The document discusses retooling narratives about children in media. Currently, over 90% of news stories focus on violence involving children, ignoring broader issues. This frames children negatively and influences social perceptions. Alternative narratives need to be constructed that refocus media coverage on underreported issues like children with disabilities, indigenous children, and those from vulnerable families. The age of consent and criminal liability in the Philippines is also discussed as needing reform to better protect children. Overall, the document calls for strategically using media to empower vulnerable children by giving them voice and influencing policy debates in a positive direction.

1. OFF THE BEATEN PATH:
RETOOLING THE NARRATIVE
Tess Bacalla, PPI Training Director

2. OLD VS. NEW
NARRATIVES ON CHILDREN

3. “To give you an idea of the relentlessness of
the messages drummed into our heads,
more than ninety percent of news stories
about children are about violence by and
against children and at least ninety percent
of those stories focus on a discrete incident,
ignoring larger public policy issues.”discrete incident, ignoring larger public policy questions.
by and against children,
heads, more than ninety percent of news stories about children are about violence
by and against children,7
Matthew I. Fraidin, Changing the Narrative of Child
Welfare, Georgetown Journal on Poverty, Law & Policydiscrete incident, ignoring larger public policy questions.
by and against children,
heads, more than ninety percent of news stories about children are about violence
by and against children,7

4. “Stories construct ‘social reality’.”discrete incident, ignoring larger public policy questions.
by and against children,
heads, more than ninety percent of news stories about children are about violence
by and against children,7

5. REFRAMING THE PUBLIC
CONVERSATION
REFRAMING THE DEBATE
REPOSITIONING THE CAMERA

6. CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
COMMERCIALLY SEXUALLY EXPLOITED CHILDREN
STREET CHILDREN

7. Children with physical and/or
mental disabilities
Children from indigenous groups
Children of single mothers and
those from broken families

8. “The media want us to believe
raising a child with special needs is
hard, a burden and impossible for
anyone who is not super human in
strength and mental well-being.”

9. “But I refuse to say that because
my child has diseases or
developmental delays that my
situation is harder than any other
parent in the world.”

10. Philippine age of
consent for sexual acts

11. RA 8353, Anti-Rape Law of
1997, describes rape as a
sexual act with anyone
below 12 years old

12. “This is the lowest age of
consent anywhere in the world
and this must be changed and
challenged.

13. “Politicians must be asked why
they have left children as young as
12 vulnerable to sexual assault.”
— Fr. Shaye Cullen, PREDA

14. Criminal liability age
may be lowered to 12
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President-
elect Rodrigo Duterte will ask Congress
to lower the age of criminal responsibility
following reports that criminal gangs are
using children to peddle illegal drugs.
RA 9344 Republic Act No. 9344 or the
Juvenile Delinquency Act of 2006—
also known as the Pangilinan Law,
named after its author Senator Francis
Pangilinan— raised the minimum age of
criminal responsibility from 9 to 15
years old,
According to the lawmakers, children
are being used by criminals as
accomplices in their crimes, particularly
drug trafficking, because
these minors could not be held
criminally liable

15. What media can do:
Offer a new narrative (counternarrative)
Reframe the prevailing discourse
Train the spotlight on unreported and
underreported issues

16. What media can do:
Adopt strategic and creative storytelling
Explore underreported and unreported
issues
Expand, deepen and broaden the public
conversation on children

17. Giving voice to the voiceless,
power to the powerless, and
help to the helpless?

18. “… what worries me is the pictures
we celebrate and the two-dimensional
stories they sometimes tell”
Howard Chapnick, Truth Needs No Allydiscrete incident, ignoring larger public policy questions.
by and against children,
heads, more than ninety percent of news stories about children are about violence
by and against children,7

19. TOGETHER LET’S BUILD A BETTER
AND SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR
OUR CHILDREN AS WE WIELD OUR
VIRTUAL PENS AND CONSTRUCT A
NEW AND POWERFUL NARRATIVE
FOR THEM

20. Thank you!