MALAYBALAY CITY(November 21) — Bukidnon marked National Children’s Month not just with celebration but with a strong call to action, renewing its push to shield children from sexual abuse — especially the growing threats of online exploitation.
In Malaybalay City on Thursday, parents, youth advocates, and community leaders launched a citywide campaign against Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Material (CSAEM) and Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC). The activities aimed to mobilize families and barangays as the first line of defense against predators operating both at home and on digital platforms.
Representing Mayor Jay Warren Pabillaran, executive assistant Erik Dave Beltran said the local government is strengthening its enforcement of Republic Act 11930, the Anti-OSAEC and CSAEM Act, which imposes tougher penalties and expands mechanisms to identify and stop online abuse.
The push comes as the provincial government gathered young delegates and stakeholders for a Children’s Congress a day earlier. Board Member Minerva Casinabe told participants that the province is committed to ensuring that every child grows in a safe, enabling environment.
“We want you to study without fear, play without danger, and speak without hesitation,” she said.
RA 11930 broadens the definition of a child to include persons with disabilities above 18, and criminalizes the production, sharing, or possession of CSAEM. The law also requires closer cooperation with private-sector partners, including internet service providers, to detect and prevent online crimes.
Bukidnon officials said the Children’s Month events reinforce one message: safeguarding children is a shared responsibility — from homes and schools to governments and tech providers — and the fight against OSAEC and abuse must be constant, coordinated, and community-powered.
