TeleSafe

Feb 3, 2023

THE Department of Education’s (DepEd) Child Protection Unit (CPU) and Globe Telecom recently joined forces to counter the proliferation of abuses committed against children, especially within school premises. The education department led the creation of the DepEd Learners’ TeleSafe Contact Center, where students can report acts of exploitation, violence and neglect committed against them. “This endeavor will impact the lives of our learners and schools,” said Atty. Suzette Gannaban-Medina who is the officer in charge-director of DepEd CPU. “With this, we hope to forge a strong partnership with Globe, as we hope to share our goal of providing quality, enabling, and liberating basic education to Filipino learners by protecting them from all forms of violence, abuse, bullying, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development.” To support the program, Globe will extend use of its M360 service: a web-based, multichannel message blaster allowing large-scale launch of campaigns and advocacies. Through such, the CPU will be further equipped to manage child-safety inquiries nationwide, and also engage in education drives via mobile connectivity. By utilizing the service, the CPU will be reinforced to manage child-safety queries around the country, and engage in education drives via mobile connectivity. “We are honored to be invited by DepEd CPU as a partner in this timely and significant undertaking,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications officer. “As a long-time advocate of child protection, whether online or offline, Globe believes in the importance of strong public-private collaboration in keeping our youth safe.” In her message at the Culminating Activity of 30th National Children’s Month last November 24, 2022, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte likewise vowed to provide a safe environment for children in schools. The CPU and Child Rights in Education Desk were recently merged to create the Learner Rights and Protection Office, which will serve as the focal office in all matters on learners’ rights and protection within and outside school premises. Said office is tasked to process and address reports of abuse with utmost urgency. Crisanto pointed out that the principles of child rights are integrated into Globe’s business principles, ensuring that the company complies with global standards on child protection, and that its employees are well-informed about related laws and guidelines. Moreover, the Ayala-led company has been promoting online child safety through #MakeITSafePH since 2017. The campaign educates the public about good digital citizenship and responsible online behavior through its Digital Thumbprint Program. It includes ways to stop online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), and protecting children from other online risks. The telco firm is also part of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)-led SaferKidsPH, which raises awareness on pressing and emerging OSAEC cases. It also supports the ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.’s Bantay Bata #163 Helpline, free for all Globe and TM mobile-phone users to make it easier to report child-abuse incidents.