address the challenges faced by Dabawenyo families and guide their children safely online.
“The internet has transformed the way our children experience the world but the same technology that gives our children opportunities can also expose them to individuals who seek to put them at risk,” Baguilod said in her privilege speech on September 1, 2026.
She emphasized that in 2021, the United Nations Children’s Fund or UNICEF found that 20 percent of internet users aged 12 to 17 in the Philippines “were victims of grave instances of online sexual exploitation and abuse”.
Recognizing that child safety requires a united front, the Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), in partnership with the International Justice Mission (IJM), held Multi-Disciplinary Team-Basic Internet Crimes Against Children (MDT-BICAC) on August 24 to 28, 2026, equipping local protection officers with tools to strengthen Davao’s campaign against Osaec and CSAEM.
“It takes a village to raise a child. And that village begins at home. The family remains the basic unit of society. It forms the foundational social structure where children first learn values, behavior, and social norms,” she added.
Following the approval of City Ordinance No. 0194-26, Series of 2026, which prohibits Osaec and CSAEM and institutionalizes programs for prevention and victim support, the city council is now moving to build on this foundation by extending these protections directly into households, affirming that stronger families mean safer children. CIO
