SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) – Local government units in the Ilocos region are getting stronger support to improve child protection, especially against online abuse and teenage pregnancy.
The Regional Council for the Welfare of Children (RCWC) held a workshop from March 31 to April 4 at Chalet Baguio Hotel to strengthen local mechanisms and improve collaboration among agencies and communities in protecting children’s rights.
The training enhances LGUs’ capacity to respond to child protection issues, align with national child welfare goals, and promote teamwork between government and civil society.
Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) Executive Director Undersecretary Angelo M. Tapales highlighted the need for continued capacity-building to keep up with digital-age threats.
“We must work together sustainably to address various challenges affecting children, particularly online sexual abuse, exploitation, and teenage pregnancies. Our collective efforts are essential to nurture our children’s development and ensure their rights and welfare,” Tapales emphasized.
Workshop participants discussed strategies for inter-agency coordination and community involvement to boost local responses.
RCWC-1 coordinator Mark Alison N. Follosco urged participants to apply what they learned.
“I hope and pray that what we discussed here will be genuinely implemented and not just remain as exercises or document comments during the workshop,” Follosco stated.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrative officer Johnson N. Laureta also praised the collaboration.
“Our partnership with RCWC is beneficial because of the gender development fund I manage in the office. It’s really good for children,” Laureta said.
A 2024 report by the CWC shows that the government, through the Department of Justice-Office of Cybercrime, received around 279,000 reports on possible cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) in 2020.
The figure marks a 264 percent increase from the 76,000 cybertips received by the agency in 2019.
Stakeholders meanwhile committed to ongoing coordination to strengthen child protection systems and uphold the country’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). (CCMT, AIHR /PIA Region 1)
