MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called for strengthened grassroots protection measures to shield minors from being recruited or exploited by armed and criminal groups, emphasizing that intervention must begin at the local and online levels.
During the launch and initial meeting of the National Project Steering Committee for Protecting Futures-Philippines, DILG Assistant Secretary for International Relations Lilian De Leon stressed that government agencies, local officials, and community institutions must coordinate closely to counter the growing threat of child exploitation, which increasingly spans both physical communities and digital platforms.
“The DILG is ready to assist in unifying LGUs and linking with concerned national government agencies to operationalize relevant policies, referral mechanisms, and laws that protect children within communities,” De Leon said.
De Leon noted that national policies alone are insufficient without active local structures capable of identifying risks early. She urged the reinforcement of Local and Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children (LCPCs and BCPCs), alongside greater engagement from the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), to translate national policies into direct local action.
The initiative is part of the broader Protecting Futures Project—a three-year program backed by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in collaboration with the Philippine and Brazilian governments.
Representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of National Defense, Council for the Welfare of Children, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also participated in the multi-agency launch.