Iligan City launches ‘Project Safe’ to protect, heal young survivors of Online Abuse

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY  (December 18) – Once tagged as a hotspot for online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), Iligan City is stepping up efforts not only to stop the crime but also to help young survivors heal and safely rebuild their lives.

On Tuesday, the city government launched “Project Safe,” a system designed to strengthen the protection, recovery, and reintegration of children rescued from OSAEC. The initiative complements Iligan’s ongoing anti-OSAEC campaign, shifting the focus beyond arrests and prosecutions to long-term care for victims.

Evelyn Madrio, head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, said Iligan City is among the pilot local government units implementing Project Safe nationwide—an acknowledgment of both the city’s past challenges and its commitment to reform.

“We need to address the survivors’ issues and ensure they are fully healed before reintegration; otherwise, they risk being re-victimized,” Madrio said during the launch.

She explained that once essential training for case handlers, local officials, and frontline staff is completed, Project Safe will concentrate on the psychosocial healing and recovery of child survivors.

This includes coordinated case management, trauma-informed care, and close monitoring as children return to their families or communities.

Iligan City has significantly reduced OSAEC cases in recent years through stricter law enforcement, inter-agency coordination, and community vigilance. Local officials said Project Safe aims to sustain those gains by addressing the often-overlooked aftermath of abuse.

Under the program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development is working closely with Iligan City’s Multidisciplinary Team, which brings together social workers, law enforcers, health professionals, and other stakeholders to ensure a survivor-centered approach.

City officials stressed that protecting children requires more than shutting down illegal operations—it means making sure survivors are supported long after the cases fade from public attention.

“With Project Safe, we are making sure that rescued children are not just saved,” Madrio said, “but truly protected, healed, and given a real chance to move forward.”