The Cavite State University (CvSU) through the Gender and Development Resource Center (GADRC) conducted a webinar titled “Child Labor: Protect Children from Child Labor, Now More than Ever,” June 8, via video conferencing and Facebook Live.
This webinar aims to raise awareness about sexual abuse and exploitation, focusing on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Materials (CSAEM), Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC), and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC).
College of Engineering and Information Technology Dean Dr. Willie C. Buclatin delivered the opening message, expressing hope that the webinar would shed light on the current issues of child labor which affects children’s physical and mental development, depriving them of their youth.
RIACAT-VAWC IV-A Project Development Officer III and Secretariat Mr. Ray Andrew P. Villafuerte discussed CSEC which occurs when individuals under the age of 18 engage in or are forced into prostitution and pornography in exchange for money or material payment. Meanwhile, Mr. Villafuerte defines OSEC as child sexual exploitation that is facilitated or occurs via the internet and other related media. He also shared the four main types of OSAEC which include grooming, livestreaming, consuming child sexual abuse material, and coercing and blackmailing children for sexual purposes.
DOLE Cavite Community Facilitator Ms. Dianne G. Digma presented “Revisiting Child labour-related laws and Policies on the Protection of Children.” She mentioned that the Special Release on Working Children and the Situation of Child Labour (2019–2021) was published by the Philippine Statistics Authority on March 3, 2023.
Ms. Digma clarified the distinction between child labour which is hazardous work or exploitative, depriving rights to health and education, ongoing and for long periods of time, and prohibited; and child work, which is light work (when children learn to take responsibility), respects rights to health and education, and is occasionally permitted.
College of Criminal Justice Dean Dr. Famela Iza Cabe-Matic delivered the closing message in which she expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the GADRC headed by Dr. Susan G. Tan and to the speakers, hoping that everyone would learn from this webinar.
