The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday congratulated the local government of Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, for supporting the fight against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) through the pilot launch of Project SAFE.

DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said Project SAFE aims to strengthen prevention, protection, recovery, and safe reintegration mechanisms for child victim-survivors of OSAEC, while preventing revictimization.

“The DSWD is very happy to partner with Iligan City to pilot implement Project SAFE. This initiative will provide a holistic model of intervention to help victim-survivors and their families, as well as the prevention of OSAEC, and the production of child sexual abuse or exploitation materials (CSAEM),” Dumlao said.

Under the project, the DSWD will provide technical assistance and capacity-building activities to selected local government unit implementers to support the delivery of Trauma-Informed Care and other necessary interventions for OSAEC victim-survivors, their families, and parent-substitutes.

“The project also focuses on building digital safety awareness among children and caregivers, improving OSAEC reporting and case management systems, providing healing services for victim-survivors and their families, and ensuring safe family and community reintegration,” Dumlao said.

Project SAFE will primarily target child victim-survivors of OSAEC and CSAEM, including newly rescued and active cases, out-of-school children, and in-school learners from Grades 3 to 12. Secondary beneficiaries include parents, guardians, legal or kinship carers, foster carers, and members of the broader community.

Dumlao said the DSWD will also tap its attached agencies, including the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) and the National Authority for Child Care (NACC), to provide additional technical assistance.

“The CWC manages the MAKABATA Helpline 1343, which is a 24/7 one-stop system for addressing and monitoring all issues and concerns of children in need of special protection (CNSPs), including OSAEC victim-survivors. For the NACC, the Department will tap their assistance for the provision of alternative child care services such as foster care and kinship care,” Dumlao said.

Aside from Iligan City, the DSWD said Project SAFE will also be piloted in Angeles City, Pampanga, and Cebu City by the end of December.