DepEd, NCCT and MTRCB to launch child-friendly TV campaign

Pasig City (28 July) — Excessive exposure to television is a leading cause of physical weakness, stress, poor appetite, aggression or violent behavior among children. These are some of the findings of a 2008 study conducted by the National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT) supported by the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF).

“Excessive violence, sex, and foul language on television are threats to our children’s well-being,” said Department of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus.

To address the growing problem of “TV Overdose”, the DepEd, NCCT, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), and Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) will launch “Bantay TV Campaign” during the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on July 29 at 9:30 a.m. at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Central Office in Pasig City.

According to Lapus, the MOA between the education department, NCCT, MTRCB and SMART will mark the start of closer monitoring of television programs especially those that are shown between 6:00 to 10:00 a.m., the time period when majority of Filipino children watch TV shows.

He added that the MOA is part of the ongoing “Bantay TV” campaign which aims to “reduce 20 percent incidence of vulgarity, discrimination, sex, and violence on television.”

Lapus said that DepEd through the NCCT will intensify its campaign to use television as an alternative tool for educating children. Protecting the rights of our children includes shielding them from negative effects of excessive TV watching,” Lapus said.

DepEd Assistant Secretary and NCCT officer-in-charge Jonathan Malaya said that the Bantay TV campaign will involve monitoring of complaints from parents and other citizens who have concerns about TV shows watched by children.

“With Bantay TV, we hope to promote more child-friendly television programming in the Philippines. Our goal is to use television as a tool for shaping positive culture, values, and behavior among Filipino children,” Malaya said.

Malaya said that people can send reports or file complaints to NCCT via text messaging, calling telephone hotlines, or through the internet. He said that NCCT will closely coordinate with the MTRCB in addressing complaints against TV shows that are harmful to children.

According to Malaya, parents and concerned citizens can report “non-child friendly TV shows” via text by typing:

BANTAYTV (space) NAME/AGE/ADDRESS/MESSAGE to 700-6228(NCCT) or

BANTAYTV (space)TV PROGRAM (space) DATE OF AIRING then send to 700-6228.

He said that complaints may also be filed by calling the NCCT hotline numbers 637-2306 from Mondays to Fridays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or by sending an e-mail to bantaytv@ncctph.org. (DepEd)