Globe waives data charges on UNICEF’s SaferKidsPH platform to boost fight against online child exploitation

Globe is giving its customers free access to UNICEF’s SaferKidsPH platform, in line with efforts to democratize information on proper data protection and reporting cases, when witnessed, as well as curb CC (OSAEC).

When visiting the SaferKidsPH online platform,  Globe and TM customers will not incur any data charges. The website offers plenty of information about OSAEC -- what it is, ways to fight it, and the different channels to report such cases.

“As a strong advocate of child online safety, we want to keep Filipino children safe even as they are constantly exposed to the internet. Our partnership with UNICEF for SaferKidsPH is not only a commitment, but also a call for our customers to join us in fighting OSAEC together,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications.

Vaccine champions: a polio survivor helps families overcome vaccination fears

Social mobilisers play an important role in the fight against preventable diseases. They are trained communicators working hand-in-hand with barangay health workers (BHWs), local officials, and community leaders to ensure every child is vaccinated. Like BHWs, they act as a second line of defense against vaccine refusals and hesitancy, going to the most isolated and hard-to-reach areas, often walking long distances across difficult terrain, or crossing rough seas.

Social Mobiliser Rodel Battaler

Rodel Battaler, 40 years old, is a social mobiliser for UNICEF partner Relief International. He has the same drive and dedication as his fellow vaccine champions, yet something sets him apart—he has polio. Wearing crutches, his colleagues were initially concerned whether he would be able to handle the tiring and intensive fieldwork that his job requires. Bataller works tirelessly, inspiring and encouraging colleagues to be patient and persevering. 

UNICEF concerned about situation of children affected by typhoons in the Philippines

Less than two weeks after Super Typhoon Rolly/Goni brought destructive wind and rain to the Philippines, Typhoon Ulysses/Vamco left many residents trapped in floodwaters or taking refuge in evacuation centers. UNICEF is concerned for children and families who continue to bear the brunt of natural disasters in one of the most emergency prone countries in the world.

The country has been hit by weather disturbances that caused significant damage to lives and livelihoods. Super Typhoon Rolly/Goni, Severe Tropical Storm Siony/Atsani, Tropical Storm Tonyo/Etau and Typhoon Ulysses/Vamco descended on the archipelago within days of each other and made communities at risk of COVID-19 more vulnerable.

DOH, WHO, UNICEF to conduct nationwide measles campaign starting October 26

The Department of Health, supported by WHO and UNICEF, will conduct the nationwide measles and polio supplemental immunization campaign starting October 26 this year. In the Philippines, an estimated 2.4M children under the age of five are susceptible for measles. Measles or tigdas is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. Among those who are not immune, up to 9 out of 10 people exposed to the measles virus will contract the disease.

The nationwide Measles Rubella-Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization campaign will be rolled out in two phases. Phase 1 will be conducted from 26 October to 25 November 2020 in Mindanao Regions, CAR, I, II, IV-B and V. Phase 2 will be conducted in February 2021 in Visayas Regions, NCR, III and IV-A. DOH is conducting the campaign for children under five years old—around 9.4M children for the measles-rubella vaccine and 6.9M children for the oral polio vaccine.

ANZCHAM and SaferKidsPH join forces against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Filipino Children

The Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (ANZCHAM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNICEF, on behalf of the SaferKidsPH Consortium, to help address the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) in the Philippines. SaferKidsPH is an Australian Government Initiative that is implemented in partnership with Save the Children Philippines, The Asia Foundation, and UNICEF Philippines.

Ensuring learning for young children amid the pandemic

Early childhood is a crucial stage in a child’s life. As a child grows from infancy up to eight years old, important connections are happening in the brain. Brain development progresses at a very rapid pace in the first few years of life, and at three years of age, a child’s brain is twice as active as an adult brain. This is a very special time that will never happen again. 

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, young children are staying at home without access to daycare. This can have longer lasting consequences among very young children as the unfolding overwhelming circumstances affect their brain. This can lead to toxic stress among children, which produces high levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that disrupts the process of brain development by limiting the proliferation of brain cells, damaging health, learning and behavior. But even as schools and day care centers remain closed, parents and caregivers can continue young children’s learning at home.  

WebTVAsia And YouTube Announced "One Love Asia" A Live A Concert In Support Of UNICEF

WebTVAsia and YouTube announced “ONE LOVE ASIA”, a star-studded concert in support of UNICEF, featuring a stellar lineup of celebrities, artists, public figures and YouTube creators across Asia, to be live streamed exclusively on One Love Asia's official YouTube channel on May 27, 2020.

Starting at 8:00pm HKT, this four-hour live stream feature biggest stars from Asia including UNICEF Regional Ambassador for East Asia and Pacific, Choi Siwon, Exile Akira, Karen Mok, Apink Jung Eun-Ji, Namewee, G.E.M., Chi Pu, Sam Tsui, Ranz & Niana, Davika Hoorne, Jack Neo, Morissette, Boy William, Ice Paris, Pearwah, Christian Bautista, Baim Wong, Raditya Dika, Ismail Izzani, Quang Dang, DatG & DuUyen, Erik, Inul Daratista, Celine Tam, Priscilla Abby and HaoRen along with over 50 leading artists, public figures, celebrities and YouTube creators. All donations from the live stream on One Love Asia will go to UNICEF Asia in an effort to prevent the pandemic from becoming a lasting crisis for vulnerable children.

UN Teams Up with "Smurfs: The Lost Village" for the International Day of Happiness

Demi Lovato, Joe Manganiello and Mandy Patinkin today threw their talent behind a United Nations effort to end extreme poverty, address inequality and protect the planet against climate change through the Sustainable Development Goals.

The three voices in the upcoming film “Smurfs: The Lost Village,” joined officials from the United Nations, UNICEF and United Nations Foundation to celebrate the International Day of Happiness and show their support for the Sustainable Development Goals at UN Headquarters in New York as part of the #SmallSmurfsBigGoals campaign.

Anne Curtis Joins In The Second Year of UNICEF Heros Fro Children Run

UNICEF Celebrity Advocate for Children Anne Curtis calls on runners to join the second year of the Heroes for Children Run on September 4, 2016, Sunday, at the SM Mall of Asia grounds.

“I was deeply inspired by the support we received during last year’s run. From children with disabilities to serious runners, the public came together for a great cause. This year, I’m inviting everyone once again to be a hero for children. All proceeds will benefit UNICEF’s First 1,000 Days campaign for children’s health and nutrition needs,” says Curtis

‘Boys and Girls at Risk’: Research Forum pledges stronger prevention and response to protect Filipino children against violence

A two-day Research Forum titled ‘Boys and Girls at Risk’ concluded today pledging totake forward the preliminary results of the Philippines’ first ever National Baseline Study on Violence against Children(NBS-VAC)toward a strong prevention and response plan to stop violence against Children in the Philippines. NBS-VAC Study is scheduled to be launched in October.

Organized by the Council for the Welfare (CWC) of Children and UNICEF working within a wider partnership of national and international organizations working for preventing Violence against Children, the Research Forum was participated by over 200 researchers, academics, advocates and professionals working to End Violence against Children.

Obesity on the rise while undernutrition remains high

UNICEF, WHO, ASEAN report two faces of malnutrition among Filipino children

Malnutrition among children does not only stem from insufficient food intake; overeating makes them unhealthy, too.

With some children consuming more than the dietary requirement and others not receiving enough nutrients, middle-income countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand face the “double burden of malnutrition,” according to a joint report by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Research Forum pledges stronger prevention and response to protect Filipino children against violence

A two-day Research Forum titled ‘Boys and Girls at Risk’ concluded today pledging totake forward the preliminary results of the Philippines’ first ever National Baseline Study on Violence against Children(NBS-VAC)toward a strong prevention and response plan to stop violence against Children in the Philippines. NBS-VAC Study is scheduled to be launched in October.

Organized by the Council for the Welfare (CWC) of Children and UNICEF working within a wider partnership of national and international organizations working for preventing Violence against Children, the Research Forum was participated by over 200 researchers, academics, advocates and professionals working to End Violence against Children. 

UNICEF Pacific urgently responding to Government appeal and needs of children after worst ever Cyclone Winston in Fiji

Less than 36 hours after Cyclone Winston devastated Fiji, UNICEF Pacific has begun assisting those most affected, in partnership with the Government of Fiji. UNICEF today began to distribute pre-positioned emergency supplies in Fiji, with a focus on distribution to worst-affected communities.

UNICEF Pacific Deputy Representative Isabelle Austin said “In the immediate aftermath of a disaster such as a cyclone, UNICEF’s first priority is to ensure the protection and wellbeing of the most vulnerable, including children, pregnant women and new mothers. Our thoughts are with those most-affected communities, many of whom have lost everything and are now beginning to pick up the pieces. UNICEF is working around the clock preparing supplies for transport and distribution through the Government of Fiji, which is providing extremely strong leadership on this response. UNICEF will also continue to assist the Government with rapid assessments that will take some time to fully complete given the incredible scale and complexity of this disaster.

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach advocates for HIV awareness and testing

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach called for Filipinos’ increased awareness on HIV as she winds up the Bb. Pilipinas Charity Day during her homecoming. The new Miss Universe continued her HIV advocacy in the Philippines by speaking with advocates and young people living with HIV.

“It is shocking that the Philippines has one of the fastest growing rates of HIV infection in the world. Many of those who get infected are young people. I want to use my voice to help lift up those who are living with HIV and to bring awareness to young people who do not know how to protect themselves against this virus,” Wurtzbach says.

Asia-Pacific region facing a ‘hidden epidemic’ of HIV among adolescents, new report finds

The Asia-Pacific region is facing a ‘hidden epidemic’ of HIV among adolescents. There were an estimated 50,000 new HIV infections among adolescents aged 15-19 in 2014, accounting for 15 percent of new infections. There are now around 220,000 adolescents living with HIV in the region, with large cities like Manila, Bangkok, Hanoi and Jakarta hubs of new infections.

Although new HIV infections are falling overall, they are rising among adolescents from key populations, in particular young gay men and other men who have sex with men. The rise in new infections coincides with an increase in risky behaviour, such as multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use.

UNICEF and NYC photo release_climate change talks and D Quest app launch‏

EMPOWERING THE YOUTH. National Youth Commission Commissioner Dingdong Dantes and UNICEF Philippines Representative Lotta Sylwander launch the D’Quest app at the #NowPH event, ahead of the 21st United Nations climate change conference happening on Nov. 30.

D’Quest is an electronic learning and gaming application on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation designed to make learning more fun and interactive for young people. It aims to motivate children and youth to learn about disaster and climate risks and increase their involvement in ensuring their own safety, and those of their families and communities. UNICEF Philippines developed the app with the help of experts in the field, as well as children, and young people.

UNICEF Gary V visits child centered Disaster Risk Reduction programmes in the wake of Typhoon Lando‏

UNICEF Philippines’ National Goodwill Ambassador Gary Valenciano visits UNICEF’s child centred Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) programmes to learn about how children are involved in disaster risk management, as the devastation from the recent powerful Typhoon Koppu/Lando become clear.

UNICEF prepares for Maysak/Chedeng; Landfall expected on E. Luzon onthe weekend

Super Typhoon Maysak (local name Chedeng) has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility and is expected to make a landfall on the eastern coasts of Luzon over the weekend.

According to latest reports from PAGASA, the country’s weather bureau, Maysak has maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h and gusts of up to 210 km/h making it a Category 2 typhoon. This typhoon has slightly slowed down from its previously recorded sustained winds of 215 km/h. 

Devastation of Typhoon Haiyan still haunts children

Children need support, education to overcome trauma, build resilience

UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake, after a four day visit to the Philippines, said that he was deeply impressed by the spirit of the people and the communities working with the government, United Nations and other partners to rebuild their lives and futures. 

The massive typhoon disrupted the lives of nearly six million children and destroyed the homes of 1.4 million children and their families. 

UNICEF Auction for Action to fund Play-based Learning

In celebration of National Children’s Month, UNICEF Philippines’ Auction for Action 2013 brings together over 90 artists in art, design, furniture and jewelry to benefit a unique education program to provide children access to early learning: Supervised Neighborhood Play Program (SNP).

Curated and presented by UNICEF Special Advocate for Children Daphne Oseña Paez, the online auction is a product of UNICEF and Daphne’s collaboration to bring the world of art, furniture and design together with her advocacy on children.

This year’s auction has more artists and designers contributing for a specific program on education: Supervised Neighborhood Play. It is a simple, low-cost and easy to organize home-based early learning program where trained day care workers or parent volunteers gather young children in a house, a shaded play area or under a tree for two to three hours, every day for at least ten months to help children learn through organized play. UNICEF supports the SNP program in remote, conflict or disaster-affected communities and in informal settlements located in urban and rural areas.