TikTok has formalized a partnership with Plan International Pilipinas to expand its #ThinkTwice Troop program, bringing teen advocates into the conversation on digital safety and online literacy for Filipino youth.

Four young women have been named as the first teen members of TikTok's #ThinkTwice Troop advocacy program following a new partnership between the platform and Plan International Pilipinas, a non-government organization focused on girls' and children's rights. The announcement was made during an event held in observance of National Women's Month.

The new Troop members: Rinoa, Shantel, Marianne, and Kathleen, are Youth Advocates drawn from various Plan International Pilipinas projects. Their inclusion is designed to inject direct youth perspectives into TikTok's ongoing efforts around digital literacy, teen online safety, and responsible digital engagement, with a particular focus on young Filipino girls.

"Safety has always been at the core of everything we do at TikTok," said Yves Gonzalez, head of public policy, TikTok Philippines. "Expanding the #ThinkTwice Troop through our partnership with Plan International Pilipinas allows us to directly engage with more young people, understand their aspirations and challenges, and empower them to navigate digital spaces safely with confidence and creativity."

At a Youth Panel held during the event, the advocates spoke about their experiences navigating the internet as young women. The teens said they feel more comfortable creating content and participating in online communities when they are educated on safety tools and privacy features available to them.

They also described platforms like TikTok as spaces where self-expression, social connection, and discovery of new interests are possible, reflecting how deeply integrated digital platforms have become in the daily lives of Filipino teenagers.

The advocates called for greater involvement of young people in shaping the policies and features that govern online spaces, arguing that teens should be treated not merely as beneficiaries of digital safety programs, but as active partners in building safer and more inclusive digital environments.

A separate panel brought together Pebbles Sanchez-Ogang, executive director of Plan International Pilipinas; Irish Almeida, chief privacy officer of Globe Telecom; and educator and TikTok creator Lyqa Maravilla (@lyqamaravilla). The discussion centered on the importance of women's representation across tech leadership, policy development, and digital content creation and why building online spaces where women and girls can thrive requires their voices at decision-making levels.

"We believe that young people, especially girls, face distinct vulnerabilities in the digital world, and must be at the heart of conversations that determine how online spaces are designed and governed," said Sanchez-Ogang. "This collaboration not only amplifies their voices but also equips them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate the online world safely and responsibly, empowering them to become proactive and informed digital citizens."

The TikTok and Plan International Pilipinas partnership fits into a wider strategy to strengthen teen online protection in the Philippines through multi-stakeholder collaboration. Beyond the #ThinkTwice Troop, the initiative is intended to foster dialogue between platforms, government agencies, educators, and communities to build more robust safety systems for young people online.

TikTok says the program also supports the continuous development of safety tools designed to ensure age-appropriate experiences on the platform, reinforcing its position as a proactive actor in the conversation around child and teen online safety in the Philippines.