MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to “strengthen digital literacy and resilience among the region’s youth” to proactively fight online scams and other emerging cyber threats.
According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Marcos, in his meeting with the ASEAN Youth on Monday, underscored the youth’s critical role in building a people-centered ASEAN community.
“The world we know is rapidly changing, driven by technology and other advancements in the digital frontier,” the President said during the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with ASEAN Youth, held as part of the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The President also warned the youth about the “darker side” that accompanies opportunities in the technological space, such as online scams, cyberbullying, misinformation, disinformation, and the potential for abuse and misuse of Artificial Intelligence.
“We must therefore equip our youth with digital resilience that will enable them to navigate online spaces with a critical lens, and to use technology to amplify their voices and contributions to ASEAN’s regional growth,” Marcos stressed.
He also challenged the youth to take an active role in collective efforts to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change, highlighting their contribution to building a more sustainable and resilient future.
The Philippines continues to support youth-led initiatives on climate change, while the President noted the success of the ASEAN Youth Climate Action and Disaster Resilience Conference held in Manila last May 1 to 2, the PCO stated.
“As leaders of ASEAN, we must come together and deliver the emphatic message that as we equip our youth and our peoples with tools for resilience, we must, at the same time, work together for the protection of our environment from further damage and from harm,” Marcos emphasized.
