Eskwela, hindi selda! No to lowering the age of criminal liability to 9

I am deeply concerned about the ongoing efforts in Congress to lower the minimum age of criminal liability in the Philippines which is below 15 years of age. The proposed lowering vary from 9 and 12 years, and goes against the rights of child. There is a lack of evidence and data that children are responsible for the increase number of crime rates committed in the Philippines. Lowering the age of criminal liability will not prevent adult offenders from abusing children to commit crimes.

The Philippine governments must make sure that children grow up in a safe environment protected from crime and violence. Sadly, lowering the age of criminal liability is an act of violence against children. Children are already victims of circumstances, mostly because of poverty and exploitation by adult and crime syndicates. Children who are exploited and forced by adults to commit crimes need to be protected, not further penalized. Instead they should be given a second chance to change and to educate.

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Teenage Pregnancy

Gone were the days when teenagers were still playing street games like patintero and luksong-tinik and when they were running after one another playing hide and seek.

Teenagers seem to be more engrossed with a lot of other things – technology and internet, malling and night-outs, shopping and make-up and love and romance.

These days, teenagers look very open and proud holding hands in public places and publicly displaying affection anywhere. They seem to have lost the sense of discretion and modesty that at a very young age they are not afraid at all to do PDA’s even if old folks are around.

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Depression Among Teenagers

Depression is among the topmost emotional and mental struggles most young people go through nowadays.

Depression has been very rampant. As a result, these young people resort to many activities to like drug addiction, suicides, vandalism and many other juvenile acts.

Police reports usually have a share of a few teenage suicide attempts and those which have succeeded, many cases on drug addiction and alcoholism which are all results of depression.

It is very saddening that these things are happening at the time when there are so many platforms which can be used for diversion and enjoyment. The digital and technological environment that surround our young people seem to be affecting their emotional and mental more negatively than positively.

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Childhood Immunization

The country is facing now with the controversial issues about commonly used vaccine among children and it has a big impact on health workers on how to gain back the trust of the community when it comes to childhood immunization. Immunization is a lifesaving intervention used to control and potentially eliminate vaccine preventable diseases. Immunization has important health benefits and can lead to eradication of diseases. The health allies shall work hard again to emphasize the importance of immunization programs. Some of the things to consider are the parents views about immunization, other parents may have limited information or incorrect information that can be corrected by the health workers, proper communication and counseling can fill the gaps in parent’s knowledge about potential benefits and harms associated with both immunization and choosing not to immunize. Parents have a duty to make decisions in the best interests of their children.

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Why they are not just hobbies?

Music and Arts are probably the two most underrated subjects taught in schools, as they are categorized by many as mere hobbies; things that people who are only good at it would enjoy. Those who do not excel in these practices tend to just let the information pass into one ear and out of the other. The expectations they give the subject is very minimal, and there is the limitation they set in which they think they can provide only as much as the subject is not within their capabilities.

But there is actually a lot of benefits a student can get out of studying Music and Arts. Continue reading “Why they are not just hobbies?”

What a Man’s Body Needs

Why should we teach Physical Education in schools?

A lot of people are finally acknowledging the need to be physically fit, as it undeniably adds to their aesthetic qualities as a man or a woman. Indeed, gym rats have finally taken over Instagram and some of Facebook, flooding their friends’ timelines with buff biceps and swollen abs.

But is there more to being fit than the good looks and the admiration from people from various parts of the globe?

There is.

People are made aware of the importance of getting fit at an early age, and there are a lot of benefits in this activity that we should never look the other way when discussing about it. The importance of exercise, for instance, is that it can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to betterhealth.vic.gov.au. It is also enumerated in the website the benefits of regular physical activities, such as; reduction of the risk of heart attack, better weight management, lower blood cholesterol level, and lower risk of diabetes and cancer. Continue reading “What a Man’s Body Needs”

Five Points Never Say To Your Boss

Everybody has a boss. Even if we “work for yourself,” we’re still an employee to our client.

A big part of maintaining the boss-employee relationship is to never allow a boss to think you dislike your work, are incapable of doing it, or worse consider it beneath you.

These sound like no-brainers, but many statements heard commonly around the workplace violate these basic rules. Looking for an example? Here are five heard in workplaces all the time. They may seem ordinary, even harmless. But try reading these from your boss’s point of view. You’ll see right away why it’s smart to never allow these five sentences to pass your lips: Continue reading “Five Points Never Say To Your Boss”

Begin With The End In Mind

A home builder begins with a blueprint. Writers work from either a written or a mental outline. Composers put on paper sounds that exist in their minds. Every physical creation starts as a mental creation—as an idea, a plan, an intention—and then gains physical shape through action or effort.

I’ve been in the department for almost two decades now, and as I continually search for self-fulfillment in the workplace, I usually ended up with frustrations and even worst rejections, simply because I tend to forget what I am working for and how am I going to accomplished things in beating the deadlines despite the surmounting paper works on my table and workloads that lies on my shoulder. I forget to prioritize things.

Beginning with the End in Mind is more than just thinking clearly about finished products. In addition to examining specific goals and plans, this habit involves looking at values and principles that give us general guidance. Be proactive, which means choosing our responses based on our values. Continue reading “Begin With The End In Mind”

The Right to Education

Every children practice different rights. The right of education is a basic human right that everyone should have. Free education is provided by our government at different levels to achieve education for all. Education should be affordable to all, with proper facilities, textbooks and supplies provided to students at no additional costs. Our government also provides free and compulsory primary and secondary education accessible to all. Free higher education usually comes to students in the form of scholarships and grants. Alternative Learning System (ALS) program shall be intensified for individuals who have not completed primary education. Continue reading “The Right to Education”

Teachers Play the Role of Second Parents

Some people believe that the teachers’ primary role is to teach children to behave and to judge what is right and wrong. But on the other hand, teachers play the role of second parents to the pupils. It is they who correct the pupils if something went wrong like what they do on their own children. The teachers also play significant role in shaping the life of the pupils under their care. Continue reading “Teachers Play the Role of Second Parents”