Technology brings so much ease in running the household in this day and age but modernity has its downside. Both parents usually work to support the family’s needs and they are left with two choices in dealing with kids: leave them with a relative or yaya. With the latter option, it is tough enough to leave their dear offsprings to a total stranger but even harder to make sure Yaya is honest. How do parents detect a major fib?
ARE THE KIDS EATING PROPERLY? Responsible parents can almost ensure their children eat right by leaving healthy foods in the fridge and cupboard and instructing Yaya which to chow for meals and snacks. Question is, are they actually being fed? Children have different eating styles. Some easily take whatever is spoon-fed but the more independent ones flatly refuse and need more coaxing. Nannies are different characters, too. Some are very patient in feeding youngsters and some just give up easily.
A doctor-friend Doc Don was alarmed when he noticed his daughter getting thin. She was not exhibiting any signs of sickness and Yaya assured him the baby had a good appetite. The weight loss remained a puzzle until a neighbor tipped that Yaya had the habit of chatting away with the subdivision security guards. Since his wife could not take a leave of absence, he sacrificed a great chunk of his professional life to make sure his youngest recovered from malnourishment. He discovered that his little girl ate so little and hardly finished four ounces of formula milk. The tot was more than a year old and should be consuming at least 6 ounces per feeding. After confirming the neighbor’s report of the nanny’s neglect, he fired the negligent Yaya.
ARE THE KIDS SAFE AT HOME? Parents cannot help but be paranoid with all the news about children being kidnapped. It is one thing for a stranger to abduct a minor but it is scarier if Yaya exposes your child to this kind of danger.
Little Mickey is a usually messy eater and an active toddler so Mommy Mia got wary when her son’s clothes piled up in the hamper without much smudge and dust. Yaya happily reported how her charge is handling the spoon better now. Yaya even boasted about her extra care to keep Little Mickey from getting dirty. Mia was not convinced so she decided to spot-check. She usually sent text messages to Yaya to know how Little Mickey is doing. Once, she decided to make a random call. Voila! Mia caught the ambient sounds of cars speeding by from her cell phone. It turned out Yaya was a regular window shopper of the nearby town center mall tagging along Little Mickey. Yaya was given ample warning. Thankfully, she tried to stay indoors afterwards and just contented herself with the family’s weekend visits to the mall.
ARE THE KIDS WELL TAKEN CARE OF? Mark is a contractor and stays home most of the time unless there were client calls. He and his wife Lily just needed some assistance in caring for the kids so they hired a nanny on-call.
The children were old enough to tell their parents if there was something wrong so Mark and Lily were quite at ease when they were both away. But the clever yaya sneaked out during naptime to do her own laundry and chores at her place. The kids were totally unaware of her trips.
Yaya reasoned that she makes sure the kids were fed well and their needs were taken care of when they are awake so it is okay to steal some of her paid working hours for her own family’s needs.
Good thing, a concerned neighbor who runs a store sees yaya leave every afternoon and quietly return after a few hours. The old lady lectured yaya on the need to be around even as the kids doze off. It was her responsibility to keep guard. Yaya would not hear any of it so the kindly granny opted to tell Mark and Lily about it. The couple did not have second thoughts parting with the yaya and took an old relative to take over.
ARE THE KIDS HURT? Kathy and Gilbert had the scare of their lives when their 3-year old started running a fever and throwing up. Pushed to confess, Yaya admitted that her ward fell off the third step of the stairs the night before and hit her head on the cemented landing. The husband-and-wife lost no time in rushing their unica hija to the hospital. Much to their relief, the cause of their little girl’s vomits was not brain damage. She over-ate popcorn. It was too much for her tiny tummy to process.
Janine just gave birth to their second baby when her husband Rudy got an alarming call from his sister-in-law. It turned out their toddler was in her walker when Yaya rushed outside to get the laundry as it started to rain. She made sure the door was shut but the baby somehow managed to pry it open and tumbled on to the front lawn head first. The in-laws live in the nearby house and rushed to the rescue when they heard their niece’s painful cries. Her face was full of scratches after landing on the gravel walkway. Although scared, Yaya spewed out the whole story and profusely apologized. Janine warned Rudy beforehand not to lose his temper despite the unnerving incident. She knew how dependable Yaya was and it could have been equally unsettling for her. Upon the doctor’s advice, the tiny tyke was observed for symptoms of a head injury. Thankfully, she did not vomit, run a fever or become weak and was active as ever.
ARE THE KIDS “OVER-DISCIPLINED”? There are numerous horror stories of caregivers getting too physical when kids get rowdy. It is easier if the kids are a bit older since they could always tell Mommy and Daddy if Yaya is abusing her authority but newborns and toddlers are totally helpless. Parents have no choice but to be vigilant of telltale signs like unexplained bruises or scratches and the child’s sudden loss of appetite, inactiveness or changes in behavior.
LESSEN THE LIES. Three common denominators arise from the cases cited to promote honesty among nannies. (1) Be good to your neighbors and their genuine concern will naturally crop up especially in looking after your children. (2) Be observant of your kids’ well-being. There are always detectable physical traces of abuse. (3) Fear of being scolded or fired are major reasons for a cover-up. Learn to deal with them gently in small faults to encourage nannies to tell the truth when it really matters.
Did you know that starting 40 years old, adults start losing muscle mass? I wished I knew that.
Research shows that 9 out of 10 aging adults aren’t meeting the daily recommended amounts of key nutrients for a healthy and active life. From the ages of 40 to 70+ years of age, adults can lose up to 33% of muscle mass. Muscle loss may not always be visible, but it can manifest through symptoms such as weakness, slower walking speed, unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, body pain and cramps.
I had my strength tested with the free hand grip strength and my strength is till within normal range.
I have heard of Ensure Gold from my parents-in-law because they drink it so I always associate this brand with elderly adults. Not anymore.
The new Ensure Gold® is an adult nutrition supplement, scientifically formulated with high quality protein, calcium, vitamin D and 28 vitamins and minerals to help build muscle mass and help adults Stay Strong®. A unique nutritional ingredient in Ensure Gold® is HMB, a metabolite of the essential amino acid leucine. HMB is naturally found in small amounts in some foods and in your body, but levels may decline with age. HMB has been shown to support muscle health.
Dr. Jun Dimaano, medical director for Abbott Nutrition Asia Pacific said, “Abbott helps people live their best life by providing nutritional support for Filipinos’ ageing loved ones. We believe nutrition is the foundation of good health and we are excited to bring the new Ensure Gold ® with HMB as a gift of strength to adults in the Philippines, so they can continue doing the things they love.
Remember that we need 600 muscles to stand up, 200 muscles to take a single step down the stairs and 133 muscles to dance?
The death of someone we know always reminds us that we are still alive – perhaps for some purpose which we ought to re-examine. Mignon McLaughlin
I am saddened that Juned Sonido, a fellow blogger and one of the co-founders of BlogWatch passed away on July 7, 2019. I didn’t get to read the sad news until Monday morning when I checked my phone. Our friendship dates back 13 years ago when I was still new in blogging. “A celebration of life” is probably the best phrase to describe what I am writing here. Remembering his life through my blog posts and photos is like looking back at history in Philippine blogging when bloggers met up for the first time. Bloggers were referred to as “new media publishers” then “emerging media” and today, “influencers”, “content creators” . I searched for my old blog posts with mentions of “Juned” and found these. Some of the photos are from Facebook and friends. I am more detailed in the years before BlogWatch because most of the activities can be read at his articles at https://blogwatch.tv/author/juned-sonido/ and his blog at http://baratillo.net . Perhaps I will write a separate post on his advocacy and musings.
This marked the first time I met Juned Sonido. Bloggers in Metro Manila met up at the 1st Philippine BlogCon (Meet the Bloggers) . I was pretty excited about this meet up. No formal program was planned, just meet and greet fellow bloggers. I don’t have a photo with Juned but I was struck by the name of his blog, baratillo.net. I talked on “Content is Still King”. Abe Olandres talked on “History of Blogging in the Philippines & Professional Blogging” while Jayvee Fernandez on Blogging as New Media vis-a-vis MSM. Marc Macalua talked of “SEO and Blog Make-Over”. How exciting it was to meet fellow bloggers.
December 23, 2006 – Christmas Blogger Meetup
Abe Olandres organized the longest EB I have ever attended. I went home midnight. I thought I was only going to stay for 1 hour. Quite a number of bloggers were present including Juned and my daughter, Lauren. The 20 bloggers present in this meetup must have enjoyed the conversation so much.
June 24, 2007- Dinner and Conversation with the Band of Bloggers
It was Juned’s idea that we meet up in our homes. He once said
I still remember the dinner parties at our house. They were fun and less costly. But, now it seems to be a thing of the past.
It doesn’t have to be that way, Juned. I told him. Though technology and urbanization indeed has made things so much more convenient for us, dinners and great conversation should never be a thing of the past. I had just moved to our new home and I used it as an excuse for a party. Together with my daughter, we hosted a housewarming party for the Band of Bloggers like Jayvee, Abe, Gail, Marc, Sasha, Aileen, Rico, Marc , Sharms and Juned. At the same time, it served as one of the small intimate gatherings for my 50th birthday celebration. Perhaps we had such a great time, that we ended at 2:00 PM
Three B bloggers?
July 4, 2007- Taste Asia Food Fest at the SM Hypermarket
This is probably the first time bloggers met in one big place. Brands and companies now tapped bloggers to their events. The Taste Asia Food Fest laid out laptops as well as food.
By this time, PR started to invite us to their clients‘ product launches. The benefits of blogging not only spread the word on my advocacy but brought friendships and adventure in this “new media publishing”. One time, Juned and I attended an anti-dandruff shampoo event. He muttered, “I don’t need this”. The question that went through my mind that time was, “Why is there a need to launch another anti-dandruff shampoo?” Because inviting bloggers were so new back then, we often stayed together. Sometimes Juned and I would ask ourselves, “what are we doing here?”.
September 9, 2007 – Helping my daughter in a group’s focused group discussion
For the love of my daughter, I gathered five bloggers for a focused group discussion for her Psychology 118 study over at my house for a Friday night dinner. It was such a short notice and knowing young bloggers, their friday night often gets fully booked. Am I glad that Dine, Shari, Juned, Rico and Sasha took time off from their busy schedules for a round table discussion on why bloggers blog.
At that time, Juned and I have the same reasons on why we blogged.
1. I blog to point things out. Anything worth pointing both tho beautiful and not-so-beautiful, the exciting and the mundane; A perfect ice crystal or the drip-drop and sloosh of the monsoon as it makes its way to the house.
2. To chronicle events. To record things for posterity and probably more i importantly to record events from your own perspective.
3. To move people or a group a desired way. It could be political and then again it could be not. The important thing to remember is the personal need to motivate, convince and a maybe even inspire.
4. To satisfy the Ego.
Blog and Soul Movement
Photo via Aileen Apolo
The Blog and Soul Movement initiated by Jayvee brought us together again. I remember this was such a busy week. Bloggers were in demand to talk in a bloggers kapihan and then this new movement. The goals of the Blog and Soul Movement : (i) Blogcentric; (ii) Skills enhancing; (iii) Fun and (iv) altruistic.
October 7, 2007 – Nintendo Wii Games are Fun
If I didn’t know what the Nintendo Wii Games Console was all about, I would have thought my daughter together with Juned, Jayvee were loonies waving their “wands” about in front of my TV set.
Those were the days, when bloggers would hang out at our house and I allowed them to sleep over. The podcast taping materialized at 12 midnight after they played Wii. For the first time in a long time, I slept at 4:00 am
October 21, 2007 Thank You Day Concert
I took this photo when Geiser Maclang called bloggers onstage during the “Thank you day concert” . It was thoughtful of them to acknowledge the bloggers and even called us on stage to stand beside the hosts for a countdown of the Sweet Shower. I guess it was their way of saying “Thank You” for the online viral campaign of the National Thank You Day.
March 9, 2008- Butch Dalisay and Writing Tips
Photo via Jane Uymatiao
For the month of March, I invited Butch Dalisay to talk on Creative Non-Fiction for bloggers at the Kape Isla in Serendra. This was also an activity of the Blog & Soul Movement.
Here were the tips that I gathered from the two hour conversation with Butch and the 22 bloggers in attendance.
1. You are your first audience. You have to please yourself. If you are not happy with your blog, then who else will read it?
2. When you think of your readers, you write for a reasonably intelligent reader. Your reader is just smart as you are. That’s the reader worth going forth.
3. When you write about yourself, it’s never just yourself. It can’t be. Who the hell are you anyway? Why should your life be so interesting to people? It could be interesting only up to a certain point. There’s got to be a point when you are no longer talking about yourself. Or even when you are, there are points others can relate to .
4. Educate , enlighten and entertain. Have a way to make them accessible and funny. Using self-deprecating humor makes your reader feel relaxed and that’s what creates a bond.
5. Find the image that will capture the idea rather than express the idea itself.
6. Move towards one syllable words. The simpler the word the better. It is not the fancy word that carries the story.
7. Read authors you want to emulate. Stop reading authors that don’t write as well as you. You won’t grow.
He added that “Blogs are here to stay. Standards will emerge. People and readers will develop a sense of good and bad. Someone will not set these standards. People will be discerning of the writer and the reader.”
It’s been eleven years since we talked Butch Dalisay. Is his prediction of blogging still relevant today?
2008 Philippine Blog Awards
The Philippine Blog Awards started in 2007 but it was only incorporated in 2008. I was the first President & CEO of the Philippine Blogging Inc. and Juned took over in 2009. The other officers are Gail Villanueva and Jayvee Fernandez. It wasn’t easy getting sponsors that time since bloggers were still so new. At that time, the awarding was open to all Filipino bloggers who have full ownership of their blogs. This implied that blogs belonging to blog networks or corporate blogs couldn’t be included because of ownership rights. The awards paid homage to “grassroots bloggers” who built up their blogs from their own efforts.
August 8, 2009 – Meeting Secretary Mar Roxas
The buzz at that time was that Senator Mar Roxas was likely to run for the 2010 Presidential Elections. He saw the potential of bloggers and new media to promote his advocacies. I was really hesitant about the whole meeting idea because first of all, I don’t like politics. Second, I felt uncomfortable having to “chikka” with a senator. But I was with fellow bloggers like Juned, Sonnie. Abe and others
December 10, 2008 – Orbit Event at Chef Laudico Bistro Filipino
December 18, 2008-Department of Tourism/MTV 2009 Plans
Secretary Ace Durano and MTV present to bloggers a sneak peek into DOT and MTV Plans for 2009. Happy Slip (Christine Gambito) was also present during the dinner
January 9, 2009 – Another meet up with Mar Roxas
I found myself once again with Mar Roxas and other political bloggers last f at the Balai Ni Mar in Cubao’s Araneta Center
April 19, 2009- Blogging & Blog Marketing: Conversations that can lead to Conversions
I thought we were supposed to be an observer/participant of the Bloggers’ round table discussion on Blogging & Blog Marketing: Conversations that can lead to Conversions at the Internet Marketing Course specifically called Winning Internet Marketing Strategies & Tactics at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) . We ended up seated as panelists on blogging, blog advertising and blog events. It was during this panel, that we laid out what bloggers are:
Bloggers are diverse: We come in all shapes & sizes, and different backgrounds, interests & motivations
Despite the diversity, bloggers have one big thing in common: passion
Bloggers follow a personal code of ethics (e.g. advertising, blogger events, etc.)
For most bloggers, online reputation matters
When working with bloggers, authenticity of the advocacy & commitment of the company/proponent is important (i.e. “one shot advocacy events,” hard sell to bloggers)
Money is generally looked down upon as a reward/incentive
When working with bloggers, companies should strive to make an impression and make sure the blogger has a story to tell after the event
October 10, 2009 – 3rd Philippine Blog Awards
Juned took over as the President of the Philippine Blog Awards.
September 4, 2010 Embassy of the United States in Manila invites bloggers
The government inviting bloggers was slowly catching on. It was a matter of time that the embassies in the Philippines would invite bloggers to their reception or events.
August 2011- Tatt Awards
Photo via Globe Tatto Tatt Awards page. Blog Watch members who are Tatt Awards Finalists Dean Jorge Bocobo, Jane Uymatiao, Noemi Dado, Dine Racoma, and Juned Sonido
We didn’t often see each other that often in media events of brands
We were at the Samsung 5 launch
ASEAN social media coverage
In January 2017, Juned, Sonnie and I were hired as consultants for the Committee on Media Affairs and Strategic Communications, led by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) for the the ASEAN 30th Summit and Related Meetings . 2017 was a busy year for us and we saw each every week for work.
February 2017- BlogWatch Core group meeting
#AllMediaPH
Juned was part of a public consultation held by the Presidential Communication Operations Office . It was a town hall themed event and had participation from attendees on-site and online — via Facebook and Twitter. Around twelve of us were resource persons given five minutes to give our comment on the draft policy.
It wasn’t all work.
2018- Democracy and Disinformation Conference
It saddens me that after our busy year, we barely met up in 2018 and 2019. This was the last time Juned and I were together. I gave up my slot as a panelist for the “Disinformation and Social Media: The Global Experience” because I thought he would give another perspective.
Though we communicated online, I did not want to disturb him after I found out he was hospitalized late last year. Knowing Juned , he avoids talking about himself but I should have followed my instincts. A few days before I left for the farm this weekend, he was always on my thoughts. Perhaps , this is why I wrote this post.
I am filled with regrets, with questions of “why? If only? I should have” , “why God? ” but I am also aware that all these are part of my grief talking . He also leaves behind the people who loved and cared for him, for truly, it is in us that Juned will live on. How? Because we – the ones who were touched by his grace – will share with the world, the parts of us he was able to influence. This is what a man truly leaves behind when he passes.
And though these memories may bring back pain, they bring back memories of joy. All these because pain is the price I pay for someone who touched my life.
Yes, I am comforted with the knowledge that Juned will be forever alive in my heart and in my memories.
Juned, you know, I love you. Every life you have touched will forever live on. Until we meet again my friend, I will carry your precious legacies within my heart..
Below is the last photo I took of Juned. I want to remember him this way: thoughtful, kind and insightful. You will be missed, Juned.
I would like to end with a quote from Thomas Campbell.
To live in hearts we leave behind Is not to die. ~Thomas Campbell
Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live. ~Norman Cousins~
Rising skills signal tech transformation in industries in the Philippines: LinkedIn studyMy good friend asked me what I should tell her son who is interested to pursue digital marketing. I have already written on Emerging jobs in the Philippines reveal growing demand for talent with hybrid skills. One must understand what skills to look for instead of job titles. Digital competence, is composed of a blend of hard and soft skills. There are many possible ways to develop skills on digital competency. I shared the current report of LinkedIN‘ s Future of Skills 2019 Report, which identifies the top 10 rising skills of LinkedIn members in the region over the last 5 years. LinkedIN looked at the skills listed by members with the highest month-on-month growth. As part of the report, LinkedIn also conducted a deep dive into employees’ readiness to tackle the future workforce and how L&D professionals are responding to the skills transformation.
Remember, World Economic Forum reveals 65% percent of children entering primary school will end up in jobs that don’t yet exist. So if you have kids wondering what skills to pursue, let them be aware of the future of work and the skills required in traditional industries. ?
Anticipating rising skills to ensure businesses stay competitive
As traditional industries adopt
new technology and ride the wave of digital transformation to improve
operations and introduce new products and services, it is unsurprising that the
top rising skills in APAC are dominated by technology-related skills.
These rising skills can be used
as a signpost for organisations to determine how the industry is innovating and
transforming, and help their employees cope with the pace of change through upskilling.
The report also studied the top three rising skill categories in each country that
are more prevalent compared to the APAC average. These are the skills that have
a higher prominence in the Philippines compared to the region:
Rising skill
What do professionals
with these skills do?
Examples of
occupations with these skills
Social media marketing
Promoting
products and/ or services through social media platforms to achieve business
goals
•
Digital Marketing Specialist
•
Marketing Manager
•
Social Media Marketing Specialist
Frontend Web Development
Converting
data to?a graphical interface to build websites?or web apps
•
Frontend Developer
• Full
Stack Engineer
• Web Developer
Human-Centred
Design
Developing
solutions to problems with a deep focus of understanding the human
perspective in all steps of the process
•
Graphics Designer?
•
Product Designer?
• User
Experience Designer
Feon Ang, Vice President for Talent and Learning Solutions, Asia Pacific, LinkedIn shares: “As digitalisation continues to transform the workforce at a rapid speed, certain skills are becoming less in-demand simply because different skill sets are required to navigate such transformation. It is therefore important for organisations to have a deep understanding of their current talent pool, and how to evolve it for their long-term business goals. Helping current talent to upskill or reskill early can help organisations ensure that their future talent needs are met.”
“While we encourage organisations to tap on real-time data and insights to help inform them about trends in the talent marketplace, we also believe that embracing a culture of learning is just as important for organisations to remain resilient amidst a rapidly changing workforce,” said Ang.“At the same time, employees need to be empowered and motivated to learn on their own terms, given difficulties in finding time and accessing opportunities.”
Encourage our children to develop hard and soft skills even outside their education. The future of work won’t be about degrees says Stephane Kasriel, Upwork CEO . “More and more, it’ll be about skills. And no one school, whether it be Harvard, General Assembly or Udacity, can ever insulate us from the unpredictability of technological progression and disruption.”
Kaspersky strongly advises Filipino parents to keep a closer eye on their children’s online activities on the heels of soaring web threats the company has been monitoring in the country. From its latest data, the cybersecurity company confirmed that 82.46% of web threats from January to December 2018 have attempted to attack home users in the Philippines.
The global cybersecurity company also recorded over a 230%
increase on annual web-based infections in the Philippines for 2018 at
31,887,231 versus 2017’s 9,487,775. These web threats were scanned and blocked
by Kaspersky Lab products when its users accessed websites or downloaded online
files.
About 33.39% of the country’s population currently make up
the 0-14 age group while 19.16% comprise the 15-25 age bracket according to
statistics from data portal IndexMundi.
Latest data from the
cybersecurity company revealed that the following categories of websites were
the most popular among Filipino children, which they have either visited or
attempted to visit from their computers:
1. software, audio and
video – 42.04%
2. internet
communication sites (social networks, messengers, chats, and online forums) –
29.17%%
3. e-commerce (online
stores) – 16.04%
4. news – 4.76%
5. computer games –
3.76%
Gathered from May 2018 to May 2019, the
report confirms that kids are now fast moving towards the use of mobile devices
for their online activities instead of using computers.
“The younger set is
undeniably the most connected of all age groups today. Some even have their
digital presence laid down long before they are even born — the consequence of
our inherent nature of sharing that has crossed over to the internet world. And
when these kids get older, they exhibit curiosity, another primitive instinct,
but which they do online albeit carelessly. Just as the internet has been used
to empower individuals, communities and nations, so too can it be used to
destroy reputations, steal identities and hurt the vulnerable, particularly our
children,”
said Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Kaspersky Southeast Asia.
“When it comes to kids’
online safety though, we recommend that parents should step in so that the
balance is tipped for good. By staying in constant contact with them plus
getting a little help from advanced security solutions, parents can continue to
harness the positive benefits of the internet and keep their children safe from
online dangers simultaneously,” he said.
In the Philippines, mobile broadband is becoming more
affordable than fixed broadband and it’s one of the countries where Facebook
offers its Free Basics service which allows users to get free access or what
Filipinos refer to as “free data”. This enables anyone in the country with an
internet-ready mobile phone to access the web instantly and without limits.
Recent figures show Filipinos surf the net from two to 10 hours daily.
“As a cyber security professional and soon-to-be-dad myself, the online security of my child is surely going to be one of my foremost concerns. We’re lucky that, as modern-day parents, we’re now presented with an array of tools to safeguard our children from online threats so parenting becomes easier. We don’t need to protect them the old-fashioned way anymore! Kaspersky Safe Kids is one solution that empowers parents to be fully aware of their kids’ online activities without the need to check their devices frequently and still respecting the children’s privacy,” said Eunice Quilantang, Pre-Sales Manager for Kaspersky Southeast Asia.
Kaspersky Safe Kids is a feature in Kaspersky Total Security
(KTS). With this module, parents can now:
Manage the child’s screen time
View the child’s location using a GPS tracker with a real-time online map
Know the child’s device battery level so they can be warned to recharge the device
Monitor their public Facebook activity
Block access to adult websites and content for most platforms
Kaspersky Total Security is available online at https:/www.kaspersky.com at P2,764 (1 device for 1 year), P3,801
(1 device for 2 years) and P3,455 (3 devices for 1 year). KTS can also be purchased from the on-demand subscription service
through telco company Smart where a single license costs P30 for 7days (Text
KTS30 to 8933) and P120 for 30 days (Text KTS120 to 8933).
Below are top tips from experts at Kaspersky for parents to
help internet-proof children:
1. Have the talk regularly. Be involved in
children’s online activities from an early age so this is the established norm.
Encourage communication so you can both learn from each other and to help build
mutual trust.
2. Set boundaries. Ensure that children know what is acceptable
and what is not. Also make them aware of the consequences of going somewhere
that they shouldn’t or using tech when they shouldn’t be. This should be
reviewed as child gets older.
3. Use available resources. Understand that there’s a lot of help as you
raise digital children. Use the resources provided by some companies or
organizations such as parental control software as well as tips and techniques
to better manage kids who use digital devices. Also remember that not everyone
has the same parenting style and that is OK — pick and choose what is right for
you and your family. If a situation ever seems like it is going out of control,
especially with cyberbullying or pedophiles, remember that you can get help
from the local law enforcement agency.
Public outrage this past week focused on the decision of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) on six of its students “in possession of ‘voyeuristic’ images of PSHS female students which had been uploaded and shared online without the victims’ consent.” Parents, teachers, students and concerned citizens protested against the Board of Trustees’ initial decision to allow all six students to attend the graduation ceremony, even after two school committees recommended against it. The PSHS board reversed its decision a few days later, by not allowing the six students involved in the controversy to march at the graduation rites on May 29. Three students would receive their diplomas, while three would only get certificates of completion of the six-year program.
I recall a similar indignation in 2012 when five high school students from St. Theresa’s College (STC) Cebu, were prohibited from joining their graduation rites. Five students involved in the controversy uploaded photos on Facebook showing them in bikinis and with alcohol and cigarettes. They could not take part in the baccalaureate Mass and the graduation rites that would have capped their high school lives. The school based the sanction imposed on the students on the provisions in the STC Handbook. One rule stipulates that students should not be “posing and uploading pictures on the internet that entail ample body exposure.” Having studied in STC Cebu, I am aware of how strict the school could be. The vagueness of “ample body exposure” leaves the interpretation up to whoever is looking at the pictures. This allows school authorities such a broad latitude and allows for arbitrariness, the subject of controversy. The students also said they “were deeply hurt and cried” after being scolded by the officials whom they accused of humiliating them with abusive language, calling them “easy, drunks and addicts.”
Two years later, the Supreme Court Third Division denied a petition for the issuance of a writ of habeas data filed by parents of two of the five sanctioned students. In resolving the case, high court also reminded social networking users to be cautious and aware of the risks they expose themselves to when they engage in cyberspace activities. “Information, otherwise private, voluntarily surrendered by them could be opened, read or copied by third parties who may or may not be allowed access to such,” the Supreme Court added.Advertisements
These two incidents are similar in the sense that both involved students violating the schools’ student’s code of conduct. But the PSHS issue is different since it could involve a violation of Republic Act 9995 Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 or the “Anti-Photo and Video……” if the victims file a case. My friend, Michelle Estor raised a question: “What does is it say about us as parents, as decision makers, and as a society, when young women who are judged as immoral for the clothes they wear and for their foolish decisions suffer the exact same punishment as these sexual predators, who not only betrayed the trust of friends, but who actually committed crimes and violated laws? if not for the relentless vigilance of the students, the parents, and the alumni, these predators would have been marching now in the same hall where their victims would have cowered in unjustified shame.”
The STC Cebu girls in 2012 didn’t stand a chance.
What I find disappointing is the statement of PSHS. The PSHS Board urged the media and the public “to respect the privacy and maintain the dignity of our scholars and not aggravate the issue further, which unnecessarily puts those children’s future at risk.”
Sorry, PSHS Board of Trustees, “Sexual misconduct and harassment are not private issues, they are problems that everyone faces,” Betty Romero, my other friend, called out. For every sexual predator, a mother, father, friend, school or a community enabled, tolerated or allowed them to go unpunished. While the names of the students should remain private, what happened at PSHS needs to become part of a national conversation. This is to ensure the future and safety of all young women and men, not just PSHS students.
The Board added that, “Everyone should move forward from this incident and provide the needed support to the students and the PSHS community.” The way to move forward is continuing the conversations, no matter how difficult it is. Education and awareness on the consequences to both girls and boys in such situations must continue. My friend adds that “there is a need to keep this topic alive until things change, until victim blaming stops, until young men realize that they should never share photos of the young women who trust them.”
A digital savings account that encourages a healthy savings mindset is now possible. ING Philippines redefine savings with the launch of its all-digital platform. Opening an ING digital savings account was seamless. I downloaded the ING mobile app and in 10 minutes, I was ready for mobile banking by depositing a check through the app. How convenient that I need not go to the bank to deposit the check.
ING’s country manager in the Philippines Hans Sicat described this as an opportune moment for ING to expand its presence in the country with a retail banking service anchored on a digital platform. With a universal bank license in the Philippines, ING has been active in the country since 1990. “ING wants to encourage more Filipinos to save by giving an attractive interest rate of 2.5 percent per annum (p. a.) with no minimum amount and no lock-in period,” Sicat said.
There are six reasons ING digital savings account is worth looking at.
1. It is the first bank savings product where all bank transactions are conducted through the ING mobile app.
It is the first bank authorized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to allow end-to-end electronic onboarding of the customers via the mobile phone by using the latest in facial recognition technology.
2. A higher interest rate of 2.5 percent p.a. on savings balance of up to P10 million would be offered to ING users starting June 1, 2019. Any amount over P10 million would earn an interest rate of 1 percent p.a.
If you compare the interest rates with other banks, ING offers even higher than time deposit rates. Most savings accounts from major banks in the Philippines grow funds at 0.10 percent to 0.25 percent p.a.. A few high-interest savings accounts give up to 1.56 percent p.a. depending on the amount. All these banks require a minimum amount to earn interest. What’s the catch? One gets better rates because ING has lower operating costs since they do not have physical branches.Advertisements
3. No minimum amount or holding period.
The ING Savings Account offers high interest rate with no minimum amount. If one wants to withdraw the money from their ING Savings Account, transfer of funds is free to any bank in the Philippines in just a few clicks via the ING app. There is no holding period to enjoy the 2.5 percent interest rate p.a.
4. Deposit anytime, anywhere.
You could deposit money into your ING Savings Account through your mobile phone, either via check deposit or money transfers from other banks’ online banking channels. Your bank must have the PESONet or InstaPay system which lists “ING” as one of the receiving banks. Using the ING app, a customer could deposit to his account by taking a picture of any check issued by any bank based in the Philippines. The check image goes to the same interbank check clearing system. This game-changing feature is the first ever approved by the Philippine Clearing House Corp. Deputy Governor Fonacier of BSP says “ING is one of the first few banks to adopt PESONet, and now, they are also connected to the Instapay platform. Both are initiatives by the BSP to promote digital fund transfers.”
5. Convenience is a primary consideration.
Whenever I visit the nearest branch of my bank, I need to park and pay at least P50 for parking then queue to deposit my check. I end up spending too since I am already at the mall. Even looking for a parking space in branches outside the mall is a challenge. Those working close to the banks don’t face the same challenge as a work-at-home mom like myself. Since it’s all digital, you need not take a day off to take care of your banking needs. They could answer questions through the 24/7 customer chat support on the app.
6. Compliant with ING’s global standards and BSP’s standards.
ING mobile-only business model in the Philippines was built from the ground up. As a global bank with over 20 years expertise in branchless banking, they use the latest security
features under ING’s global standards. Since ING is a member of Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC), the maximum deposit insurance for each depositor is P500,000.
The ING savings account is its first product. More products would be rolled out soon, focusing not just on the features but also how the product would be delivered. ING is not just another digital banking product. With its high interest rate, it allows Filipinos to achieve their savings goals faster such as building an emergency fund. I could see myself saving more with the ING app.
Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. ~Mother Teresa
With the advent of selfies, looking good in the pic matters or else, why take selfies at all?
A few years ago, my friends lamented , “Why do you manage to look so nice in all the photos? ” We were making goofy faces with the photo booth in Dine’s macbook and all of us were having a ball experimenting with our smiles. I glanced at the photo and caught my usual upper smile, my mouth slightly open with the upper teeth seen. I tell them “the secret is because I practiced the art of smiling since my teen years.” Let me tell you why.
As the daughter of a very fair skinned mom, my cruel uncles ( the brothers of my mom) often teased I was “negra”. I was made to believe that being “negra” is ugly. What has color got to do with beauty anyway? I grew up believing I was ugly which in effect made me shy and feeling well “ugly”. I don’t know why my mother never stopped my uncles from calling me such horrible names. Then I became a teenager. I was fixing the bed of my mom and caught a reflection of myself in the mirror. I tossed my long glossy straight hair and then stared at my face . I smiled at my reflection and liked what I saw . I said to myself “You’re not ugly after all.” Maybe I was just being narcissistic after seeing myself with a smile instead of a scowl but from that day on, I smiled at my reflection whenever I passed by the mirror.
My sisters also got the smiling genes.
(Taken 2010.)
But despite perfecting the art of smiling, there was a time I couldn’t smile. Look at my no-glow smile photo below. Sure, my lips curve back and my mouth opens to expose the upper teeth but my eyes are lifeless. This was during the darkest moments of my grief journey and the time I suffered from borderline obesity.
See, there’s more to smiling than just moving the lips.
How does one develop a genuine, infectious smile?
It starts inside of you. If you are happy, it radiates and shows in the twinkle of your eyes.
1. Believe that you are beautiful inside and out. Your smile is bound to look better if you feel good about yourself!
2. Look in the mirror and start practicing until it becomes a natural reaction.
You have no need for the “The Beauty Smile Trainer” a mouthpiece designed specifically to make your smile wider and more amicable than the one you already have.
Every mouth is shaped differently and there types of smiles which work only for you. Check the 5 types of smiles which suit you.
Determine your best smile.
3. Smile with your eyes. When we think of smiling, we think of the mouth, but the eyes may actually be more essential to a warm, genuine smile. Once your eyes are smiling, they tend to pull your whole face (including your mouth) into a natural, beautiful smile. Here is a tip on how to smile with the eyes
Smiling with your eyes is difficult to describe–in general your cheekbones lift slightly and your eyebrows dip a little–but when you see it, you know it: it’s that look of your eyes “lighting up” or “twinkling.” To get a feel for how to make your eyes smile, get in front of a mirror and practice smiling, but concentrate only on your eyes. You may find it helpful to cover the lower part of your face with a piece of paper. Play around with it a bit, and you’ll find that you can make your mouth smile when your eyes aren’t smiling, and you can also smile only with your eyes. When your eyes do smile, remember how it feels, which muscles are working and how. With practice, you’ll be able to smile with your eyes at will.
4. Take practice shots from your digital camera. Raise your chin slightly if your photos tend to show your flabby chin. Knowing your best angle also helps.
5. Just have fun. Be in a happy state of mind and the smile will show.
The smiles show in my family.
How do you smile? Do you have other tips that developed your winning smile?
Youth fades, love droops, the leaves of friendship fall. A mother’s secret hope outlives them all. – Oliver Wendell Holmes
I was once a mother with small kids. There are so many amazing mommy experiences that I want to capture them in a few photos. I loved watching my girls sing, laugh, and play together. There were just two of them for the first six years until Luijoe came later. I miss being a mom of little kids. At that time, all I could think of “hurry up. Grow up fast”. Now I look back and see their cute adorable faces and often sign “why did they grow up so fast”. I will always be a mother in every stage of my children’s life. There is a quote that says “a man’s work is from sun to sun, but a mother’s work is never done.’ The needs change in every stage but they will always be my children.
Let me take you down to memory lane.
Laughing even if little Lauren says ” I am tired of this photo shoot.
Being pregnant with M. as L. turns one year old. Spacing is always a good idea.
M named after the Dutch form of Mary. I was sick with acute Hepatitis B when I was 6 weeks pregnant. I prayed to Mother Mary so that my baby won’t get sick.
Not a good idea to wear longish hair style if your kids sleep with you.
Having two little kids in tow cause competition. Who should be in my arms? aww poor Lauren wanted to be carried too.
I don’t regret giving up my career to be a full-time mother. The lessons learned from being a mother makes me a better person today. My children taught me a lot. Those parenting books don’t really teach you much. One should take time to be attuned to one’s kids, and listen to their feelings.
My daughter thinks my dress is horrible in this photo but how would I have known? They have taught me how a mother should dress in style which I share in my Beauty Over 50 blog.
Then I was blessed to have three beautiful children. How I miss my little babies.
Having Luijoe at 35 years old meant it was harder to lose weight. I was 48 years old when I finally lost significant weight.
I was so fat that I was not inspired to have photos with Luijoe and me together. One of my regrets.
The truth is I made mistakes that makes me wish I could turn back the time. Yes, I cannot undo the past but I wish I had a support group of mom friends. Looking now at my mistakes, I would not have discovered my capacity to be a better person and more loving mother. No wonder Rajneesh mentioned that “the moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ”
Mothers these days are so lucky because they have access to information and support from other mothers. In those days as a young mother, I had to buy books that were hard to find.
Though Luijoe is not with me anymore, he lives in my heart. Just like my two girls, it’s been a short while I held their hands. I know I will hold their hearts forever.
I wish all the young mothers out there, to always take care of yourself . Do a “Pamper Me” once a week and most of all, play, enjoy and have fun with your kids (no matter what age they are).
A few years ago, my younger sister told me to watch the movie “Disconnect” which tackles the issues surrounding the internet from Webcam sex shows, identity theft, and cyber-bullying. Only Robinson Galleria was showing the movie. As an advocate for kids’ web safety, I thought of watching it to see if there is anything new. I won’t write any reviews but the movie can be summed up this way.
Disconnect is three stories, with each plot a dire warning about this new-fangled Internet technology. One story is about a local TV reporter (Andrea Riseborough) and her relationship with a young man (Max Thieriot) who does sex-cam shows. Another follows a married couple (Alexander Skarsgard and Paula Patton) who have their identity stolen, and are plunged further into debt. The third tale revolves around two high school kids (Colin Ford and Aviad Bernstein) who pretend to be a teenage girl on Facebook so they can play a cruel prank on their shy classmate (Jonah Bobo).
There is really nothing new with the movie. ““Disconnect” is best summed up by the words of the cyber detective, ““If you’re going to [expletive] with someone, do it to their face.” While identity theft, cyber-bullying, and underage sex performers are a reality, these do not define the communications in the Internet age. As a mother with kids during the early years of the internet in the mid nineties, I have always followed the golden rule that parenting online isn’t much different than parenting your child when they aren’t in front of a keyboard.
For our kids, social networking is an exciting way to stay informed, grow relationships and have fun.
Teens, Social Media, and Privacy
The fact is “teens are sharing more information about themselves on social media sites than they did in the past.” Although there are no studies done in the Philippines, results of a PEW survey of 802 teens that examines teens’ privacy management on social media sites is disturbing (You can read the full report here). Teens are sharing more information about themselves on social media sites than they did in the past such as the following:
91% post a photo of themselves, up from 79% in 2006.
71% post their school name, up from 49%.
71% post the city or town where they live, up from 61%.
53% post their email address, up from 29%.
20% post their cell phone number, up from 2%.
Knowing that these information may land in the wrong hands is worrisome. I also believe that teens should become more proactive with their safety . They need to be part of the solution. Steps to safeguard them starts when they are younger, way before they are teens.
Parents need to educate them about staying safer and more secure on the internet. If you allow your kids to use social media, safety is knowing the right settings and supervising them . It has to be said again.
1. Educate your kids on the dangers of sharing too much information.
2. Make sure your computer has adequate virus protection to prevent trojans in the computer.
3 . Keep the computer in a social area of the house so it is easy to monitor who your children are interacting with.
Caring for our children’s digital footprints
My two girls used a screen moniker when they were pre-teens using the world wide web. There were no social networks before except chat rooms and the comment section of blogs. Safety was my number one concern. Since I cannot cover their eyes, or shadow them everywhere, I needed to teach them how to see and how to behave responsibly. I started them early.
These days, a lot of teens probably don’t know that every time they post publicly, they are leaving their digital footprint. A digital footprint is the data trail one leaves with everything our kids do online. Data is being stored from their smartphone to the Internet and social networks. Parents can gently remind their teens on caring about their digital footprint through this article, Teenagers: Why You Should Care About Your Digital Footprint :
1. Information travels fast and is often taken out of context.
Depending on what it is that you see, take a moment to find out if it’s true. Call your friend or check other news sources,. If you’re not sure, wait
2. Don’t be impulsive.
If you do want an outlet to further explain your thoughts and feelings, think about blogging! Blogging is a more appropriate space for some topics we think about posting on Facebook. If you do decide to blog, be mindful of what you say, how it can be interpreted and what it says about you. It’s still a digital place where your body language can’t be seen.
3. If you wouldn’t say it face to face, don’t say it in the social space.
‘Treat others as you want to be treated’, still applies online.
4. Not everything is personal
Just take a second, breathe and reread a post before responding. Even better, if you’re not sure, privately message your friend and ask them about it.
5. You are not as anonymous as you think
Assume that there is no such thing as privacy. Blogs, emails, websites and comments can be tracked back to you. This shouldn’t scare you, but will help you reconsider your potential online actions.
6. Your online actions could make or break you
College recruiters, potential employers and colleagues will look at your digital footprint. If you wouldn’t say it or show it to your grandma, it probably shouldn’t go online. From photos to status remarks, you should always portray yourself in a positive light.
7.Stop Before You Hit Submit
Consider the reactions of those who see your content. Before you post, think:
Does anyone really care?
Is this really something I want to share or am I just venting?
How would I feel if I was the one receiving or reading that?
Could this hurt someone I know?
While the issues of “Disconnect”, the movie is painfully real, it is not as morbid as it should be. The story of a family disconnected through technology can happen but it is the parent who can keep the family together. There is no need to disconnect from the reality that this is wired generation. Parents should connect with their kids at an early age. Online privacy, cyber-bullying and your digital footprint is a serious matter. We need to remind our children to take of themselves, their reputation and look out for their friends.
I have always stated that family values need to be passed along. Family values passed along to every generation play a monumental role in how our child learns and grows. Defining this time will help our family to understand what is important and what it means when one is talking about issues such as family time, play time, and other larger issues such as spirituality and the beliefs that we wish our child to grow up with.
This is the connection that needs to be defined with our children.
A few years ago, my friends lamented , “Why do you manage to look so nice in all the photos? ” We were making goofy faces with the photo booth in Dine’s macbook and all of us were having a ball experimenting with our smiles. I glanced at the photo and caught my usual upper smile, my mouth slightly open with the upper teeth seen. I tell them “the secret is because I practiced the art of smiling since my teen years.” Let me tell you why.
