Education dep’t to rally parents, teachers against cyberporn

OFFICIALS of the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) will meet with Parents-Teachers Associations in the region to strengthen the campaign against cybersex.

Dep-Ed 7 Regional Director Ricaredo Borgonia said he met with schools division superintendents and decided to issue this week a memorandum requiring parents to attend a “sit down meeting” with teachers.

“We would discuss and discourage cybersex in the family,” Borgonia told reporters.

Parents need to be informed of the “immorality and loss of dignity” that involvement in cybersex entails.

In recent months, a series of raids were conducted by authorities on cybersex dens involving children and managed by parents.

“It has something to do with their values, since many cases has the encouragement of parents,” Borgonia said.

He said this is one of the strategies of DepEd to protect children who are encouraged by parents to get involved in cyberporn in exchange for cash.

The department will also orient parents on protecting their children from trafficking and cyberpornography.

Borgonia said most children nowadays are exposed to the Internet so they should be protected.

“The parents have direct influence over their children. They should know how to safe-guard them properly,” Borgonia said.

Borgonia said they could not totally monitor the activities of students after class, so it should be up to the parents to monitor their activities, as they know their children best.

Meanwhile, National Youth Commission chairman Leon Flores said that they would also educate the youth against cybersex.

“Many youths still find alien the terms cybersex and human-trafficking,” Flores said.

He said they had partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) to hold seminars and trainings in various regions across the country to educate the youth about sexual abuses and how they could protect themselves from it.

Flores said they are also eyeing similar activities in Cebu due to the prevalence of cyberpornography. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya with USJR-Masscom Intern Giovanni F. Garcia