KCFI, CWC Advocate for Child Safety in the Digital Age at "Connected with Care" ECD Online Conference
By Rebelyn Beyong
In celebration of National Children’s Month (NCM), the Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI), in partnership with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), held the Early Childhood Development (ECD) online conference entitled "Connected with Care: Guiding Young Children in Safe and Developmentally Appropriate Media Use" on November 22 via Facebook Live.
Aligned with this year’s NCM theme, “OSAEC–CSAEM Wakasan: Kaligtasan at Karapatan ng Bata, Ipaglaban!”, the conference focused on protecting children from Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) while maximizing the benefits of technology not only for early learning, but also for enhancing parent–child communication, supporting children’s socio-emotional and cognitive development, and promoting safer digital engagement at home and in the community. 2,300 participants, composed of Child Development Workers and teachers (CDW/Ts), parents, and caregivers of children joined the livestream.
Media and the developing brain
The conference featured the first speaker, distinguished pediatrician and President of Kalusugan ng Mag-Ina, Inc. Dr. Mianne Silvestre, who discussed the critical impact of media on the first 1,000 days of a child's life. She stressed the biological necessity of human interaction over screen time for infants. “Dapat zero screen time ang mga sanggol from 0 to 12 months,” Dr. Silvestre advised, referencing guidelines from pediatric associations. “Sa preschoolers... less than 1 hour per day, again of high quality.”
She urged the audience to adopt a "whole of society approach" to child development, noting that nutrition and stimulation must go hand-in-hand. To illustrate content that supports this holistic growth, the program I Love You 1000 was featured during her talk. The show serves as a guide for parents on the first 1,000 days.
Rina Lopez, President and Executive Director of KCFI, opened the conference by highlighting the dual nature of technology—its potential for learning and its risks. She emphasized that true digital care goes beyond handing a child a device; it requires active parental involvement. “Ang Connected with Care ay hindi lang basta pagbibigay ng gadget sa bata. Ibig sabihin nito, kasama tayong nanonood, nakikinig at nagpapaliwanag,” Lopez said in her welcome remarks. “Naglalagay tayo ng malinaw ngunit may pagmamahal na hangganan. At inuuna natin ang yakap, ang pisikal at emosyonal na pag-aaruga, kaysa sa screen.”
“Kailangan talaga ng whole of society approach... we have to all pitch in, yung ating sariling ambag pag pinagsama-sama makakatulong tayo,” she added.
Rights and safety in the digital world
Second speaker, Ms. Normina "Jhie" Mojica, Planning Officer IV at the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), tackled the legal and ethical aspects of children's online presence. She discussed RA 11930 (known as the OSAEC and CSAEM Act) and the importance of combating OSAEC, while also warning parents about the dangers of "sharenting" (oversharing children's photos/videos online) and the importance of building trust so children feel safe reporting abuse.
“Minsan nakakatakot yung word na 'rights' sa iba. Pero sinas abi nga natin sa bawat karapatan may responsibility,” Mojica explained. She emphasized that parents must be the first line of defense. “Dapat ma-encourage natin sila, tayo yung unang tinatakbuhan... grounded dapat yung environment niyo, yung pag-uusap niyo ng mga bata in trust. Avoid scolding children when they disclose mistakes. Instead, dapat nag-ga-guide sila.”
Complementing the discussion on child welfare and protection, Doc Ricky Pedia was highlighted as a key resource. The program helps families understand health, safety, and child protection in a format that is engaging and easy to understand for both parents and children
Family as the first digital guide
Completing the lineup of experts was Ms. Jennel Reyes, Executive Director of Masayang Pamilya Organization, Inc. (MAPA-ORG). An advocate for positive and playful parenting, Reyes introduced evidence-based strategies from their "MAPA para sa Batang Pilipino Program," which integrates digital safety and OSAEC prevention into parenting modules.
Reyes acknowledged that while parents are comfortable giving household commands, many feel lost when establishing digital boundaries. “Pagdating sa paggawa ng patakaran o mga routines sa paggamit ng internet, doon sila medyo [nahihirapan]... hindi po namin alam ito paano ba siya ginagawa,” she noted. To address this, she outlined four practical pillars for parents: Protektahan (Protect), Gabayan (Guide), Samahan (Accompany), and Pag-usapan (Discuss).
She encouraged parents to utilize technical tools like "Safe Search," Google Family Link, and YouTube Kids, and to physically cover webcams when not in use. However, she emphasized that technical tools must be paired with open communication using language children understand. She shared an example (a comic strip) of a father explaining privacy settings to his daughter as an "invisible force field" and framing "no-screen zones" (like mealtime and bedtime) as "recharging time" for their superpowers. “Importante din po na kapag may experience na hindi maganda o medyo nakakatakot yung bata, may nandun yung magulang para sabihin natin na, 'Nandito ako, kakampi mo,'” Reyes stressed, warning against victim-blaming. “We support them. We ask them about the context... At tandaan po, kayo ang kakampi ng inyong anak.”
A call for collaboration
The session concluded with a panel discussion where the speakers addressed questions from the audience, reinforcing the need for collaboration between families, schools, and the government to create a safe digital environment.
Through "Connected with Care," KCFI and CWC continue to champion a future where Filipino children are not only tech-savvy but are also safe, nurtured, and protected in every space they inhabit—both online and offline.