JuanHand spearheads multisectoral forum to address school-based violence

MANILA, Philippines — The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), together with online lending platform JuanHand, held a forum addressing school-based violence and manifestations of nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) in the Philippines.

Entitled “Addressing School-Based Violence: A Multisectoral Forum on Preventing NVE” held last Nov. 6 in Pasig City, the program also discussed the measures taken to counter them.

The program drew key government officials, including DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

“The threat of the internet and all its blessings and all its virtues and all its expansiveness in this world threatens us too as a family. And maybe there is one thing that can stop it. It is us,” Remulla said.

Meanwhile, Angara said DepEd is strengthening its safety and security protocols. Angara said he and Remulla signed a memorandum of agreement that allows barangay officials to participate in the ingress and egress of students to strengthen campus security.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro also graced the event.

In addition to government officials, representatives from several educational institutions, law enforcement units and civil society organizations attended the forum.

Providing important context regarding NVE was dark web and intelligence strategist Brian Borysewich.

He explained the workings behind NVE in the Philippines, particularly how networks of predators befriend children into performing dangerous acts. He highlighted that beyond ideology, these groomers target vulnerable children or minors, such as those with family or school problems.

Borysewich said these contexts imply that beyond the game titles, there’s a need to regulate chat boxes, the livestream and the feed.

He said children must be taught the value of consequences, and must learn that “harm has a cost before groomers and networks teach them that it has a reward.”