Joining PLDT and Smart in the “Safe Online Space Forum: Building Safer Online Spaces for Filipino Children and Families” to discuss the critical roles they play in protecting children in today’s connected world are panelists from the Senate, Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine National Police – Women and Children Protection, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, Converge ICT Solutions, TikTok, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), media and non-government organizations, alongside medical professionals, teachers, gamers and parents.
Menardo “Butch” Jimenez, Jr. – PLDT Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer
Recent incidents of school-related violence involving young Filipinos, alongside their increasing exposure to harmful and graphic content online, have underscored a difficult reality: the risks that children face today no longer begin and end in physical spaces, and have now extended into digital environments where threats can easily go viral and accelerate before, during, and after real-world events.
As families, schools and communities grapple with these issues, PLDT and Smart are gathering representatives from key sectors—from government agencies and technology platforms to educators, parents, and child protection advocates—to address the growing challenge of keeping Filipino children safe online and helping shape a safer digital environment for them.
Joining PLDT and Smart in the “Safe Online Space Forum: Building Safer Online Spaces for Filipino Children and Families” to discuss the critical roles they play in protecting children in today’s connected world are panelists from the Senate, Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine National Police – Women and Children Protection, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, Converge ICT Solutions, TikTok, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), media and non-government organizations, alongside medical professionals, teachers, gamers and parents.
The forum reflects the PLDT Group’s belief that safeguarding young internet users requires a coordinated ecosystem response that involves government, telcos, educators, parents, mental health experts, youth representatives, and civil society, and must include supporting access to information, responsible expression, and the use of digital tools and platforms that help citizens participate in society and engage with their communities, as well as learn and pursue economic opportunities.
“While we have done what a network like us can do on our own, we also acknowledge that no single player can solve this alone. Our role as PLDT is to use our network and our reach to help reduce these digital risks, and to gather different perspectives to come up with clear priorities and practical recommendations as we move forward,” said PLDT Chief Operating Officer Menardo G. Jimenez, who welcomed the participants to the event.
Three themes form the core of the discussions:
- Defining the Safeguards (moderator: Roby Alampay, PLDT and Smart Public Engagement Group (PEG) Head) on policy, regulation, and network responsibility, with panelists from the telco industry, Senate, DepEd, PNP and CICC;
- Addressing Harmful Content (moderator: Gian Lao, PLDT and Smart PEG Deputy Head) on how platforms and digital communities can identify harmful content, prevent amplification, and improve cross-platform response mechanisms, with representatives from TikTok and the gaming community; and
- Protecting and Empowering Children (moderator: PLDT Chief Legal Counsel Atty. Joan De Venecia-Fabul) on how families, schools, and communities can strengthen children’s digital resilience and provide support when online harm occurs, with representatives from the DSWD, child psychologists, school administrators and parent groups.
The Safe Online Space Forum is part of the PLDT Group’s broader efforts to promote the value of multi-stakeholder partnerships in creating safer digital spaces for children.
Recently, PLDT also joined representatives from the Council for the Welfare of Children, CICC, PNP, educators, content creators and medical experts, in a forum to strengthen efforts to protect children against online violence and exploitation.
It was spearheaded by PLDT-led PROTECTA Pilipinas, a multi-stakeholder alliance that brings together government, industry, and communities to strengthen cyber resilience, protect critical infrastructure, and promote a safer digital environment for Filipinos.
These initiatives also contribute 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.
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