VP Sara bats for learners' safe space vs. abuse, exploitation

• Published date: 24 November 2022
• Publication title: Philippines News agency

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte pushed for an intensified child protection program across the country as the Department of Education (DepEd) launched on Thursday its learner rights and protection office, website and telesafe contact helpline.

In a speech, Duterte said this is the agency's gift to learners to make sure they are safe and are provided with an accessible complaint platform.

'We are introducing to you the Learner Rights and Protection Office website and a national hotline that will allow us to receive child protection complaints from learners through landline, e-mail, and messages through our Facebook page. The hotline is called the Learners Telesafe Contact Center Helpline,' she said.

Duterte said child protection against abuse and exploitation has always been a close matter to her heart, especially as it was one of the disheartening challenges she faced as mayor of Davao City.

She, however, noted that with proper policy interventions, complaint procedures, promotion, and response, just like what they did in Davao City, children may enjoy safe spaces.

'Napakadali na mag-set ng mga ways to solve the problems and challenges kung bakit hindi tayo nakakatulong sa mga bata na nangangailangan ng tulong… So I shared with CPU, sabi ko, 'Kaya tayo nagugulat nalang sa balita kasi hindi natin alam. Kailangan natin sila na lumapit sa atin and magsabi kung ano ang problema (It's so easy to set ways to solve the problems and challenges, as to why we can't rescue the children in need… I said the reason we're surprised is because we're caught off guard. We need them to tell us the problem) so that we know how to help and for the child to understand that they are being abused, they are exploited and they are a victim of violence,' she said.

Tip of the iceberg

For the education sector alone, Duterte admitted reports of abuse against learners are continuously coming in.

'When I assumed my role as the DepEd...