PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. blocked over 400,000 URLs that host child sexual abuse and exploitation materials (CSAEM) in August, as part of efforts to fight online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC).

“PLDT and Smart recognize children not only as key stakeholders but the very future of our nation. This drives our concerted effort to closely collaborate with like-minded organizations and employ advanced technology solutions to ensure the protection of children and prevent access to illicit child content online,” Jojo Gendrano, PLDT and Smart chief information security officer, said in a statement.

The PLDT Group said it has invested significantly in developing its pioneering child protection platform that enables it to block illicit child content at the more difficult content level.

Complementing this technology, the PLDT Group’s membership to the UK-based Internet Watch Foundation and Project Arachnid of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection has expanded its threat intelligence sources, enabling its Cyber Security Operations Group to identify and block more than 1.4 million links to CSAEM by the end of August.

In addition, PLDT Group said it also partnered with industry peers, government offices, law enforcement agencies and fellow child rights advocates from private and public organizations to develop impactful initiatives aimed at protecting children from abuse.

PLDT and Smart’s initiatives to develop technology that seeks to beat and stamp out OSAEC and advocate for child protection are grounded on their commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16, particularly in ending the abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

The PLDT Group said its efforts to bolster its cybersecurity infrastructure underscores its customer-centric ideology that aims to deliver meaningful customer connections and experiences.

As of June this year, the company serves approximately 96 percent of the country’s cities and municipalities providing mobile communications services, high-speed internet connectivity and access to digital services.