Is this the way to heal the nation?

by Leandro DD Coronel
June 26, 2016 (updated)
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President-elect Rodrigo Duterte won by six million votes. And he holds on to that margin as
his license to do as he wants for the next six years. He didnt lose any time giving his Cabinet
members their marching orders.
Dutertes chief of police has been in media eerily aping his boss, even sounding like him.
They both want to do the same thing, kill as many criminals as possible within six months.
That was Dutertes promise during the campaign and nothing will stop them from doing it.
Already, petty troublemakers in neighborhoods are shaking in fear. But thats the thing: So far
all theyve rounded up are petty neighborhood nuisances and juvenile vagrants. Suspected
small-time drug pushers have been killed without trial. Where are the big drug lords?
Its clear that an iron-fisted administration will be in place come June 30. Duterte promised a
hand of steel to eliminate criminality in six months. Fine, thats whats needed to rid society
of criminals and the plague of illegal drugs.
But is shooting-first and dont-worry-about-due-process the right way? Arent excellent intel
operations, efficient rounding up of drug dealers and financiers, and speedy court decisions
the right way? Why resort to legal shortcuts and risk killing bystanders in the process of
gunning down suspected criminals?
When you encourage civilians to shoot down suspected criminals, arent you signaling that
your police force isnt up to the job of apprehending and jailing criminals?
Dutertes approach indicates that collateral damage innocent bystanders getting killed in the
crossfire is acceptable just so he can fulfill his campaign pledge of eliminating crime in six
months.
Mr. Duterte has said he wanted to heal the nation. Is disrespect for due process and peoples
basic rights the way to heal?
Mr.Duterte has alienated certain segments of society, including the Catholic Church, human
rights activists, and the media. Is that the way to heal?
Mr. Duterte has shown disdain toward Vice President-elect Leni Robredo by simply ignoring
her, not even giving her a chance to pay a call on him, and now shunting her aside in the
traditional swearing-in ceremonies. Is this the way to heal?
Mr. Duterte has warned Congress people to not get in my way, ignoring the independence
of a co-equal branch of government. Is this the way to heal?
Mr. Duterte has shown disrespect toward women, not even showing regret when its obvious
he has been offensive toward them. Is this the way to heal?
A nations president must be a healer, a unifying figure, a compassionate leader,
magnanimous, not vengeful, a consensus-builder, a good listener, and someone who is loved,
not feared.
Maybe Mr. Duterte prefers to be feared rather than loved or respected. Is that the kind of
president we need and want? Is scaring people the right way to govern? Is it the right way to
heal a divided nation?

EDITORIAL - A warning on climate

change
(The Philippine Star) | Updated March 16, 2016 - 12:00am

As icecaps melt and sea levels rise, at least 13.6 million Filipinos in coastal
communities may be forced to relocate to higher ground. This is the assessment of Al
Gore, who has become a full-fledged environmental activist since ending his term as
US vice president.
Gore shone the international spotlight on climate change, brushing aside criticism that
his warnings were based on flawed science. His documentary on the problem, An
Inconvenient Truth, earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Visiting Manila for
the 31st Climate Change Reality Leadership Corps Training, Gore has called for
greater action to deal with climate change, including a curb on the use of coal for
power generation.
Several advanced economies have been locked in a debate with developing countries
on this issue. Coal remains a cheap power source, and advanced economies depended
on it as they industrialized. Developing countries, on the other hand, want the affluent
ones to do their part in confronting climate change by curbing their gas consumption.
Green energy can be expensive. Developing countries want the same freedom to
select their energy mix, which the rich nations exercised on their way to prosperity.
Dealing with environmental problems has always been complicated, with many well
meaning actions having unintended negative consequences. In several countries,
biofuel production has destroyed the natural habitats of certain species. In the
Philippines, the ban on plastic containers has led to greater consumption of paper
substitutes, often used in double layers, and paper comes from trees. Industries that
use pipes and other materials made from recycled plastic have seen costs rise as
recyclable items become scarce.
Despite the complex issues involved, the world has no choice but to confront global
warming. The Philippines, which is among the nations most vulnerable to climate
change and natural disasters, needs a more aggressive approach to deal with the
problem. There are many ways that undoubtedly reduce carbon footprint. Each nation
and each individual can contribute to the effort.

EDITORIAL- Call to action on climate

change
(The Philippine Star) | Updated February 27, 2015 - 12:00am

The French Revolution and its ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity inspired the Philippine
revolution against colonial rule over a century ago. Now, for the first time ever, a leader of
France is visiting the Philippines.
French President Francois Hollande arrived in Manila yesterday, in a visit whose principal
agenda is to spread a global call to action against climate change. Today Hollande will visit
some of the areas devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas in late 2013. Experts
estimate that rehabilitation of the disaster zones will take several years.
The powerful storm surges and freak floods that have killed thousands and devastated
communities across the country in recent years have made climate change a central issue.
There is general agreement that the world must bring down greenhouse gas emissions and
shift to cleaner fuels, but achieving these objectives is proving to be complicated.
Paris is hosting an international gathering later this year to build a global consensus in
confronting climate change. Similar meetings in the past have been contentious, with
developing countries and advanced economies accusing each other of not doing enough for
the environment. Rich countries are among the top consumers of petroleum products.
Developing nations, for their part, need dirty but cheap fossil fuels to power economic growth
and lift people from poverty, as the advanced economies did on their way to prosperity.
Controversies hound even efforts to promote biofuels. While these are cleaner than fossil
fuels, concentrating on the production of certain crops for fuel is also raising food costs and,
as scientists have learned, throwing ecosystems out of whack. The consequent destruction of
natural habitats is driving certain species into extinction.
Certain measures to protect the environment can also have unintended consequences. As the
Philippine experience is showing, for example, the ban on plastic bags without practical
provisions for alternative containers has been bad for trees, as commercial establishments use
double-layer paper bags in lieu of plastic.
From hybrid vehicles to solar panels, environment-friendly technology is still expensive.
Bringing down the cost of being green is one of several factors that can be tackled at the
forthcoming climate change gathering in Paris. Being green may be expensive, but the cost of
not protecting the planet will be steeper in the long term.

Editorial
Shaking things up
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01:25 AM August 2nd, 2015
Theres nothing like practice to prepare for an anticipated event, particularly if its something
as critical as the Big One, which is predicted to result in untold devastation to lives and
property. The governments earthquake drills in Metro Manila and other parts of the country
are an acknowledgment of that adage as well as an exercise to aid and abet the culture of
preparedness still in its infancy in the country.
The Big One refers to the powerful earthquake expected to hit Luzon at any time, leading to
an estimated death toll of over 35,000, most of them occurring in Metro Manila, according to
the 2013 Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study. Phivolcs, or the Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, raised the alarm early this year when it made public
current and detailed maps of the 100-kilometer West Valley Fault that runs through Metro
Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal and Cavite.
The collective concern over being unprepared for such a massive natural disaster triggered
immediate action. In May, big business and government agencies plotted initiatives to
adequately prepare the metropolis for the contingency during the first ever Earthquake
Resilience Conference held in coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council. Websites were launched, volunteer organizations formed, and drills
held in schools and offices; there was even a mobile earthquake house on a touring truck that
showed residents what the expected temblor would feel like.
The biggest and most ambitious endeavor was clearly the Metro Manila Shake Drill. When
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino began talking about
simultaneous earthquake drills in May, it seemed like a pipe dream given the logistical
challenge it represented. But the private and public sectors came together and agreed that it
was a worthwhile activity. The big drill was held on July 30 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; to
simulate what would happen if the temblor struck after dark, another was conducted at the
Ortigas Business District from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Separate drills were also held in Legazpi City
and other areas.
Two hours before the simulated earthquake, a text blast went out in the Metro. Public and
private schools and offices pulled together at the appointed time, with students and office
workers heeding the alarm and performing the duck, cover and hold exercise before moving
through identified exits to designated open areas. Local government units threw their
resources into action. The drill at the Ortigas Business District, because conducted in the dark,
delivered a dramatic message.
Noteworthy is the participation of certain Cabinet secretaries and other government officials:
Nothing like setting a good example for the rest of the citizenry to follow. This is not just a
drill fulfilled, this is a dream fulfilled, an exultant Tolentino said. He announced the
participation of an estimated 6.5 million people in the Metro drill, and rated the level of
preparedness at 7 from a pre-drill 5.5. The exercise also enabled vital government agencies to
get a clear grasp of the Big Ones possible effects.
The drill participants went through the motions but also giggled and took selfies. Thats par
for the course. But there is a very real urgency in these steps toward disaster preparedness.
Today, for example, marks the 47th year since a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck in
Casiguran, which is most remembered for toppling the six-story Ruby Tower in Binondo,
Manila, and killing some 260 people. And the 7.8-magnitude Luzon earthquake on July 16,
1990, which is said to have resulted in as many as 2,412 dead, is too recent, and too grim, to
be forgotten.

The essential point is to shake things up in order to get everyone to pull together, with the
government making sure of and strengthening its capability to get everyone through the worst
scenario and onward to rehabilitation.
Households are called upon to draw up their own contingency measures and drill everyone
involved on the necessity of proceeding according to plan. It can well be that the anticipated
disaster will not be as bad as imagined, but there is just no sense in leaving things to chance.

Editorial: The shakes

Wednesday, June 22, 2016
ANOTHER shake drill was conducted in City schools in a bid to instill safety and
presence of mind come another quake.
Weeks ago, the city was rocked with multiple shakes, which were met with an
impending fear and recollections of the killer quake.
We all live in the fear of the Big One, coming and leveling all to the ground; blame
it on disaster movies which glorify the horrible.
In the Mountain Resort, an earthquake is regarded as the end of times, having been
survivors of the killer quake, we worry; the City may not be able to survive another
one.
Memories of the quake that made the City a ghost town flashback each time our earth
is rocked.
However, the tragedy of the 90s has made the regular citizen scoff at intensity 6
quakes and those lowers in scale, thinking, nothing can compare to the damage and
wrath the killer quake gave us.
Locals are earthquake resilient in their minds that is, making the shake drill
sometimes, ineffective to the hardened local.
That is not good.
We have to be pro active, not to allow us to be led to believe that surviving the quakes
past is our ticket to staying alive today.
It does not follow.
The shakes drill are here for a reason, we do not want a repeat of the tragedy of the
past, a braver heart and a more prepared mind and body is the key to surviving
another Big One.
Let the memories of the July quake, reverberate and move us to prepare for any
tragedy that may come our way.

Bracing for the big one

posted June 24, 2016 at 12:01 am by Alejandro Del Rosario

Metro Manila residents carried out an earthquake evacuation drill in

preparation for the big onea 7.2-magnitude temblor that will run along from the
West Valley fault in Marikina to the cities of Pasig, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Makati,
Manila, Pasay, Paraaque, Las Pias, all the way to Bian Calamba and Sta. Rosa in
Laguna. Unlike typhoons and severe weather conditions that can be predicted by
meteorologists, you never know when an earthquake will strike. Aside from causing
buildings and other structures to crumble, earthquakes can also set off fires and
tsunamis.
Two north-bound lanes of the Guadalupe bridge were temporarily closed to traffic
during Wednesdays earthquake drill. Contingency plans are in place, according to the
Metro Manila Development Authority, in case the much-traveled Guadalupe bridge
connecting Mandaluyong to Makati collapses. MMDA officials have designated
alternate bridgesif they are deemed still structurally safe after an earthquakeif
this happens.
These metro-wide shake drills is the second such exercise to prepare school children
and residents of high-rise condominium towers. A growing concern among residents
in high rises is the small space in designated areas for evacuation. Some of them,
merely parking spaces for cars, lie near the area of buildings which if could send
debris spilling over to the evacuees. What ever happened to the required parks and
green spaces designated by law in Makatis central business district? Land developers,
particularly the Ayala group, have constructed condo towers in every available space
in Makati. The Ayala triangle park, once a haven for joggers and walkers living within
Salcedo Village, has lost the corner space on Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenue to
give way to the new location of the Mandarin Hotel which is being reconstructed as
another high-rise condominium building in the area.
The elderly and persons with disabilities are advised against living in high-rise
condominiums. Evacuation during earthquakes can be quite a challenge. With the
elevators turned off for safety, going down those long flight of stairs can be
excruciating, if not daunting. I myself live on the 24th floor of a condo building and I
dread the thought of having to take the stairs even to go down. If the earthquake
happens at night, it would be a nightmare to move out in total darkness. Certainly,
power will be cut off when an earthquake strikes.
Here are a few survival tips worth keeping in mind. Have a flashlight, a whistle, all
your needed medications and a medium- size bottle of water in a bag near the door so
that you can easily grab it when leaving your condo unit in case of earthquake or fire.
The whistle can be a life saver if you are trapped in the rubble and no one can hear
your cries for help.

While an earthquake drill makes sense to brace for the big one, lets hope and pray it
does not happen soon or at all. Unfortunately its only a matter of time because the
Philippines is located, like other countries laced around the Pacific rim of fire.
Most of these countries from Chile in South America to Indonesia in Asia have
volcanoes and are prone to earthquakes.

EDITORIAL - Make K to 12 work

(The Philippine Star) | Updated May 30, 2015 - 12:00am

There were debates and consultations before the government decided that Filipinos needed
universal kindergarten and two more years of secondary education. Last year free
kindergarten was introduced in public schools, to the delight of parents who could not afford
the preparation for primary school enjoyed by children from better off families.
Now that the K to 12 program is set for full implementation, the nation should try to make it
work. Students must now undergo two more years of secondary school before they can be
accepted into institutions of higher learning. Among the critics of K to 12 are teachers who
will be displaced by the additional years of high school. The government must make good on
its promise to provide employment or various forms of assistance to those who will be
displaced.
For families that feel financially burdened by the additional years, the government argues that
K to 12 can be seen as an investment in preparing students for competition for jobs. Until the
program was approved for implementation, the Philippines was one of just a handful of
countries with only 10 years of preparation for higher education. Supporters of the program
point out that people from countries with longer high school years tend to have an edge in
landing jobs overseas. K to 12 aims to make the Philippines at par with these countries.
Critics of the program point out that the additional years will merely repeat what has already
been taught in the first four years of high school. This is disputed by K to 12 proponents, who
say that the program is meant to enhance secondary education and improve Filipinos
academic performance and job competitiveness.
Only the implementation of K to 12 will show whos right. The program is unlikely to be
scrapped at this time, and it will be in the nations interest if K to 12 is given a chance. All
concerned sectors must do their part to make it work.

Editorial: The bumps of K-12 and

quality of education
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
THE K-12 basic education program is on its last phase before its complete implementation
and yet there are bumps and creases that need to be ironed out.
Despite the praises heaped upon the program by the administration, we know that the K-12
program of the US has not even been able to improve the basic education system; with lesser
resources here, this program will be a challenge to the future.
More so because other Asian countries are putting premium on education to become a force to
contend with in the global market of goods, services, and people.
In a special chapter of Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2015, the Asian Development
Banks flagship annual statistical publication, it took note of the increase in government
spending for education in developing Asia the Philippines included.
For 2014, the report said, government in developing Asia spent over $1.2 trillion on education
and $6.9 billion by households. For sure, the Philippines rank among the biggest spenders.
However, with economies in the region aspiring to hasten the process of structural
transformation, more advanced cognitive and non-cognitive skills involving greater
abstract thinking, writing and communication tasks in addition to working in teamsas well
as technical skills are needed. For jobs in high-productivity sectors, such as manufacturing
and many services, a quality secondary or tertiary education degree is especially important,
the report said.
The secondary is where the stumbling blocks are, the K-12 that while being painted to be allset to bring out students who have the skills needed for employment even without a tertiary
education, is just that, a painting. We are still faced with a good number of students dropping
out, and we havent even accounted for the students forced to drop out because of all the
calamities that regularly visit our country. Many high school graduates from the overcrowded
public schools are found lacking in reading comprehension and math skills.
Too many graduates unprepared to go on higher education and even technical vocation. The
K-12 is said to cure all those deficiencies when there is not even enough number of teachers
trained for senior high school where students are supposed to learn the employable skills.
Acknowledging large strides in expanding education access, the report still noted that skillswise, many parts remain weak because of the gaps in both the quantity and quality of
education provided.
To meet current and future labor market demands and maintain human capital
competitiveness in an increasingly globalized world, fostering cognitive and non-cognitive
skills is essential. These skills set the foundation to easily acquire new technical skills that
enable adaptation to changing labor market and occupational demands, the report said.
While technical skills are primarily important, countries are still advised not to overlook
cognitive and non-cognitive skills because technical skills are largely dependent on the
industrial structure of the labor market, which in the past decade is fast changing and
automating.

EDITORIAL - K to 12 for all

(The Philippine Star) | Updated May 17, 2013 - 12:00am
29 188 googleplus14 5

For millions of Filipinos, kindergarten and other preparatory courses before first grade
used to give children with financial means an early edge in academic achievements
over their underprivileged peers. With the enactment of Republic Act 10533,
kindergarten is now free for all Filipinos and required for entry to first grade.
The next step is for authorities to ensure that poverty and other problems will not keep
parents from sending their children to kindergarten and keeping them in school. The
new law also makes the mother tongue the medium of instruction up to third grade,
with English being phased in at fourth grade. This should help discourage pupils from
dropping out due to language comprehension difficulties, although the bigger reason
for leaving school is poverty.
While basic education is free and compulsory, studies show that the dropout rate
remains high, starting in third grade and increasing in high school. Even if education
is free, millions of families cannot afford even the daily transportation fare, food
allowance and miscellaneous expenses for keeping a child in school. With two years
added to secondary education, many students may fail to get a high school diploma.
Under RA 10533, students will be prepared to pursue either vocational courses, which
offer quick employment opportunities, or regular college courses. The government
can fine-tune the program to reduce the current mismatch between skills and job
requirements in many local industries.
A lot of time, effort and resources went into the development of the K to 12 program,
now embodied in RA 10533 or the Basic Education Program law. The measure is
meant to upgrade Philippine education, whose quality has deteriorated in recent
decades, and improve national competitiveness. Every effort must be made to ensure
the success of its implementation.

A worldwide ban on the death penalty

February 28, 2016
Pope Francis appeal for a worldwide ban on the death penalty and a moratorium on
any execution during the ongoing Holy Year of Mercy comes at a time when the
Philippines is debating on restoring the death penalty which is no longer imposed in
our country.
The death penalty has figured prominently in the history of our country. A trio of
Filipino priestsMariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora were executed
by garrote in 1872. Their death had a profound effect on our national hero, Jose Rizal,
who was himself executed by firing squad in 1896, fueling the Philippine Revolution
of Bonifacio and Aguinaldo. After Philippine independence in 1946, the first
execution was that of Julio Guillen for attempting to kill President Manuel Roxas.

When martial law was declared in 1972, the government of President Ferdinand
Marcos executed Lim Seng for drug trafficking.
The People Power Revolution of 1986 led to the promulgation of a new Constitution
under President Corazon Aquino in 1987. It prohibited the death penalty, but allowed
Congress to reinstate it for heinous crimes. Congress did restore it during the
succeeding administration of President Fidel Ramos, but during the administration of
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Congress overwhelmingly approved Republic
Act No. 9346 in 2006, replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment or reclusion
perpetua. The sentences of 1,230 death row inmates were commuted to life terms.
We have not had an execution since then. But one of our presidential candidates,
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, has said that if he is elected president, he will
seek the restoration of capital punishment for heinous crimes like drugs, rape, and
kidnapping. Duterte, among all the presidential candidates, has become known for his
tough stand for law and order against what many perceive as the growing problem of
drugs and other crimes in our country.
Pope Francis aired his appeal for a worldwide ban as an international conference
against the death penalty opened in Rome, led by the Catholic peace and justice
group, the Community of SantEgidio. The appeal is directly aimed at 37 countries
that continue to practice capital punishment. It has already been abolished in 102
countries, allowed under special circumstances such as wartime in 7 countries, and
not practiced for at least 10 years now in 50 other countries.
While some prominent anti-crime advocates like Mayor Duterte have come out
strongly on the issue, the move to restore the death penalty is not expected to gain
much support in this Catholic country especially now that Pope Francis has come
out with his appeal in this Holy Year of Mercy.

EDITORIAL Startling sentiments of

frustration
(The Freeman) | Updated September 23, 2015 - 12:00am

Karen Kaye Montebon, the 17-year-old accountancy student who was brutally killed
inside the supposed safety of her own home in a gated community in Lapu-Lapu City,
was laid to rest last Sunday. At the time of her interment, there was no indication that
her murder was anywhere near a solution, despite a coordinated probe by various law
enforcement agencies, and the dangling of reward money by the local government.
The growing elusiveness of justice, and the seeming impunity with which criminals
seem to strike, not just in many places in the country but most especially in this
heretofore very peaceful island province of Cebu, is starting to get under the skin of
most people, but most markedly among the young, which is significant. The young
normally busy themselves with political, social and environmental issues but seldom
vent their frustrations on law enforcement matters.
Well, they finally did last week, just days prior to the Karen Kaye's burial. At a prayer
vigil, fellow students and teachers from the University of San Carlos lighted candles
and wrote their sentiments candidly on a giant white board -- messages that seemed
too raw and startling given the strictly Roman Catholic foundation of their school.
One messages scrawled boldly on the white board screamed "Yes for the death
penalty." Another said "Kill all the criminals." And still another said "We need you
Duterte," in obvious reference to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, whose reputed
manner of dealing with criminals is widely credited for supposedly making his city
one of the most peaceful in the country.
It is, of course, neither right nor fair to even remotely ascribe the patently individual
sentiments of the students and teachers as reflective of any policy or philosophy of
their school or of the religious foundation upon which it is based. But the hair on the
back of one's neck cannot but stand on reflecting the extreme reaches to which the
swing has swung in the mood of the young studentry and faculty of a strictly Catholic
educational community.
Even more "scary" is how seemingly easy it is to agree and concur with the sentiment,
an agreement and concurrence that is in fact behind the seeming popularity of a
person like Duterte. It is a sentiment that does not exactly proceed from a conviction,
from a careful determination of what is right and what is wrong. Rather, it is a
sentiment given impetus by frustration -- a dam of pent up emotions finally breaking
loose.
Yes to the death penalty. Kill all the criminals. These are not easy words to say, even
for the normally unbridled young. But there it is, unsynchronized, unbidden. The
unsolved killing of Karen Kaye followed the still unsolved and separate ambushslayings of two lawyers, not to mention the almost daily killings of others whose
lesser prominence and proximity to the centers of power make such occurrences go
almost unnoticed. Something must be terribly wrong with our country.

August 6, 2011

Social Networkings Good and Bad

Impacts on Kids
WASHINGTONSocial media present risks and benefits to children but parents who try to
secretly monitor their kids activities online are wasting their time, according to a presentation
at the 119th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.
While nobody can deny that Facebook has altered the landscape of social interaction,
particularly among young people, we are just now starting to see solid psychological research
demonstrating both the positives and the negatives, said Larry D. Rosen, PhD, professor of
psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
In a plenary talk entitled, Poke Me: How Social Networks Can Both Help and Harm Our
Kids, Rosen discussed potential adverse effects, including:

Teens who use Facebook more often show more narcissistic tendencies while young
adults who have a strong Facebook presence show more signs of other psychological
disorders, including antisocial behaviors, mania and aggressive tendencies.

Daily overuse of media and technology has a negative effect on the health of all
children, preteens and teenagers by making them more prone to anxiety, depression,
and other psychological disorders, as well as by making them more susceptible to
future health problems.
Facebook can be distracting and can negatively impact learning. Studies found that
middle school, high school and college students who checked Facebook at least once
during a 15-minute study period achieved lower grades.

Rosen said new research has also found positive influences linked to social networking,
including:

Young adults who spend more time on Facebook are better at showing virtual
empathy to their online friends.
Online social networking can help introverted adolescents learn how to socialize
behind the safety of various screens, ranging from a two-inch smartphone to a 17inch laptop.
Social networking can provide tools for teaching in compelling ways that engage
young students.

For parents, Rosen offered guidance. If you feel that you have to use some sort of computer
program to surreptitiously monitor your child's social networking, you are wasting your time.
Your child will find a workaround in a matter of minutes, he said. You have to start talking
about appropriate technology use early and often and build trust, so that when there is a
problem, whether it is being bullied or seeing a disturbing image, your child will talk to you
about it.
He encouraged parents to assess their childs activities on social networking sites, and discuss
removing inappropriate content or connections to people who appear problematic. Parents
also need to pay attention to the online trends and the latest technologies, websites and
applications children are using, he said.
Communication is the crux of parenting. You need to talk to your kids, or rather, listen to
them, Rosen said. The ratio of parent listen to parent talk should be at least five-to-one.
Talk one minute and listen for five.

Editorial: Social Media is Not a Social

Life
Social media star Essena ONeill recently created thousands of virtual reality waves when she
decided to abandon the apps and platforms that made her Internet famous.
Nineteen-year-old ONeill had made her living by promoting different products on social
media. With a follower count of over 600,000 on Instagram alone, she was making around
$2,000 a month just taking pictures for her followers to like and share.
Due to her sudden change of heart and subsequent public outcry ONeill has been the
talk of the Internet over the past few days. On Oct. 27, she deleted thousands of photos from
her Instagram account and rewrote the captions for her remaining photos with messages such
as, If you find yourself looking at Instagram girls and wishing your life was theirs
Realize you only see what they want
Shortly after, the teen declared she was quitting social media for good and creating a website,
letsbegamechangers.com, that focuses on her own personal value and aim to make the
world cleaner, healthier, more peaceful, more beautiful and more conscious.
In a tearful admission posted online, ONeill claimed that she often sold out her face, her
body and her values for the sake of advertising dollars. The further she ventured down the
rabbit hole, the further she felt from herself and her values.
Comments on her website and other entertainment sites are saying nothing but positive things
about ONeills decision to leave the Internet fame and social media behind.
While ONeills pal and fellow social media star, Bonny Rebecca, claims that not all Internet
stars are about exploiting their image for money and that social media has been very good
to most people, a question arises. Is social media ultimately more good or bad? How much 2D interaction is too much?
According to a Global Web Index report in 2014, the average person aged 16-24 spends
around six hours of their day online. Of those six hours, 2.7 are spent on social media sites
like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Six hours a day, seven days a week thats 42 hours a week. Almost two days out of seven
are typically spent on the Internet. In a year, thats 102 days out of 365, so 28 percent of a
year.
We spend a lot of time online.
Advertisers recognize that. It was advertisers and the false worlds they tried to sell to
young consumers that drove ONeill away from social media. In a YouTube video she
posted explaining her actions, ONeill claimed that advertisers would pay her and other social
media models to wear their products and take photos in certain ways and at certain times.
This isnt new. Advertisers have used youth and beauty to sell products since the concept
began. TV and magazine ads constantly remind people that they arent complete without their
product. Not a man unless you drive this truck, not truly feminine without this mascara, not
hip without a particular phone.

Of course, their claims are all bullshit, and theyre easily avoidable. Mute the TV during
commercials. Read magazine content online and run an adblocker. Its possible to avoid the
hype.
What ONeill and countless other beautiful teenagers have sold themselves out to is a
devious new form of advertising. One selling more body issues and the Fear of Missing Out
to kids at younger ages than ever before, by convincing them that these models are regular
people, just like them.
Now, were not saying that every platform is bad or that social media doesnt enhance our
lives to a certain extent. It sure can make it easier to connect with friends and family, watch
entertaining things and share thoughts and opinions.
However, ONeills decision to turn away from the contrived corners of social media
instafamous models and their ilk is one that everyone would do well to seriously consider.
Those people are no more real than the Kardashians and just as dangerous as Joe the Camel.
Were not saying delete your social media platforms, but we are saying to think twice about
how much you really use them. In an age where everything is becoming digitized, keep your
social connections rooted in the real world.

EDITORIAL: Social media can be good

communication tool for educators,
students
Should high school educators become friends with students on social networking sites such
as Facebook and Twitter?
Some argue that its an absolute no-no for a number of reasons, including that, even when an
administrator or teacher has the best of intentions, a conversation could be taken out of
context and misconstrued as inappropriate.
Others argue that these types of relationships are fine as long as certain rules are established
from the outset. For instance: Only school-related matters can be discussed.
And still others argue that teachers and students can be friends on social networks with few
rules, if any.
Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Joseph Roy seems to have found an
appropriate balance with his Twitter account, which he initially set up to share with the school
district community at-large the positive things about Bethlehems public schools.
He currently has more than 2,200 followers and has sent out nearly 1,100 tweets.
Is it possible that we might get out early today? a student tweeted March 8.
Not today, Roy responded.
He has student followers, but does not follow any students. He responds to nearly all of his
followers tweets, with a few exceptions. One of those exceptions is refusing to respond to
someone with an inappropriate question or an inappropriate Twitter handle, or name.
His Twitter feed is indeed filled with positive information about the district (two district
employees honored by the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley), upcoming events (Freedom High

School choral group singing at the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg) and opportunities for
students (a $2,500 scholarship for a female student going into science, engineering,
technology or math).
In a story published Sunday in The Express-Times and on lehighvalleylive.com, Roy pointed
out that its hard for a superintendent who oversees 14,300 students to develop connections
with students. Twitter allows him to do just that. And, in some cases, the account has even
made kids feel more comfortable about approaching him in person.
Some teachers, coaches and extracurricular activity advisers say they find Twitter and
Facebook helpful to keep students informed about things such as homework assignments,
tests, project deadlines and practice schedules. It also allows them to be easily accessible
when students have questions.
But teachers and other educators should err on the side of caution if they choose to make
connections with students through social media. They should choose their words carefully and
limit their conversations to school-related matters as much as possible. They should never say
anything that they wouldnt say in a face-to-face conversation. They should make their
students aware of the rules from the start. And, if possible, they should establish two separate
accounts one for interacting with friends and another for interacting with students.
Social media can be an important communication tool for educators and students when rules
are established and followed.

Social Media Editorial

Central Times Staff

January 21, 2015
As teenagers, we often have the desire to keep in touch with our friends and
classmates at all hours of the day. In the past few years, new social media sites have
appearednamely Instagram and Snapchatthat attract the teenage audience. These
social networks, together with more established social media sites like Facebook and
Twitter, now seem to be the preferred form of communication among teenagers, often
surpassing talking itself.
When discussing the positives and negatives of social networking, the editorial board
came to a unanimous opinion: social media is more beneficial than harmful, but has
the potential for abuse.
For aspiring artists, photographers, filmmakers and creative types, for example, social
media is a powerful tool that can be used to share work on a larger and more authentic
scale. These forms of social media often provide inspiration and opportunities for
networking and promoting the users artwork. This has been the case for three of our

editorial board members who use YouTube, Instagram and Flickr to display their
work.
Social media is also a valuable communications tool. It allows us to continue dialogue
with our friends in a new multimedia platform. Friends you met at camp who live in
California are now a click away, and communicating with relatives who live overseas
has never been so easy. These social networking sites allow us to keep contact with
them and get a glimpse into their lives without the high cost of international phone
calls or slow, undependable snail mail.
The nature of social media facilitates the spread of opinions. For teenagers who feel
their voices are not heard, social networks provide them the necessary outlet and
allow teens to find a community of like-minded users and support that not everyone
receives in real life.
So, what do we mean by abuse, exactly? We pinpointed four forms of social
networking abuse: too much time spent on social media causes students to
procrastinate on more important things that need to be done; an increased sharing of
personal information through these sites; cyberbullying and offensive posts, including
the spread of rumors; and a preference to have social interactions through this
medium rather than face-to-face, which negatively impacts social skills.
There is always something new to look at on our phones: The newest post, latest
tweet, or most recent snap, a photo sent through the messaging app Snapchat. The
seconds spent on our phones turn into minutes, the minutes accumulating into hours,
as we fool ourselves into thinking we will have time later in the day to start our
homework.
It is so easy to use social media to connect with school friends that we forget, or dont
realize, that third parties have access to all we post. According to Instagrams terms
and conditions, when a user creates an Instagram account he or she hereby grant to
Instagram a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable,
worldwide license to use the Content that you post on or through the Service. In
other words, Instagram can legally use what users post on social media in
advertisements or in any other way the company finds suitable.
Social media as a place to give opinions is great, but when these opinions become
harmful or target a specific person, we are abusing this method of communication.
Cyberbullying, sadly, has become increasingly common.
As teenagers, weve noticed how others, and sometimes ourselves, use social media
as a crutch. Instead of interacting with our peers and listening to the conversations
going on around us, we are glued to our phones, scrolling through our feeds. Multiple
editorial board members have seen groups of friends at lunch sitting togetherbut all
on their individual phones, not speaking a word to each other in real life. Lets put the
phones down and enjoy the present.
We the editorial board believe that social media will continue to be present in daily
life. Therefore, the answer is not for students to be unconnected completely from
these social networking sites as we believe some interaction through social media is
necessary. What is needed is an increased awareness among teens on the effects of
social media in our lives, the risks of overuse and the need to educate ourselves on
privacy issues. We believe that our schools health education course should address
these topics that are so relevant to teenagers today.

EDITORIAL - Bullied
(The Philippine Star) | Updated September 29, 2015 - 12:00am

Every day in this country, 31 incidents of bullying are reported in schools. The daily
average, as recorded by the Department of Education, could be higher since many
victims of bullying may be reluctant to report the assaults.
The DepEd report, made available to the House of Representatives, is a cause for deep
concern. As in other countries, bullying in school, even when it does not involve
physical violence, can be just as harmful and, in certain cases, can be deadly. In recent
years, student suicides attributed to bullying in schools have been reported in this
country.
The Internet and social media have facilitated bullying, with parents and school
administrators unfamiliar with the technology and unprepared to deal with the
problem. The DepEd report should lead to better ways of discouraging bullying and
assisting victims.
Last year, the department recorded 6,363 complaints about bullying in both public and
private elementary and high schools, or an average of 31 cases for each of the 201
school days. The number was about 21 percent higher than the 5,236 complaints
recorded in 2013.
In May 2012, the DepEd had directed schools to set up child protection committees to
discourage bullying, discrimination, exploitation, violence and other forms of abuse.
In 2013, the Anti-Bullying Law or Republic Act 10627 was enacted. The twin
measures may have encouraged more victims to report cases of bullying and other
forms of abuse last year. But the thousands of recorded cases indicate that more effort
is needed to prevent bullying.
School authorities and parents need training in responding to the problem, including
spotting victims who are scared to complain. Parents, teachers and school

administrators need training particularly in dealing with bullying through social

media, which has driven students in other countries to commit suicide.
There are measures to protect school children from armed violence, drug dealers,
muggers and other criminals as well as certain types of accidents. As DepEd records
show, however, sometimes the most worrisome threats are posed by fellow school
children. Authorities need to improve responses to these threats.

Bullying in School
By CarrieAnn13, Goodsoil, Canada
If you saw bullying, what would you do to stop it? Would you stand by and let it
happen, take part in it or try to stop it? Not many students think about this, and thats
part of the problem.
Treat others the way you want to be treated. Thats the Golden Rule and it should be
followed in every aspect of your life. If someone was in a position to stop you from
being bullied and did nothing, how would you feel? If you find that unacceptable, you
must do everything you can to stop others from hurting people.
Are you even remotely aware of how much pain these victims feel every day? They
go to school knowing theyre going to be hurt and they see no way out. This is
because people like you and many others stand by and let it happen without
contemplating how much pain this is causing people. Ask yourself this: How would
you feel if you were in the victims position and could see no end to your pain?
When the victims see no way out, they may choose to tragically end their life, leaving
more hurt behind for those who were unable to stop it. Canada has the third-highest
teen suicide rate of all the industrialized nations, with 15 deaths per 100,000 people.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-24, behind motor
vehicle accidents. The death of a young person is always a waste of life, so how many
more lives must be wasted before something is done?
If you condone bullying in any way, shape or form, you are taking part in it. Bullying
is everyones responsibility and the option of doing nothing is unacceptable in
civilized society. Some people may consider mocking someone funny, even though it
is anything but funny to the victim. Small jabs taken every day can add up to a lot of
pain and suffering. While it may seem innocent to the person taking the shots, the
cumulative effect of these daily jabs could be devastating. In addition to that, as the
pain increases, each jab cuts a little deeper.
Bullying can happen in school, so it is the responsibility of students to protect their
classmates and to show everyone the dignity and respect they would like to be treated
with. The first line of defense in bullying is in students own behavior. But when that
fails, it must be brought to the attention of someone in authority, like a teacher. The
concept of someone in authority failing to address the problem is simply not
acceptable. This is why you must speak to a teacher you trust and know will do
something to stop the bullying.

Bullying is happening everywhere, even at your own school. You may not see it, you
may not know it is there, but it is happening and it causes unimaginable pain to the
victims. The only way to end bullying is to talk about it openly rather than making it a
taboo issue. If someone is hurting another person, they will not stop unless someone
(either a fellow classmate or someone in authority) stands up for the victim and tells
their tormentor to stop. Bullying is everyones problem; therefore everyone has to be
part of the solution.

The Five Sides Of Selfies; The Good and

The Bad Effects of Being A SelfiNatic
Selfies have been part of society as far as new age tech is concern, however, this
particular has been around more than you think. Selfie has been hated by its haters
and beloved by its practitioners and we cant blame anyone on each side, and since
smartphones have been made more and more handy, Selfie lovers have become more
and more in tune what the process of selfies. But to be fair, despite being hated and
beloved, selfie does have a good and a bad side, relatively speaking of course, with
that in mind, lets find out what these sides are and why can they make selfing, either
good or bad.

Selfies can propel you to greater success

Selfies are being ridiculed all over the world, as something that mainstream people,
who are often associated with the latest trends, which does deliver a good point,
however, we cant deny the boost in confidence level that selfies bring. People, who
were often unexpressive and distrustful of their own positive traits in the real world,
often spreads their wings through selfies. This gives them a sense of purpose, and a
will to be more sociable with others. For example, a person whose shy, can be more
confident through his/her selfies, which can help in establishing confidence for socialrelated activities and would eventually help the person become more appreciative of
their own existence, which is something thatll eventually could help them to succeed
in the busy bodies of reality, or even give them the confidence to pursue their dream
careers in the future. So technically, selfies are a motivational drive for certain
individuals, which will likely boost them towards success.
See also: Five Reasons Why Xperia C5 Ultra is a More Worthwhile Buy Than Lenovo
Vibe Shot

A way of expressing true emotions

This is quite related to the first part. Selfies are originally known to serve as a way to
express ones self, for other people. Its a way of expressing what you really are, not
simply by your looks or by your actions, but merely by what your feeling. People that
take many selfies of themselves either when eating and sleeping is often being
ridiculed in the internet, since they are marked as individuals who have nothing better
to do. But, why dont we think for a second and why some of them post this. They
could either just be expressing their sense of satisfaction and joy for a particular food,
or the joy of camaraderie, which is shared because they value the company of the
people around them. We cant just these people, without necessarily knowing them in
real life, since these are people, and its human nature for us, humans to express what

were feeling and we all have our own special ways of doings this, it just happens that
some of us, prefer selfies as their medium.
See also: Asus Zenfone Selfie Review A Slick Selfie Smartphone?

Can make you a target for social media attacks

This is probably one of the most negative and the most dangerous drawbacks of
Selfies. The internet is a very dangerous place and since smartphone-users are
ultimately always connected in the webspace via our handy dandy smartphones,
anyone and i mean anyone can get in. Posting too many selfies on your account,
makes you one big target sign for dangerous individuals, that would either bully you
for the sake of trolling or simply do more horrendous acts on you. So, people who
often post sexy selfies of themselves, often get the worst of this situation, and meet
the most unlikely web people. A word of warning, dont post revealing selfies of
yourself. The webspace is a big place and just like reality, people can either be good
or evil, so its better to be safe than sorry.
See also: LG V10 Official; Dual-Display, Snapdragon 808 SoC, 5MP Duo Lens Front
Camera

Can tear peoples relationship with one another

People are oftentimes torn between two sides when dealing with the topic of selfies,
either your a hater, who absolutely despises selfie goers, or your the selfie goer whose
love for the act itself, heeds you to defend the act. So, sometimes you might be
surprised that a person you care and trust the most are often on the other side of the
argument. If thats the case, then technically, if youre a selfie goer, then a friend who
hates selfie, will probably hate you, simply because of that particular reason, which
will result to a fractured friendship, wasted only by a petty argument. Truth be told,
some people actually ignore a friend, once they showcased a selfie goer-like feel,
which is pretty sad, since months or years of friendship often leads to a dead-end.
See also: Six Reasons Why The Lenovo Vibe Shot is Better Than Asus Zenfone Selfie

Can lead to narcissistic tendencies

This is actually the worst case scenario of being way too exposed to selfies. People
often reach a certain point that they self-loath on their looks and appeal, which
eventually leads to narcissistic tendencies and can primarily change a persons
emotional and even mental state. Narcissism is when a person incredibly admires his
or her own physical features, in a strange ways. To us, this is more of a psychological
challenge to selfie goers, since it changes their overall psychological state of mind,
which might lead to an overall change in personality for the worst. So, selfie goers,
take note and dont go overboard on selfies, its not that we wanted you to stop, we
just wanted you guys to be more of yourself, when taking a self, rather than change
your overall personality.

Conclusion
This is a special editorial for the selfie goers and selfie haters overall. We, on the other
hand are on the rare neutral side of this argument, because it is made clear that they do
have good and bad side effects, its just how the selfie goer does the selfing, which can
either lead the person to the positive side or the negative side