This is Part 2 of a two-part feature. Read Part 1 here.

Ako Para Sa Bata, the biggest gathering of individuals and organizations working to protect Filipino children, hosted almost 1,000 educators, medical practitioners, social workers, lawyers, and law enforcers at its annual conference on December 1 and 2, 2015.

Organized by Child Protection Network (CPN), together with TAO Corporation, Office of Cybercrime of the Department of Justice, and UNICEF Philippines, this year’s APSB revolved around Cyber Safety of Children: Internet and Mobile Protection for Minors, and how the changing times and fast-paced technology pose challenges that are more complicated than ever.

Making bigger strides in cyberprotection of children

The Philippines is making big steps in cyberprotection of children. Dorothy Rozga of ECPAT International says Ako Para Sa Bata is the most comprehensive conference on the cyberprotection of children she’s seen yet.

Rozga also mentioned that the country is active in global talks of cybersecurity and effectively following through. In September 2015, President Benigno Aquino III signed Executive Order No. 189 that allows for the creation of the National Cybersecurity Inter-Agency Committee (NCIAC). The Philippines is also a delegate at the WeProtect Summit 2015 held in Abu Dhabi, UAE where countries commit to a model national response to protect children from online sexual exploitation.

It is also in this conference that national researches on violence against children and the emerging global problem of online child sexual abuse will be presented for the first time. “This is not just a conference but a platform that creates flows of knowledge, developing new insights leading to innovations that can change the core of how we do things,” said Dr. Madrid. “We are on the cusp of a new dawn in child protection in the Philippines and we are all part of it.”

Summary of Conference Flow

Follow this link for the complete conference program.

DAY 1: PLENARY SESSION 

• Social Cyberspace: A Revolutionary, Perplexing, Dangerous New World by Horacio Severino
• Online Child Abuse and Exploitation: Global Threats, Challenges, Data and Initiatives by Dorothy Rozga
• Domestic Data on Online Child Abuse by Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras

LUNCH SYMPOSIUM

Social Media: Helpful or Harmful? by Regina Layug-Rosero, Mulat Pinoy-KNN

DAY 1: SIMULTANEOUS SESSIONS

Simultaneous Symposium 1: Online Child Abuse (Part I): Definitions, Laws and Reporting, Initial Investigation

• Case Study: What Happened, Who Were Involved, How It Was Discovered? by Atty. Lawrence Aritao
• Definition of online child abuse; Overview of existing laws and policies that safeguard children against this type of exploitation by ACP Robinson Landicho
• Agencies that should be involved and the need for strong collaboration among agencies by Dir. Monica Pagunsan
• Overview of the major impact of online sexual exploitation of children and need for “after care” by Dr. Jose Andres Sotto

Moderator: SAPP Lolita Lomanta
Reactors: Judge Joselito Vibandor, Judge Nathaniel Andal

Simultaneous Symposium 2: Cyberbullying

• Definition, Incidence, People-at-Risk by Dr. Emmanuel Hernani
• Impact of Cyberbullying, Management of Victims and Bullies by Priscilla Fernando
• Responding to Cyberbullying: Cyberwellness as General Framework to Bullying Prevention by Sonnie Santos
• Responding to / Reporting cases of cyberbullying by Ysrael Dilo of Stairway Foundation
• Prevention (Framework for Schools) and example of schools adapting this framework by Leah Patricia Galgo

Moderator: SAPP Lolita Lomanta
Reactors: Judge Joselito Vibandor, Judge Nathaniel Andal

Simultaneous Symposium 3: Unwanted Exposure and Online Solicitation

• Presentation of 3 local cases on unwanted exposure to pornography; grooming/solicitation; sextortion by Paul Hopkins
• International demographics, profile, predictors, vulnerabilities, trends on child online sexual exposure: Detection and monitoring of online exposures by Stephanie McCourt
• Local demographics, statistics, trends on child online sexual exposure: Detections and monitoring of online exposures by PSUPT Ma. Ivy Castillo
• Measures for internet safety for children, parents, caregivers by Stephanie McCourt

Moderator: Dr. Ma. Victoria Ribaya
Reactors: Judge Cesar Pabel Sulit; Judge Ester Veloso

Simultaneous Symposium 4: UNICEF Researches on Online Child Protection

• Relevant Conventions and Jurisprudence and their impact on relevant domestic law by Prof. Myrna Feliciano / Atty. Flordeliza Vargas
• Philippine-specific foreign journals and publication: magnitude, forms and drivers of child online exploitation and enabling environments for child online safety by Dr. Sandra Hernandez
• Methods for capacity gap analysis of stakeholders in protecting children from abuse and exploitation online by Dr. Mary Ann Ladia
• Findings and Emerging Issues, Obstacles and Challenges by Atty. Katrina Legarda

Moderator: Atty. Jacqueline Guzman-Torio
Reactors: CA Justice Geraldine Fiel-Macaraig; Senior State Prosecutor Lilian Doris Alejo

DAY 2: PLENARY SESSION

• The Developing Adolescent in the Digital Generation by Dr. Bernadette Madrid
• Challenges of Cyberculture on Education and on the Filipino Family by Fr. Fidel Orendain, SDB
• Violence against Children in the Philippines: The Facts by Lotta Sylwander
• Efforts to Fight Online Child Abuse
  • Speakers: Leah Patricia Galgo, Dr. Alwin de Leon, Dolores Alforte, Ransom Avilla
  • Moderator: Dr. Emma Llanto

LUNCH SYMPOSIUM

Taking a Stand against Online Child Abuse (Manifesto to be signed by DepEd, ECPAT, IJM, TDH, PPS, UNICEF, and Cebuano Youth)

DAY 2: SIMULTANEOUS SESSIONS

Simultaneous Symposium 5: Bata, bata, kamusta ka na? (Research and Updates on Child Abuse and Neglect in the Philippines)

• Evaluation of the WCPUs by Dr. Nemuel Fajutagana
• Results of the National Baseline Survey on Violence against Children-Qualitative Part by Prof. Laurie Ramiro
• Systematic Review of Literature of Child Abuse & Neglect in the Philippines by Dr. Noel Juban
• Results of the National Baseline Survey on Violence against Children-Quantitative and Comparison Part by ED Patricia Luna

Moderator: Dr. Bernadette Madrid
Reactor: Judge Emily San Gaspar-Gito

Simultaneous Symposium 6: ISPs and Financial Institutions: Their Role in the Cyberprotection of Children

• Duties and responsibilities of financial service and internet service providers under the law, in relation to the protection of children from online abuse by Atty. Allan Julius Azcueta, State Counsel Herminia Angeles
• Efforts of financial institutions in assisting law enforcement agencies in combating online child abuse by Leodivico Bungubung, Jr., Dr. Stephen Cutler
• Efforts in preventing and reducing the availability of online child abuse materials by Atty. Raul Cortez

Moderator: Salve Duplito
Reactor: Judge Angeline Mary Quimpo-Sale

Simultaneous Symposium 7: Online Child Abuse (Part II-A): Effective Aftercare of Survivors of Abuse

• Recap of SS1 and the Cebu experience in providing aftercare to OSEC victims by Dr. Clara Nemia Antipala
• Applying lessons learned from combating traditional trafficking and abuse by Ann Steffen-Knapp
• Emotional and psychosocial impact of online child abuse by Anamabel Garcia
• Importance of trauma-informed strategies, trauma-informed care in all stages, trauma-informed psychotherapy by Dr. José Andrés Sotto

Moderator: Dolores Rubia
Reactor: Judge Maria Celestina Mangrobang

Simultaneous Symposium 8: Online Child Abuse (Part II-B): Effective Investigation, Prosecution and International Collaboration

• Recap of SS1 and reframing of the IJM case from the perspective of investigation by Atty. Lawrence Aritao
• Child Sensitive Interview: An Overview by Dr. Naomi Navarro-Poca
• Basic Preservation and Handling of Digital and Electronic Evidence by PSInsp Michael Virtudazo
• Cybercrime and related laws and the rules on evidence by ACP Robinson Landicho
• International Cooperation (Budapest Convention) by Ransom Avilla

Moderator: Judge Amy Avellano
Reactor: Judge Jose Lorenzo Dela Rosa

Simultaneous Symposium 9: Internet Addiction, Sexting, Sex Videos and Other Risky Online Behaviors

• Internet Gaming Disorder: Signs and Symptoms by Dr. Narcisa Cristina Cinco
• Approach to the management of internet gaming disorder by Dr. Norieta Balderrama
• Selfies, Sexting and Sex Videos: How widely practiced are these by teens? (data from the YAFS4) What are the possible impact and consequences of these practices? by Ysrael Diloy
• Intervention/Prevention for internet gaming and self-generated Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) materials by Ysrael Diloy

Moderator: Dr. Joseph Mauro Sayo
Reactor: Judge Lorna Chua-Cheng

Simultaneous Symposium 10: Good Parenting in the Cyberage

• Good Parenting for Preventing Violence against children, including Online exploitation and abuse by Sarah Norton-Staal
• Impact of Cyberage on Child Development by Dr. Stella Manalo
• Implication on Parenting Children and Adolescents by Dr. Stella Manalo
• Parenting Children and Adolescents in the Cyberage by Sonnie Santos

Moderator: Jesus Far

This is Part 2 of a two-part feature. Read Part 1 here.

Learn more about APSB2015 on its website and Facebook page. For details on the topics discussed in the conference, check out this program.  

Check out photos from the event on Facebook and live social media coverage on Twitter!