Manila, July 9 -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is strengthening the implementation of Project SAFE against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) as it expands the program to cover more communities this year.

Findings from a recent study of the International Justice Mission (IJM) showed that 41 percent of victim-survivors of OSAEC were abused by their own parents and 42 percent by their siblings and other relatives, indicating the urgency of strengthening child protection mechanisms.

The IJM has likewise identified poverty, widespread internet access, and the proliferation of Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) as among the factors contributing to the Philippines' vulnerabil...