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Today, women all over the world are honored during International Women’s Day. Yet from where I now sit, I look at our Philippine situation and realize that the uphill struggle for parity and respect is far from over. In fact, it has deteriorated, thanks to the misogynistic comments of some of the leaders in government.
Continue reading “On International Women’s Day 2018, the struggle for gender parity continues”
As a long-time advocate of, and resource speaker on, digital citizenship, I welcomed the recent collaboration of Globe Telecom, Facebook, and the Department of Education (DepEd) to continue bringing awareness of responsible digital citizenship to public and private schools nationwide, for both teachers and students.
Why is digital citizenship even more important now
As of end-2017, there are now over 60 million internet users. That is 60% of the populace! 52.2 million of the 60 million, roughly half of the entire Philippine population, is mobile, spending over 3 hours on it daily. A Philippine National Police (PNP) report also showed that half of internet users are 17 years old and below.
An international think-tank formed in association with the World Economic Forum, the DQ Institute, revealed in its inaugural 2018 DQ Global Impact Report that 56% of kids aged 8-12 years old worldwide who are online, are exposed to cyber risks. A study of the Philippine internet situation in that report shows that 73% of Filipino children are exposed to cyber risks, the second highest in a study among 29 countries.
Today, you and I enjoy the freedom to write and publish our thoughts and feelings. All my children were born in an age where freedom of expression and the right to communicate are taken for granted. I fear that this freedom is in grave danger if we let it be.
It was not so from 1972 to the 80s when martial law under then Pres. Marcos was in effect. I witnessed the shutting down of ALL media outlets (TV, print, radio) except those that broadcasted news favorable to the sitting administration.
The pressure on Inquirer’s owners to sell their shares, the charges against Rappler (which I see as an overkill by SEC), and the announcement that Interaksyon.com is closing soon…..all these make me very, very uncomfortable and fearful that after mainstream media, bloggers and netizens like you and I will be next.
Spokespersons for the government are trying to assuage us that this is not martial law the Marcosian way — the President has not physically shut down these media outlets, they say. There are legal processes in place, they say. Sure…the strategies are no longer physical. The scare tactics, just like media strategies, have gone digital.
When I was asked if I wanted to sign this statement by bloggers, I willingly did so. Today, along with other bloggers who signed, I am posting this on my blog for my children and grandchildren to see. Long after I am gone, I want them to know that, at least for one moment, I tried to fight to keep the freedom they know INTACT and FREE FROM INTIMIDATION.
If you are also a blogger or netizen, and the statement below resonates with you, please join us by adding your name to this growing list of signatories via this Google Form.
In your social media posts, please use also the following hashtags:
#BloggersForFreedom
#DefendPressFreedom
Continue reading “I signed the Bloggers for Freedom statement!”
Are you still holding on to expired Sodexo gift certificates (GCs)? Don’t throw them away! You may just be able to use the provisions of the Gift Check Act of 2017 (R. A. 10962), signed into law last December 19, 2017 by President Duterte, to get replacement GCs.
Continue reading “Don’t throw away those long expired Sodexo GCs!”
For three days last October 11-13, 2017, the largest gathering of marketing practitioners came together for the Internet Mobile and Marketing Association of the Philippines’ (IMMAP) second digital congress named DigiCon DX. This year, the congress focused on the culture envisioned to aid marketers in adapting to digitalization as reflected by its theme “DX: The Culture of Digital Transformation”.
So what was I doing here? Well, thanks to friends from the industry, I was invited as part of the media pool — which meant that I could attend sessions as a delegate and get some media access to boot.
This was a change I would not miss. As a blogger usually at the other end of the marketing campaign, I only experienced campaigns from the receiving end. At #DigiCon2017, it was actually a great chance to observe and listen to talks designed from the perspective of brands, advertisers, marketers and PR guys.
Continue reading “Digital transformation: My takeaways from #DigiCon2017”
Have you ever noticed, in some malls that you go to, that the salesladies always wore high heels? Each time I noticed that, I would wonder how they ever got through the day. I know how my feet would hurt a lot in high heels during my corporate days.
Good news for them! The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello signed last August 25, 2017 Department Order (DO) 178 prohibiting employers from requiring their female employees to wear shoes with heels higher than one inch. In addition, if the shoes are an inch high, they should be wedge-type shoes.
Continue reading “DOLE says salesladies will no longer be required to wear high heels!”