http://www.forbes.

com/sites/alexmcclafferty/2015/02/05/decisionmaking/#5dd031981409
Entrepreneurs are natural born problem solvers.
To solve difficult problems, you need to make difficult decisions.
In this post, I will unpack five tips to help you improve your decision making
process.
1. Dont delay
Simple decisions are fun. You can tick them off your to do list and feel like youve
accomplished something along the way. When the stakes increase and youre
faced with making a critical business decision, dont delay because its difficult.
Dedicate a focused block of time each day to work through the pros, cons, risks
and realistic outcomes of your decision. Consider the second and third order
effects of your decision during this session.
Sweeping problems under the rug will not help you make better decisions.
2. Shelve ego and emotion
Decision making can be difficult because you become too personally invested in
how a decision will make you look and feel. Can you objectively solve the
problem? Yes! List potential causes and put your emotion and ego on the backburner.

https://nobullying.com/cyber-bullying-in-the-philippines/

Cyber Bullying in The Philippines

Modified : December 22,2015

Since cyber bullying has become an international phenomenon, families throughout the
world are searching for ways to stop it. Many schools and other organizations have opted
to to take some proactive steps to combat this trend. It may be helpful for these
organizations to collaborate and take a comprehensive look at the trend of cyber
bullying. This is a relatively new issue for residents of the Philippines to consider, so many
are wondering how they can learn more. It may be helpful to get the facts in order before
any decisive action is taken. But fortunately, there are agencies dedicated to forming a
cogent understanding of how this phenomenon has developed.Learn about Cyber
Bullying in The Philippines Now!
First, many people will need to get an overview of what might constitute cyber bullying. This
is effectively a means for people to bully one another through an all new medium. Many old
tactics of intimidation, humiliation and threats will still be used. The only difference is that
they will tend to be issued through an all new medium, namely computers and smart
phones. Teens and young adults are increasingly discovering that they are facing a much
more difficult social landscape these days. It is becoming all too easy to issue these kinds of
harassing texts through these smart phones. This is part of the reason why cyber bullying in
the Philippines has become so prevalent recently. Students have previously been able to
coordinate these attacks, without any kind of repercussion from different officials working
within the school system.
Part of the problem associated with cyber bullying is that it largely exists outside of the
school system . Students dont have to be at school to engage in this kind of behavior. Some
schools have been helpless when it has come to dealing with these different types of threats
over the years. This is part of the reason why people have formed outside groups to discuss
what can be done to manage these problems over time. Most people will be impressed by
the sheer amount of support that they can get from these programs. This could be a great
way for parents to join up to stamp out cyber bullying before it becomes a problem for their
family.
Even law enforcement agencies are starting to take a closer look at the way that cyber
bullying tends to occur . This is owing to the fact that these incidents may actually constitute

an invasion of privacy for some of these people. Students often have their social media
accounts targeted and even hacked as part of these cyber bully attacks. They may be
coordinated by groups of people, done as revenge for a perceived sleight. But law
enforcement officials are starting to more thoroughly investigate these claims, since it can
impact the lives of many people. Further, these acts are typically perpetrated by the same
individuals over a more prolonged period of time. This can help law enforcement agencies
keep tabs on these reports and warn the community about what they should be doing going
forward.
It may be helpful to gain an objective understanding of the way that these reports may
actually unfold. Cyber bullying statistics Philippines agencies collect may actually help people
improve the way that they cope with these problems. It can also just be helpful to realize
that teens and young adults are not alone when they tend to face down these issues. People
may be impressed by the sheer amount of support that they can get when they opt to test
out these services. There are agencies that are dedicated to lending their support when it
comes time to managing these different types of projects. They can help direct efforts on the
part of officials who just want to learn more about the different types of issues.
There was recently a report released about the way that Philippines residents may be
responding to these kinds of changes. The report indicated that people are increasingly
searching for cyber bullying terms through a wide array of social media venues. Notably, the
Philippines was the worlds 4th leading country when it came to searching for cyberbullying
through Google. This indicates that local residents are taking an increased interest in what
they can find through this kind of report. This could actually help people develop a complete
view of the issues that coincide with this kind of bullying phenomenon.
This cause for concern has got many people interested in how the community itself can
adapt to this process. The Department of Education within the Philippines has stated that
the school system will need to come up with a solution for this soon. In particular,
expectations are being levied for primary and secondary school leaders to manage these
kinds of programs going forward. Most leaders in the community will be watching to see how
these agencies tend to respond, since this cyber bully problem is starting to expand over
time. Leaders within the community have largely organized outside groups up until this
point. But since this is becoming an established problem, leaders may be interested in
working with large scale organizations.
Schools will likely need to develop a comprehensive policy for how they will tend to approach
this situation. This will help make sure that the school districts in the area are responding in
kind to these issues as a whole. Most school leaders want to make sure that they are
upgrading the experience available to people. They likely also want to make sure that they
are simply preventing students from feeling overwhelmed by this kind of issue. Teachers and

parents may collaborate on campuses to learn more about how students may feel during
this process. This can help people adapt to these issues in some important ways over time.
Most parents want to make sure that their students are getting the support that they need if
they are being bullied. They should collaborate with school officials to get mental health
counseling or other kinds of help. There is a fair amount of research to suggest that cyber
bullying can lead to increased anxiety and other problems for students. They should be
prepared to cope with the long term effects that this may bring for them. Some students
may even notice that their self-esteem is impacted and their overall well being may be
tarnished. This could lead people to commit suicide or feel depressed for a prolonged period
of time. This could be an invaluable resource for many within the community, since it can
encourage students to seek out the help that they need along the way.
Finally, officials may want to monitor the emergence of these trends over time . It is possible
that cyber bullying is just on a general increase right now, but might naturally tend to
decrease over time. It will be possible to monitor the reports that are generated by schools
and other law enforcement agencies. This could help educators and community leaders
develop a strategy for how they should cope with these kinds of problems. Most leaders
want to make sure that they are providing guidance to help mitigate these problems over
time. This can help restore the normal functioning of local schools that may have been
impacted by cyber bullying in the Philippines.

https://nobullying.com/anti-bullying-information/

Anti Bullying Information

Published : August 22,2016

As a parent or teacher, you want to provide protection and a positive atmosphere for your
child or student. But what is the best way to accomplish this? How do you build confidence
in your child, a willingness to confide when the child feels intimidated, and provide a safe
atmosphere in which the child can grow and thrive? And where can the concerned parent
or teacher turn for advice? Discover the most essential Anti Bullying Information!

Collaboration and Communication

Its important for parents and schools to collaborate on establishing lines of communication
and providing a means for children to let adults know when there is bullying going on:

Develop a dialogue parents must interact with teachers.

Establish trust ensure that children feel comfortable reporting problems.

Offer support children need to know they dont have to handle this on their own.

Take bullying seriously its not just bickering; sometimes it can become a life or
death issue.

Dont confront let authorities handle it; dont confront the bully or his/her parents.

If you see bullying, report it dont ignore it; make sure its addressed.

Provide resources parents need to know there is an established policy on bullying.

Be involved be a part of your childs school; know whats going on.

Be Involved
As a parent, its always a positive step to be involved in school functions and parent-teacher
organizations. It is also important that your child participate in school activities, sports, or
academic pursuits. This gives the child a feeling of acceptance and involvement. If it takes
extra effort on your part to help your child integrate properly into his or her school
environment, then it is imperative that you take the time to do so. Socialization is key to
being a part of the school and developing social skills.
If none of these tactics work, and your child is still experiencing bullying, then you will have
to make sure any bullying incidents are reported and turn to the authorities to resolve the
matter. When your child experiences a bullying incident, there is a process that you as a
parent should take to ensure that the incident is handled properly.
Follow the Proper Steps

Consult any literature your school may have distributed regarding anti bullying information
or procedures. Report the incident in accordance with those rules. Proceed up the chain of
command, i.e., report first to the childs teacher, then the school counselor, and principal, if
necessary. If you still havent received a resolution, go to the school districts superintendent
and the school board. If you feel it is necessary, your next step may be to retain an attorney
to protect your and your childs interests (especially if there is any illegal conduct involved,
i.e. theft, assault, battery, etc.).
Resources
You may want to familiarize yourself with anti bullying information and websites available
online. There are sites that help families cope with bullying behavior. There are sites devoted
to teachers with lesson plans, songs, and suggestions on opening up dialogue between
students to help them understand the process. A number of anti bullying websites advise
parents and teachers on how to partner to prevent bullying and provide intervention
strategies.

Boss of My Body : A music video teaching kids to protect themselves.

Kids Against Bullying : An interactive site with games, stories, and web-isodes that
help kids spot and stop bullies.

Stop Bullying : A government site that provides information on state laws regarding
bullying and resources for getting help for related problems.

The Bully Project: Based on the documentary Bully, this site includes kits and guides
to kids for creating anti-bullying projects.

Project Anti-Bully: A global nonprofit to raise awareness.

The most important sites for parents are those that offer information on reporting
bullying and how to discuss the matter with children and authorities. Many times parents
want to fight the battle for their child. Its most important to guide a child through the
process without locking horns with authorities or the parents of the bully. There are experts
in this field who can assist the parents of a bullied child and resources for parents to obtain
information to aid in dealing with the problem.

http://www.bullyinginfo.org Defines different types of bullying and provides

resources for what the public can do to prevent and report bullying incidents.

http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/resources/bullying Provides anti bullying information

and suicide prevention assistance. Resources include data on programs, publications,
technical assistance, tools, websites, and more.

http://www.stopbullying.gov/ Presents risk factors, warning signs, and information

on prevention and response to bullying and cyber-bullying.

http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/bullyingresearch/ The
Centers for Disease Control performs research and compiles statistics on bullying behavior.

http://www.stopbullyingnow.com/ This resource includes information on the Youth

Voice Project, Cyber-bullying, and LGBT Youth.
These sites offer valuable information. It must be understood, however, that the inclusion of
materials on websites does not necessarily indicate that they are endorsed by the federal or
state government. Additionally, the information available on private websites is not to be
construed as legal advice. Consult an attorney for legal information.
Professional Help
In addition, parents can consult with the schools guidance counselor. It is often productive
for a child to discuss these matters with a counselor, as well as for the parents to have a
dialogue with that professional. In more difficult cases, parents may want to consult their
own therapist or child psychologist to clarify the situation. Often children just need someone
to talk to who they feel can offer advice and an unbiased opinion on the matter. The
psychological component is often the most difficult for parents to cope with. Talking with a
trained professional can help parents and children alike bridge this difficult gulf between
emotion and logic.
Dealing with the Bully
One element that is often ignored in the bullying equation is the family dynamic of the
bullying child. Although it may not be readily apparent, the bully has feelings too and these
must be respected. The family must overcome their natural instinct to cover up for their
child and rationalize the situation. The more important issue is treating the bully and tending
to the psychological needs that are driving the behavior. Counseling is imperative. There are
always reasons for any behavior, and bullying is no exception. Does the child feel inadequate
or harbor feelings of hostility? These are questions that must be answered by a qualified
expert who can root out the underlying causes of the bullying behavior .
No parent or child wants to be involved in bullying incidents. And no school wants to have
charges leveled at them that they are unresponsive to bullying behavior. The need to work in
tandem is important, and when all systems mesh, i.e. parents, schools, online resources, and
governmental agencies, then the result is positive and our children can only benefit from this
cooperative effort.

http://asksonnie.info/applicable-law-against-cyber-bullying-in-the-philippines/

Applicable Law Against Cyberbullying In The

Philippines
by ASKSonnie | Bullying, CyberBullying, Government

Update 10/9/15 : Bullying Cases up by 21% in Philippine Schools

Practical help: What to do when being (cyber) bullied

Update 10/12/13: After the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013- More Needs to Be Done

Update 9/19/13: Republic Act 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 was signed into
law, and cyberbullying is defined as one of the prohibited acts. Please read the salient points
of the anti-bullying act of 2013
You may also be interested to check the following:

survey result that defined the local cyberbullying culture

statistics related to incidence of bullying and cyberbullying in the Philippines

and the proactive steps to deal with cyberbullying.

I was asked if there is an applicable law against cyberbullying in the Philippines, given the
effectivity of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is today, Oct. 3, 2012.

Read: Why Schools Should Have A Cyber Wellness Program

Cyberbullying is not included on the new cybercrime law, but there are pending bills filed in
both houses of congress on this.

update: cyberbullying is part of the anti-bullying act of 2013 but it only covers students up to
high school. Adult victims can use the other provisions of the cybercrime law, like libel and
identity theft.
For minors, aside from the newly approved law, its also widely believed that Republic Act
7610 also known as Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and
Discrimination Act is recognized as one of the possible laws that can be used by cyberbullying
victims, specially if the act is done outside the school context.
ARTICLE VI- Other Acts of Abuse
Section 10. Other Acts of Neglect, Abuse, Cruelty or Exploitation and Other Conditions
Prejudicial to the Childs Development.
(a) Any person who shall commit any other acts of child abuse, cruelty or exploitation or to be
responsible for other conditions prejudicial to the childs development including those covered
by Article 59 of Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended, but not covered by the Revised
Penal Code, as amended, shall suffer the penalty of prison mayor in its minimum period.
For adults, they can use the provisions of the cybercrime law, like online libel and identity
theft if a false account was set-up to perpetuate the act.
There is a special challenge to identify the cyberbully since bullying can be done anonymously,
or hide behind a pseudo online personality. But according to PH law enforcement groups, they
have the capability to trace the identity of the anonymous bully.
As the pioneer in advocating cyber wellness in the Philippines, we believe one way to reduce if
not totally prevent bullying and other cyber abuse incidents is educate stakeholders about
cyber wellness.
Read: What is Cyber Wellness?
Cyber wellness education is meant to inform stakeholders of the risks associated with the use
of smartphone/mobile gadgets, internet and social media, and equip them with a framework to
effectively

set-up a policy against abuses and guidance on how to use said tools for value adding
purposes (school admin)

set up procedure on how to handle bullying and cyber abuses, and how to help victims.
(school admin)

develop a curriculum or training program for students, teaching and non teaching staff;
and learning session for parents. (school admin)

use practical approaches to set-up house rules about internet and gadget use, and
engage kids about gaming and social media (parents/guardians)

avoid online behaviours that will expose users to risks, observe online ethics and
practice online safety behaviours (end user/students)

http://asksonnie.info/statistics-bullying-cases-up-by-21-in-philippine-schools/

Statistics: Bullying Cases Up by 21% In

Philippine Schools
by ASKSonnie | Bullying
According to the consolidated report of Department of Education (Dep Ed), bullying cases on
elementary and high school of both private and public schools on 2014 rose by 21% or a total of
6,363 cases, compare with the 5,236 on 2013. This translates to 31 daily bullying cases from
a divisor of 201 school days. The statistics was disclosed by Rep. Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr., a
member of the House committee on basic education. [ source:Interaksyon ]

Do we have an effective bullying and child protection program in Philippine schools?

In my opinion, its too early to say, the rise of reported bullying cases is a consequence of the
reporting requirements of the law. Bullying cases is rampant, however, it remain under
reported prior to the anti-bullying act. This is understandable, since no parents or even school
administration would like his/her family or school to be famous because of bullying.

Schools, however, to mitigate the effects and reduce the incidence of bullying, should comply
with theImplementing Rules and Regulations of the Anti-bullying law of 2013 to address the
root causes of bullying. And the important ones, aside from the reporting requirements, are as
follows:
1.

Schools to have prevention program that is comprehensive, multi-faceted, and shall

involve all education stakeholders and personnel. This may contain:

Positive school climate/environment

Periodic assessment and monitoring of bullying behaviors

Periodic review of manual of conduct for both students and personnel, in

relation to bullying

Activities on the issue for students, personnel and service providers

Personnel development

Coordination with LGUs and other stakeholders

Classroom initiatives

Activities involving parents

2.

Schools to have intervention programs to ensure continuity of policies. These may

include:

Activities

Corrective and preventive, rather than punitive, measures

3.

Students have a duty to intervene to protect the victim, unless the same jeopardizes
their safety/security

4.

The Child Protection Committee (CPC) established by DepEd Order 40 shall also be the
Anti-Bullying Committee

5.

Composition of Committee:

School Head/Admin-Chair

Guidance Counselor/Teacher-Vice Chair

Rep of teachers designated by faculty

Rep of parents as designated by PTA

Rep of students, except in kinder, as designated by student council-optional for

private schools

Rep from community as designated by Punong Barangay, preferably from the

Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC)

6.

Jurisdiction for complaints of bullying and other acts under the IRR: exclusive: DepEd
or private school and not subject to barangay settlement

7.

Procedures must include:

Immediate responses-ANYONE who has personal knowledge must immediately
call the attention of ANY school personnel

School personnel once notified is expected to intervene:

Stop the bullying immediately

Remove students from harm and provide medical attention if needed

Bring the bully to the Guidance Office or designated personnel

8.

Anonymous reporting to be entertained

9.

Person reporting to be afforded protection

10.

Fact-finding and documentation:

Designated school official to:

Interview parties involved separately

Assess threat level, devise intervention strategies

Inform parents of both parties of the steps to be taken

Make recommendations to CPC

11.

CPC to determine the intervention programs for parties involved.

12.

Schools may refer parties to trained professionals outside the school

13.

Disciplinary measures must be according to nature, gravity of the bullying and

attendant circumstances

14.

Due process must be observed

15.

Community service may be a form of punishment if the same is in the rules and
regulations of the school

16.

CPC supervises the intervention programs

17.

On due process:

Student and his parents to be informed IN WRITING of the complaint

Student to be given the opportunity to answer with assistance of

parents/guardians

Decision of the school head shall be IN WRITING, stating the basis thereof

School heads decision may be appealed to Division Office of DepEd

18.

False accusation of bullying also to be sanctioned

19.

Bullying incidents are confidential and breach thereof by school personnel is likewise
sanctioned

https://journalism106.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/modern-abusecyberbullying-in-the-philippines/
Modern Abuse: Cyberbullying in the Philippines
March 13, 2012journalism106Leave a commentGo to comments

by Ana Phyllis Isla

Rose, 16 years old & currently a 3rd year high school student in Baguio city, likes posting photos of
herself on Facebook. One afternoon, when she checked her profile page, she found some very
offensive comments from a particular group of her classmates. She decided to brush it off as she
wasnt friends with any of them but the same thing happened again after she updated her status and
again when she posted another photo. Nagets ko kagad na hindi nila ako lulubayan (It didnt take
me that long to realize that they werent planning on stopping any time soon,) she said.
Peter K. Smith and Sonia Sharp explained that bullying is a systematic abuse of power. It is a
repetitive and aggressive behaviour carried out by a person or a group of people against an individual
who cannot readily defend themselves. According to StopBullying.gov, bullying is a frequent and
serious problem but the rise of technology also gave rise to a new and more potent method to the
abuse Cyberbullying.
Dr. Sameer Hinduja and Dr. Justin Patchin of the Cyberbullying Research Center described the
Cyberbullying phenomena as wilful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell
phones, and other electronic devices. It has been also defined as a situation when an individual is
repeatedly tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by
another person using text messages using the Short Messaging System (SMS), e-mails, or any other
type of digital technology.
Here in the Philippines, Filipinos are definitely enjoying the perks that technology brings. In fact, we
are often dubbed as the Texting Capital of the World as Filipinos send billions of SMS messages per
year. Also, according to the report released by the SocialBakers.com, an analytics and statistics
monitoring web page, as of February 2012, the Philippines ranks eighth in the most number of

Facebook users in the world, with approximately 27, 720, 300 Filipino Facebook users. Facebooks
penetration in the Philippines is about 27.75% of the countrys total population, with the youth, ages
13 17, comprising about 20% of the Philippine Facebook population.
Technology and the Internet have improved the lives of people, communication is easier and
entertainment can be achieved in just a few clicks. However, the advent of the modern world also
brings with it adverse effects. Although Social Networking sites such as Twitter & Facebook were
created to bridge the gaps between people, they have been an ideal, virtual playground for
cyberbullies. According to a survey by the Cyberbullying Research Center, about 20 percent of
students from ages 11 to 18 surveyed last year said theyd been cyberbullied at some point in their
lives. According to the National Crime Prevention Center, over 40% of all teenagers with Internet
access have reported being bullied online on 2008.
Facebook has opened many opportunities as a communication tool, however, it also paved a new way
for abusers to expand the reach and the extent of the harm they do. As many as the fan pages that
runs rampant through the Facebook groups feature are the hate groups or the Anti- groups of such
pages. One example is 16-year-old Chienna Filomenos We hate Chienna Filomeno group. Her hate
groups posts are always derogatory to young Chienna and the comments even more so. The
moderator of the hate group would post pictures of her in compromising positions and encourage the
commenters to post their opinions, which are usually mean and unforgiving. Chienna Filomeno is a
cosplayer from a prominent high school in Manila and sometimes people claiming to be her
schoolmates would post there and say thing like, Ay! Kilala ko yan sa school! Malandi talaga yan!
(Oh! I know her from our school! She really is promiscuous!) One of the posts on the group showed
Chienna on a bed with her former boyfriend, followed by a post of her former boyfriend implying that
Chienna is no longer a virgin. There were no holds barred on the virtual audience. Many were calling
her names and questioning even her parents values, some pitied her and tried to vindicate her actions
but they were soon met with malicious replies enough for them to give up.
There are many detrimental outcomes of cyberbullying. Many targets of cyberbullying report feeling
depressed, sad, angry, and frustrated. And some victims who experience cyberbullying are also afraid
or embarrassed to go to school. Victims of cyberbullying also tend to develop low self-esteem.
Research also shows that there are links between cyberbullying and family problems, academic
problems, school violence, and delinquent behaviour. And while the cyberbully rarely inflicts physical
harm to their victims, the psychological damage they cause, if bad enough, can compel the
cybervictims to inflict physical harm on themselves. In fact, there have already been a number of
young people around the world taking their own lives due to cyberbullying.
Derrick, a 14-year-old highschool student, confessed that ever since he realized his gender preference
in Elementary, he has long since accepted the fact that there would always be people who would be
critical of him. However, he still gets pretty upset whenever some people call him names online. Some
even text him using a number he doesnt recognize and slams him for being a homosexual. He said
that he is not sure about the identity of his attackers and that the sense of not knowing who his
attackers are has developed into some sort of paranoia. Paminsan-minsan hindi ko na kilala kung
sino ang mga kaibigan ko at sino ang mga kaaway ko. (Sometimes I dont even know who my friends
are and who my enemies are.) One time, the abuse got so bad that he refused to go to school for two
days. His parents were worried but he never told his parents about what he was going through
because he was afraid that they would not understand his situation. Also, he thinks that telling them
wont do anything good anyway.

Cyberbullying can be much worse than the traditional bullying as it has more vicious characteristics.
First, of course, is the anonymity of the cyberbully. Although in reality the victims of cyberbullying
may actually know who their attacker is, it will just be lost behind the cloak of anonymous email
addresses, pseudonymous screen names, or private cellphone numbers. The very small likelihood of
tracing where the message came from actually encourages the negative behaviour. It strips the
cyberbully of his inhibitions and frees him from the constraints of consequences. It can be very easy to
be cruel with the use of technology. A study by Michele L. Ybarra and Kimberly J. Mitchell, which
examined youth engaging in online harassment, found that adolescents who would not act
aggressively in the traditional bullying scenario might feel less constrained on-line. The anonymity
associated with online interactions may strip away many aspects of socially accepted roles, leading the
Internet to act as a potential equaliser for aggressive acts. As communication is no longer bound by
time or space, a cyberbully can send an untraceable offensive message from any computer in any caf
or private laptop or cellphone at whatever time of day or night.
In todays world where communication is 24/7, it is becoming more and more difficult to be separated
from your own mobile device. It has come to the point where not owning one can lead to ostracism.
As Hinduja & Patchin has observed, the youth has completely embraced interactions via cellphones
and computers. And since the victims themselves cannot be parted from their own handheld gadget,
they become more vulnerable to the abuse. They always have the option of leaving their mobile
gadget off but then it isolates them from the incoming messages that are actually of some importance
or relevance. Mario, a 3rd year high school student here, said, Paano pag biglang tumawag si
mama? Paano pag emergency? Pag naiwan ko wallet ko sa bahay, ok lang sakin kasi pwede naman
ako mangutang sa mga kaibigan ko. Pero pag cellphone ko na yung naiwankulang na lang liparin ko
yung bahay namin. (What if my mother calls? What if theres an emergency? Im okay with
accidentally leaving my wallet at home because I can always borrow some money from my friends but
if I leave my cellphone at homeI have to go back even if I need to fly home.)
In the Philippines, we often hear celebrities like Sarah Geronimo being victims of cyberbullying.
Celebrities are often the victims of identity theft as people use their names and pictures to create an
account for their personal use. But even from the stars themselves, there are cyberbullies. Ampalaya
Anonymous is a clique formed by popular actresses who recently gained popularity for reportedly
bullying a fellow actress via Twitter. And although she has vehemently denied it, Kim Chiu and her
group of friends were put on a spot for reports of cyberbullying. University of the Philippines Diliman
Sociology and Anthropology professor, Dr. Virgilio Binghay, explained that the rampant identity stealing
and cyber-bullying is a form of crab mentality. Cyberbullies pull other people down for their own
personal agenda.
Kasi, Ate, alam mo yung Gossip Girl? Parang ganun yun feeling,(Ate, do you know Gossip Girl?
Thats what it feels like,) Apple, a 15-year-old high school student, replied when asked why she was
posting rumours about her on classmates on Facebook. She said that her classmates go to her
Gosssip Girl page to know what other peoples dirty laundry are. She said that she doesnt think shes
doing anything wrong because shes just simply posting the things that everyones
saying. Pinaguusapan naman ng lahat sa school, nilalagay ko lang naman sa FB. (Everyones talking
about it at school anyway. Im merely posting the stuff on FB.)
Gossip Girl is an American TV series that revolves around a virtual entity called Gossip Girl who posts
rumours in a blog about Manhattans Upper East Side. After the show launched in 2007, it also started
the trend of internet Gossip Blogs where you can find rumours about the people in your
neighbourhood. Perhaps there is no single answer as to why people act as cyberbullies. As James

Lehman points out, some people simply bully other people because it solves their social problems. It
might satisfy their need for attention or it might be the one gaining them respect. In adolescents,
bullying is a means to finding ones identity and establishing their place in their clique. But of course,
bullying is never right.
In various parts of the world, many governments are acting to criminalise cyberbullying. There are
also efforts to do the same here in the Philippines. Last year, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago had
filed Senate Bill no. 2677, or the Anti-Bullying School Policy Act. In an explanatory note, she
acknowledged the existence of cyberbullying and its long-term threats. The Anti-Bullying School Policy
Act would require all schools to create policies that would address and increase the awareness on the
issues of bullying and cyberbullying in their school. A direct correlation with the reduction of bullying
incidents is the increase in awareness and concern among school administrators of these incidents,
and the positive action of providing venues for parents, faculty and school officials to report such
incidents to authorities, she said.
Cyberbullying here in the Philippines doesnt get much attention as there are no official reported cases
about it. But just because it remains unreported doesnt mean that it is not happening. Interviews
with the local high school students here show that the youth are aware that cyberbullying is a serious
issue. However, most of them do not know how to react when faced with those kinds of situations.
Majority of the students just keeps mum about it because they think that it is a normal part of the
online experience. Cyberbullying affects many adolescents on a daily basis and while it may be
difficult to stop, it is not impossible. Everyone can help stop Cyberbullying by making other people,
especially the youth, aware about the real deal on Cyberbullying. The first step is to educate the youth
on what can be classified as cyberbullying and that cyberbullying is wrong and is not a normal
behaviour or experience. It is also good to encourage victims of cyber bullying to talk to adults or
other people when they are experiencing cyberbullying instead of merely putting up with it. Of course,
the youth themselves also have to be more responsible with what information they post online. As a
user of a social networking site, what the content of their site would be on their own jurisdiction.
However, they should be more aware on what could be considered as inappropriate content. As a
campaign of a local media here in the Philippines say: Think before you click.