COMMUNITY | PLDT, Smart reaffirm support for child online protection efforts
The telecommunications firms said they continue to coordinate with government agencies in the investigation and prosecution of OSAEC cases and work with the Council for the Welfare of Children in supporting the MAKABATA Helpline 1383 for reporting child rights violations.
The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunication Operators (PCTO) has reaffirmed its commitment to support the national government’s efforts to combat online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), with member companies PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications Inc. backing the industry’s pledge.
The commitment was announced following the National Summit on Child Online Protection and Responsible Digital Industry Engagement, which brought together government agencies, telecommunications companies, internet service providers, content platforms, youth representatives, and civil society organizations to strengthen cooperation in implementing Republic Act 11930, or the Anti-OSAEC and Anti-CSAEM Act.
During the summit, PCTO Chairman Enrico delos Reyes said the telecommunications industry recognizes its responsibility in addressing the misuse of internet services for child exploitation.
“As these things happen, we at PCTO are not bystanders. We carry all these with great sorrow and with great concern, and with an even greater resolve to act,” delos Reyes said.
Representing PLDT and Smart, Chief Sustainability Officer Melissa Vergel de Dios outlined the companies’ initiatives to combat online child exploitation through technology, policy, and community engagement.
From June 2021 to the end of March 2026, PLDT and Smart said they had blocked more than 2.1 million URLs linked to OSAEC. The companies also prevented more than 208,000 attempts to access child sexual abuse or exploitation materials (CSAEM) during the first quarter of 2026.
The telecommunications firms said they continue to coordinate with government agencies in the investigation and prosecution of OSAEC cases and work with the Council for the Welfare of Children in supporting the MAKABATA Helpline 1383 for reporting child rights violations.
Vergel de Dios said the companies are also expanding child protection efforts across their business units and engaging directly with young people to better understand online safety concerns.
“We aim to use our brands and our services to amplify our efforts and deliver our message on child protection even more strongly,” she said.
According to PLDT and Smart, consultations conducted with children in partnership with Terre des Hommes Netherlands and child rights organizations identified cybersecurity and data privacy as among the issues most important to young people.
During the summit, Smart Senior Manager for Regulatory Affairs Atty. Kenneth Reganon also reaffirmed the companies’ support for youth participation in developing online child protection measures.
“We commit to always recognize the agency of children and the youth in shaping and co-creating solutions that impact them. Children’s participation will continue to be at the heart of our efforts, and we look forward to working with our esteemed child rights partners to realize this,” Reganon said.
PLDT and Smart said they will continue working with the PCTO in congressional hearings, public consultations, and multi-sector discussions that support legislation and national strategies against online child exploitation, including Republic Act 11930 and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022.
