Pasig City leads rollout of ‘Gabay Tech’ for safer online spaces for women

This is a press release from Development Gateway: An IREX Venture and IREX.

MANILA, Philippines – The Pasig City Government, through its Gender and Development (GAD) Office, is the first local government unit to roll out Gabay Tech: Philippine Online Safety Support Portal.

Led and developed by Development Gateway: An IREX Venture and IREX, in collaboration with government agencies, civil society, and academia, the platform offers Filipinos, especially women and girls, a clearer path to navigate online harms, report incidents, and connect with the right support services.

Gabay Tech was formally handed over to Pasig City during a launch held in celebration of International Women’s Month on Tuesday, March 17. The initiative is part of the National Models for Women’s Safety Online (NMWSO).

Months of research, consultations, and multi-stakeholder discussions revealed a recurring challenge: many survivors of online harm are unsure where to turn, which laws apply, or how to document evidence. 

“The survivors we spoke with often know that something harmful has happened to them online, but they are unsure where to turn, which laws apply, or what evidence to prepare. This uncertainty contributes to underreporting and leaves many individuals feeling alone in navigating digital harms,” said Philippines Country Lead of Development Gateway Christine Sumog-oy.

Government agencies at the launch also noted similar challenges faced by survivors.

“As a regulator in the processing of personal information and personal data, victims and survivors often feel hesitation, first, because of shaming and gaslighting by perpetrators, criminals, and other bad actors,” Jonathan Rudolph Ragsag, National Privacy Commission (NPC) Information Technology Officer, said in a mix of English and Filipino.

He added that hesitation often comes from the lengthy legal process under the Philippine justice system, which can discourage complainants and dash their hopes of obtaining justice.

Gabay Tech was created to address these gaps by providing a clear starting point for survivors.

Through a few simple questions, it helps users understand their situation, guiding them on where to report, what evidence to prepare, how to request content removal, and which institutions can assist. It does not provide legal counsel, but offers a directory of resources, including guidance on Philippine laws against online harassment, mental health services, and support from law enforcement, the Department of Information and Communications Technology of the Philippines (DICT) hotline, and NPC.

Gabay Tech is accessible, user-friendly, and available in local dialects. Requiring no personal data, users simply use a unique code to revisit their search history. The platform is also open-source, ensuring sustainability and allowing other local government units (LGUs) and partners to adopt and improve it over time. In doing so, it empowers survivors and strengthens the collective response to online harms.

Gabay Tech is already accessible online and can be accessed through this link: https://devgateway.github.io/digital-safety-guide/

Pasig City, the first LGU to roll out the platform, will partner with schools, the Philippine National Police (PNP), civil society organizations, and barangays to promote its use.

“It’s very helpful for frontline offices, especially in LGUs, because they no longer have to struggle as much; victims already know where to go,” Pasig City Gender and Development Office head Jose Rey Espina said in a mix of English and Filipino.

He shared that their office sometimes receives reports from victims whose cases fall outside its jurisdiction, but with Gabay Tech, people will be better informed about where to seek help before approaching the LGU.

Building on Gabay Tech’s potential, Espina highlighted Pasig City’s commitment to promoting it through awareness campaigns across communities, informing residents, families, and local groups about how they can use the portal to seek support. They will also share feedback after implementation to help improve the platform and make it easier for other LGUs to use it effectively.

Other government agencies also recognized the platform’s usefulness in guiding survivors and supporting frontline services.

“[Gabay Tech] also aligns perfectly with DICT’s vision that connectivity must move beyond simple access and focus on the quality of life that digital access enables. For women and children, this means being able to connect safely, confidently, and meaningfully,” said DICT Undersecretary for Policy and Legal Sarah Maria Sison.

Similarly, referral service providers emphasized the platform’s role in improving support for survivors.

“We don’t really know the full referral pathways yet. We only know the basics. This portal can help educate referral services like us, because we don’t want it to be that when someone calls, texts, walks in, or emails us, all we can give them is a service provider’s contact number. What we want is for survivors to feel that when they reach out to us, we already have some general information we can provide,” Eufrosina Dumlao of the Philippine Commission on Women-Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children (PCW-IACVAWC) Secretariat said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Meanwhile, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) reaffirmed its role in coordinating with law enforcement agencies and providing reporting channels for cybercrime cases. 

“The [CICC] shall definitely do its very best to coordinate with the proper law enforcement agencies in order to put a stop to these nefarious activities,” said CICC alternate lead of Gender Technical Working Group Amado Teodolo Bautista II.

He also reminded the public to report online harms through the agency’s 24/7 hotline, 1326.

The launch was attended by representatives from government, civil society, and academe, including the Pasig City GAD Office, PCW – IAC-VAWC, the Department of Justice – Office of Cybercrime,  PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, PNP Women and Children Protection Center, DICT, DICT-CICC, Commission on Human Rights, CyberGuardians PH, Foundation for Media Alternatives, Asia Pacific College, among others.

It concluded with the signing of the “Shared Commitments for Strengthening Online Safety for Women and Girls,” pledging collaboration to promote safer digital spaces nationwide. – Rappler.com