Child first, story second: CWC’s new rule for media

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

ILOILO CITY – The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) urged journalists and content creators to place a child’s best interests ahead of the demands of their stories and content in its latest media reporting guide.

The Guide for Media Practitioners on Reporting and Coverage of Children, revised in 2024 and launched in May 2025, promotes responsible, ethical, and child-sensitive reporting anchored on a single principle: “Child comes first, the story second.”

The guide is built around five key principles intended to serve as ethical markers for storytellers and content creators: privacy, agency, participation, dignity, and sensitivity.

It covers both traditional and new media.

Its intended readers are not only journalists and broadcasters but also vloggers, influencers, content creators, and government information officers. It also offers guidance for parents and members of the public.

CWC communications head Camille Jacinto-Lizardo presented the guide at the Ang Bata sa Lente ng Pananaliksik at Midya: Bridging Research, Media, and Policy to Advance Children’s Rights and Well-being webinar on Aug. 5.

The webinar was hosted by the Philippine Communication Society in partnership with the CWC, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas, and the National Council for Children’s Television.

Jacinto-Lizardo cited the “best interest of the child” standard under Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.

The law defines the phrase as “the totality of the circumstances and conditions which are most congenial to the survival, protection and feelings of security of the child and most encouraging to the child’s physical, psychological and emotional development,” and also as “the least detrimental available alternative for safeguarding the growth and development of the child.”

“The media plays a powerful role in shaping public perception and influencing how society views and treats children. The stories we tell, and how we tell them, can either reinforce stigma or promote understanding, protection, and respect for children’s rights,” Jacinto-Lizardo said.

“This guide was developed to help translate one fundamental principle into media practice: the best interest of the child,” she added.

Jacinto-Lizardo said the guide is meant to help journalists and content creators weigh the public’s right to information against a child’s rights to protection, privacy, and dignity.

She said it is designed to complement, rather than replace, existing journalists’ codes of ethics.

“The guide does not seek to limit storytelling. Rather, it serves as a practical reference to help ensure that every story involving a child is reported in a responsible, sensitive and child-centered manner,” she said.

The CWC, an attached agency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, coordinates government efforts on child rights, protection, and welfare in the Philippines.

It said responsible communication forms part of protecting children’s rights because media representation can influence how society views and treats children.

The updated guide builds on an earlier version developed in 2000 by the Department of Justice through the Committee for the Special Protection of Children and revised in 2008.

DOS AND DON’TS

CWC information officer Julianne Quisao said the media landscape has changed significantly since then, particularly with the rise of digital platforms.

“Digital platforms have transformed how children’s stories are created and shared,” Quisao said, noting that online content can spread faster and last longer than broadcast or print coverage.

She also cited emerging child protection concerns, including online sexual abuse or exploitation of children and child sexual abuse or exploitation material, as reasons for updating the guide.

Those two categories are the subject of Republic Act No. 11930, the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act, which took effect in 2022 and carries penalties for the distribution of such material.

The updated guide was developed through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, consultation workshops, and validation sessions involving media organizations, government agencies, nongovernment organizations, regional child welfare committees, and children themselves.

It subsequently underwent technical review by the CWC Technical Management Group and the CWC board.

Quisao also outlined the guide’s key principles.

The first principle is privacy, which requires journalists to protect a child’s identity, avoid identifying details, and limit information to what the story requires.

The guide also calls for responsible collection and secure storage of information involving children.

It cautions against live-streaming situations involving children because live coverage cannot be edited and creates a permanent digital footprint.

The second principle concerns respect for children’s agency, which means giving them time to prepare before interviews and explaining the questions, where the material will be used, and the purpose of the interview.

The guide states that children should be allowed to refuse or stop an interview at any point, even during post-production, and that media exposure should be considered only when necessary.

The remaining principles address meaningful participation and dignity, including listening to children’s voices, assessing possible trauma, and building trust with child sources.

The guide provides additional considerations for children in need of special protection, including those affected by child labor, online sexual abuse or exploitation, trafficking, and violence.

It also covers children in conflict with the law, children in alternative care, and children living with HIV.

The CWC official said these children require a more careful and sensitive approach to prevent further harm, stigma, and revictimization.

Victims of online sexual abuse or exploitation and child sexual abuse or exploitation material should also have their identities and personal information kept confidential.

For children affected by armed conflict and emergencies, the guide says media engagement is not allowed when it runs contrary to their best interest.

Journalists are advised not to insist on interviews because access is limited to authorized officials and decisions concerning the children rest with qualified social workers.

That restriction tracks Republic Act No. 11188, the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act, which took effect in 2019 and bars the public disclosure of information identifying children involved in armed conflict.

The CWC officials also stressed that the guide is recommendatory and does not create new legal obligations or penalties.

They noted, however, that existing Philippine laws and regulations may apply when children’s rights are violated.