KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has called on “responsible digital parenting” to create a safer online environment for the younger generation.
DICT Regional Director Ibrahim Guiapar said the government is implementing programs to make cyberspace a safe place, especially for children, but the cooperation of parents plays a crucial role in its success.
Guiapar stressed the need for parents to be aware of their children’s online activities.
“With the advent of technology, it is important to monitor children’s online activities,” Guiapar said.
The official noted that sometimes the mobile phones or gadgets of some children are more advanced and expensive than what their parents are using.
“Lalo na sa mga kabataan, ‘yung bang basta gamit lang ng gamit, walang responsibility, walang accountability,” he pointed out.
[Especially among young people, those who just use things without taking responsibility or accountability.]
DICT, in partnership with the Philippine National Police’s Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU), has been conducting lectures on digital literacy, focusing not only on students but also on parents.
These include online and face-to-face trainings that equip parents with the skills to discipline their children in the digital world and guide them towards responsible online behavior.
“We teach them how to discipline [their children] and be responsible social media users. Kailangan may limit, may responsibility dapat na hindi lahat pwede i-post [There must be a limit, and there must be a responsibility that not everything can be posted],” Guiapar conveyed.
Meanwhile, Police Executive Master Sergeant Edwin Arroyo, chief of the investigation section of the PNP-RACU, highlighted the dangers of unrestricted internet access for children, as it may expose them to cyber offenses and cyber-related crimes.
If so, Arroyo warned parents that their children could be exposed to cyberbullying, scams, and even online predators.
He then cited incidents where they conducted operations in the region that led to the arrest of perpetrators of online sexual exploitation of children and minors.
“We’ve even seen kids as young as two using phones and watching videos on YouTube,” he lamented.
“Kaya much better na may awareness at hindi na natin hihintayin na may mabiktima,” Arroyo went on to tell parents.
[So it is much better to be aware and not wait for someone or our own child to become a victim.]
From January to March 2024, the DICT in the region already conducted at least eight cybersecurity courses, mostly in schools with at least 500 participants.
“It’s much better to be aware of the risks before something bad happens,” emphasized Arroyo, prodding parents and guardians to be proactive and vigilant about the activities of their children. (ORVR – PIA Region 12)
