Online bullying remains prevalent in the Philippines, other countries

Cyberviolence affects almost half of Filipino children aged 13-17

MANILA, 6 September 2019—One in three young people in 30 countries said they have been a victim of
online bullying, with one in five saying they skipped school due to cyberbullying and violence, according
to a new poll released today by UNICEF, the United Nations organization working for children’s rights.

In the Philippines, latest national data show that cyberviolence affects almost half of children aged 13-
171. The prevalence of cyberviolence for males (44 per cent) is almost the same for females (43 per
cent).

One-third of cyberviolence experienced by Filipino children are in the form of verbal abuse over the
internet or cellphone, while a fourth are through sexual messages. More females received messages of
sexual nature or content than males. However, twice as many males than females reported having their
nude body or sexual activities, whether real or falsified, shown on the internet or cellphone.

Violence against children, in all forms including online bullying or cyberbullying, has devastating effects
on the physical and emotional wellbeing of young people. This can create lasting emotional and
psychological scars, even physical harm. It is particularly challenging to address since children are
vulnerable and have easy access to the internet, making them easy targets of online violence.

In the UNICEF U-Report poll conducted in June 2019, almost three-quarters of young people from 30
countries said that social networks including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter are the most
common platforms for online bullying. Being connected online means that school no longer ends once a
student leaves class, and neither does bullying.

The U-Report further revealed that 32 per cent believe that the government is mainly responsible in
addressing online bullying, 31 per cent said that young people are responsible, while 29 per cent said
internet companies. These show that opinions are equally divided on who should be responsible for
ending online bullying – highlighting the need to involve children and young people in the shared
responsibility.

UNICEF is calling for urgent action to implement policies that will protect children and young people
from bullying – both online and offline. Addressing the problem requires action from all of us.

Establishing and equipping national helplines to support children and young people in reporting violence
is a concrete step. Training teachers and parents to respond to and prevent bullying will ensure the
safety of children and young people, particularly the most vulnerable ones.

Gathering better data about the online behavior of children and young people, and how criminals are
using the internet, will guide policies and action plans.

UNICEF is also urging social media and social networking service companies to improve ethical standards
and practices in collecting and managing information of children.
1. Pollution

Pollution, in context, is the introduction of contaminants into the environment causing adverse change.
It is present through noise, air and water. As we produce more noise, it can interfere with the behavior
of certain animals in the ecosystem. Also, on some studies, the effect of sound waves turns into heat
causing a slight change in the temperature of the environment. Air pollution is what we can often see in
urban places. Smoke belching vehicles and gases from factories are the culprits in contributing to air
pollution. On water pollution, incessant throwing of garbage and inappropriate industrial waste disposal
affects our bodies of water, which in turn cause trouble in marine life.

2. Global warming due to emission of greenhouse gases

In almost any activity, we emit greenhouse gas such as using our electricity, cooking and driving our cars.
As we breathe out, we also produce carbon dioxide. The more people in a certain area, the bigger
carbon dioxide are emitted into the environment. As these gases are produce, it generates heat causing
a change in the climate.

3. Overpopulation

Overpopulation seeds into a lot of problems. With the need for new homes, the development of new
buildings, houses and establishments are in order. After which the demand for electricity, food and
other greenhouse gases also increases. Scarcity of food can be experienced due to the limited ability of
the animals to populate fast. Thus, dishonest people nowadays resort to using chemicals and
medications to boost and fake the growth of these animals. Overpopulation also means having more
garbage to dispose.

4. Natural resources depletion

Mining and quarrying has become rampant over the years and are to be blamed for destroying the
beauty of our environment. Among the natural resources that we have, water, oil and forests are the
top three on the list. Fresh water, in reality, is only 2.5% of the world’s total water volume. If the
problems affecting our bodies of water continue, the demand for drinking water will increase causing
water shortage and worse, famine. Oil, on the other hand, is used every day for transportation of goods
and electricity. Lastly, according to statistics, deforestation contributes an estimate of 12% to 17% of
greenhouse gas emission per year. Trees emit oxygen and filter the air. But with lesser trees, flash floods
are likely to happen.

5. Waste disposal

Improper waste disposal creates a hazardous problem to everyone. It may infect people not only
physically but through the air and water. Garbage thrown in the rivers and canals may not only block our
waterways, but it invites rodents to infect the water and soon be transferred to humans. Clogged
waterways have a tendency to spill causing flash floods, which is what is happening here in our country.
Likewise, the lack of enough dumpsites and landfills is also a hindrance in helping to solve our garbage
management crisis.
SMOKING

According to the Department of Health (DOH), there are “evident data” pointing to the dangers of
tobacco consumption end exposure to tobacco smoke including death, disease, and disability.

Among the harmful effects of cigarette use cited by the DOH include:

Stroke

Mouth cancer

Throat cancer

Gangrene or death of body tissue

Emphysema

Impotence

Premature birth

A 2018 report by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) said there are at least 107,183
deaths every year in the Philippines caused by tobacco-related diseases.