The National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT) officially launched its new research “The Filipino Child and Media: Media consumption, Parental mediation and Classroom performance” on March 27, 2019 at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria.

  Dr. Ma. Lourdes "Honey" Carandang, Council Member   (from left to right) Council Members Ms. Alice Pañares, Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, and Ms. Yasmin Mapua-Tang  

The study was conducted in partnership with Far Eastern University (FEU) Manila and took place from May 2018 to March 2019. In continuation from the first research conducted by NCCT last 2015, the study was conducted as part of NCCT’s mission to further explore children’s media habits and patterns not only in television viewing, but also on their social media use and video gaming. Parents’ involvement in their children’s media use is also heavily emphasized and focused on by the researchers.

 

The research was conducted among Grades 1 to 6 school children in public and private schools in the Philippines. It had a total of 2,203 participants of which 1,007 were pupils, 1,007 were parents and 189 were teacher-advisers from NCR, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It covered urban and rural areas with high media consumption based on the 2015 NCCT research.

  (from left to right) Mr. Ramon "Bong" Osorio, Council Member, Mr. John Isaac Hilario, NCCT Researcher, Ms. Airan Patricia Bueno, NCCT Researcher, Prof. Flordeliz Abanto, FEU Researcher, Dr. Joseph Francisco, LPU Researcher and Prof. Jan Patrick Gutierrez, FEU Researcher   (from left to right) Mr. John Isaac Hilario, Ms. Airan Patricia Bueno, Prof. Flordeliz Abanto, and Dr. Joseph Francisco   Ms. Alice Pañares, Council Member  

Results of the study reveal that Filipino school children are now watching less TV as they also start spending more hours on mobile phones to watch YouTube videos, update their social media and play video games. Parents and children involved in the surveys and focus group discussions reported that they watch TV together, but children are more often left unattended when they use social media and play video games.

 

The study concluded that there is a need for digital media and information literacy to be taught among teachers, children and parents as this recent study points at the numerous adverse impacts of media and exposure to age inappropriate media content to children’s overall well-being (cognitive, psychological, social, behavioral and health impact).

  Prof. Jan Patrick Gutierrez, FEU Researcher   Dr. Joseph Francisco, LPU Researcher   Prof. Flordeliz Abanto, FEU Researcher  

It echoed the suggestion of children and parents to have more child-friendly media content, stricter regulation of internet cafes, and engage family into more social activities like sports, outdoor activities and other bonding moments with relatives.

 

The research aims to contribute greatly in developing policy studies and in ensuring that the programs of the agency are relevant and are adaptive to the generation’s current trends.

 

You may download a copy of the Research results here.