Group claims many TV shows not good for kids

CEBU, Philippines - The National Council for Children’s Television visited Cebu yesterday to request social media, particularly television networks, for kid-friendly broadcasts or programs.

NCCT chairman Mag Cruz Hatol said the council is currently engaged in consultation with various stakeholders nationwide in preparation for the release of the Implementing Rules and Regulations they drafted last August and will be recommending to Congress in June.

Hatol said they drafted the IRR to put teeth to Republic Act 8370 or the Children’s Television Act of 1997 that remains unheeded for over a decade.

“Our television programs are geared towards adults but mas maraming bata sa country natin kaysa sa mga adults,” Hatol said.

He said television networks claim they are complying with the Section 9 of the law which mandates that “a minimum of fifteen percent of daily total air time of each broadcasting network shall be allotted for child-friendly shows within the regular programming of all networks. This will be a requirement before networks are granted franchises or as a condition for renewal of broadcast licenses hereinafter, to be included as part of the network’s responsibility of serving the public.”

However, NCCT believes otherwise, saying that television networks consider their programs child-friendly under the guise of other programs actually geared toward adults.

In an interview with kids in Manila, Hatol said kids, in fact, requested that television networks should also think that they have young viewers before they air mature programs.

“They learn about the Millennium Development Goals and Climate Change in schools but they wish na sana raw masama rin ang mga ito sa palabas,” Hatol further said.

With this positive suggestions and observations from kids about television shows, Hatol said there is still hope that they can soon effectively say that the Philippines is a child-friendly country. –(FREEMAN)