The Iloilo Provincial Government, through the Office of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (OPSWDO), in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), conducted the “Safe Minds, Safe Online” Prime Learning Session: Child Online Protection Workshop on September 15, 2026.
DICT Undersecretary Leandro Aguirre graced the event.
The activity brought together peer coordinators, parents, teachers, and Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) members to promote safer and more responsible use of digital platforms among children and young people.
The workshop focused on child online protection, including digital safety, privacy, responsible use of technology, and ways to help young people stay safe while using social media and other online platforms.
Highlighted during the learning session was Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.’s flagship psychosocial support initiative, the Program for Resilience of Iloilo in Mind and Emotion (PRIME).
A primary focus of the program is preventing suicide, particularly among the youth, through early intervention and mental health awareness.
Governor Defensor said the provincial government aims to put safety measures in place to help protect children in their use of social media.
“We want to protect our children, our youth, from all that is negative on the internet and social media. We really have to do that—may obligasyon kita sina,” Gov. Defensor said.
He added, “This session is for them (participants) to help us with their inputs. At the end of the day, together with them, we will see what we have in crafting and developing a program or module that we can cascade to our LGUs and the DepEd, together with the DICT.”
Resource speakers included representatives from TikTok Philippines, Meta Philippines, Roblox, the National Privacy Commission, Child Rights Coalition Asia, and DICT, as well as television personality Kim Atienza.
The activity is part of the provincial government’s efforts to promote safer online spaces and protect children from possible risks in the digital world.
Showing their support to the activity are Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Rani Melvi Cuarte of the OPSWDO, Provincial Population Officer Atty. Ruel Von Superio, and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Maria Socorro Quiñon, and Head of Public Employment Service Office Dr. Cynthia Dario.
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