MANILA, PHILIPPINES – TikTok marked Safer Internet Day with a series of strategic engagements across the Philippines. Bringing together civil society organizations, safety experts, content creators, and election watchdogs, the platform underscored its mission to maintain a safe, positive, and creatively vibrant space for its growing Filipino community.
TikTok convened a closed-door session on February 11, engaging 30 civil society organizations specializing in key social issues such as child safety, misinformation, women’s rights, human exploitation, mental health, and disaster relief. The session served as a crucial dialogue to deepen the platform’s understanding of local challenges and forge collaborative solutions.
The session included TikTok Public Policy Manager Peachy Paderna, TikTok Trust and Safety Outreach and Partnerships Manager Waskito Jati, Internews Project Manager Gian Libot, Legal Network of Truthful Elections (LENTE) Executive Director Atty. Ona Caritos, and TikTok Safety Advisory Council member and Creator Mona Magno-Veluz (@mightymagulang). The group participated in a series of panel discussions on topics such as safety, misinformation, election integrity, and responsible content creation.
Atty. Ona Caritos, Executive Director of LENTE, emphasized the importance of ensuring truthful elections for the Filipino people: “As misinformation continues to challenge elections, we are excited to build on our collaboration with TikTok, which began in 2022. We look forward to deepening our partnership for the 2025 elections and beyond, promoting digital literacy and ensuring a space for Filipinos to access credible, verified information.”
Waskito Jati, TikTok’s Trust and Safety Outreach and Partnerships Manager for APAC, added: “At TikTok, we encourage users to express themselves authentically and creatively in a safe and positive environment. We are committed to maintaining a space for respectful expression and ensuring everyone can share their voice without fear of harm. While TikTok is a global company, we take a localized approach to content moderation and regulatory compliance and value our continued engagement with local organizations.”
Participating organizations in the event included the Ateneo Human Rights Center, Center of Migrant Advocacy, Child Fund Philippines, Child Rights Coalition (CRC) Asia, Child Rights Network (CRN) Philippines, EPCAT Philippines, International Justice Mission (IJM), Internews, Plan International Pilipinas, Philippine Mental Health Association (PMHA), Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Save the Children Philippines, Stairway Foundation, Terre des Hommes Netherlands in Asia (TDH), and the UP Institute of Human Rights.
Recognizing the influential role of content creators in shaping online discourse, TikTok, in partnership with the Creator and Influencer Council of the Philippines (CICP), gathered 40 creators for an exclusive session. The agenda? Educating them on TikTok’s Community Guidelines, election policies, and the #ThinkTwice Digital Literacy Campaign.
TikTok Safety Advisory Council Member Mona Magno-Veluz and Public Policy Manager Peachy Paderna led discussions on responsible content creation, emphasizing the impact of creators in fostering a safer online space.
“TikTok provides us creators with a space where we can share our thoughts, showcase our creativity, and connect with our community. But while we have the freedom to express ourselves, we are also responsible for the content that we post and share. We can help ensure that TikTok remains a safe and positive platform for creative expression and authenticity by educating ourselves and our community on how to be digitally literate and responsible online users,” said Mona Magno-Veluz, TikTok Safety Advisory Council member and TikTok Creator.
“The CICP acknowledges the responsibility of creators and influencers in creating a safe and positive online space, especially as we approach the Philippine midterm elections. We appreciate TikTok’s efforts to educate us and our stakeholders on their Community Guidelines and policies, and look forward to working together to promote transparency and uphold high ethical standards”, said Jel Directo, President of the CICP.
TikTok further solidified its commitment to credible elections by hosting closed-door sessions with key election stakeholders. In collaboration with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), LENTE, and NAMFREL, discussions centered on safeguarding election integrity and reinforcing TikTok’s Government, Politician, and Political Party Accounts Policies.
Government agencies in attendance included the Bangsamoro Information Office, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and the Philippine Information Agency.
The civil society organizations represented included Active Vista/Dakila, the Center for Migrant Advocacy, iDEFEND, the Democratic Insights Group, the Philippine Alliance for Human Rights Advocates, and Samahan ng mga Nagkakaisang Pamilyang Pilipino (Council of United Filipino Families).
“NAMFREL National Chairperson Angel S. Averia, Jr. said, “We welcome TikTok’s initiative to provide a platform for reliable election information. This partnership is a valuable tool for promoting transparency and educating Filipinos on their electoral rights and responsibilities. By working together, we can combat misinformation and ensure a fair electoral process.”
