MANILA — The Philippines has joined more than 100 countries which observe ‘Safer Internet Day’ to promote better and safer internet use for everyone particularly children.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Monday Proclamation No. 417 declaring the second Tuesday of February every year as ‘Safer Internet Day for Children Philippines.’
The approval of the proclamation is provided in the 1987 Constitution which says the government shall “promote and protect” the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being of the youth.
Under Republic Act No. 9775, otherwise known as the “Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009”, the government is tasked to guarantee the protection of every child from all forms of neglect, cruelty and other conditions prejudicial to his/her development.
The Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography (IACACAP) had favorably endorsed the approval and issuance of a proclamation declaring second Tuesday of every year as Safer Internet Day for Children Philippines.
“All other agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, including government-owned and controlled corporations, are hereby directed, and all local government units, as well as the private sector, are hereby encourage, to cooperation with IACACP in advocating and implementing the programs and activities pursuant to this Proclamation,” stated in the Proclamation 417.
The IACAP, which was created under RA 9775, shall coordinate with the National Youth Commission, Presidential Communications Operation Office, National Privacy Commission, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and National Anti-Poverty Commission in promoting the observance of the Safer Internet Day for Children Philippines.
The ‘Safer Internet Day’ was first introduced in various countries in Europe in 2004 and is currently being observed by more than 100 countries to raise awareness on online issues faced by children.
According to US-based social media management platform Hootsuite, the Philippines now has 67 million internet users reportedly with all of them active on social media. (Jelly Musico/PNA)
