Eight in 10 Filipino children experience violence – think tank

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

ILOILO CITY – Eight in 10 Filipino children have experienced some form of violence, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

The scale of the problem underscores the need for journalists to go beyond reporting isolated incidents and to provide deeper context that helps shape policies and public understanding, the state think tank said.

Valerie Gilbert Ulep, a senior research fellow at PIDS, presented the findings during the webinar “Ang Bata, Salamin ng Pananaliksik at Media: Bridging Research, Media and Policy to Advance Children’s Rights and Well-Being.”

He said violence against children remains widespread despite existing laws and government programs.

“We have enough evidence to say that violence against children is a significant problem in the Philippines,” Ulep said on Wednesday, Aug. 5. “Around eight in 10 Filipino children have experienced violence in one form or another.”

The figure traces to the National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children, the first nationwide survey of its kind, which the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund released in 2016 using data gathered the previous year.

Ulep said violence extends beyond physical abuse and includes emotional abuse, neglect, online exploitation, bullying, and sexual violence.

He said studies show that children continue to experience violence in homes, schools, communities, and increasingly in digital spaces.

That pattern, he said, makes violence against children both a public health and a development concern.

While media organizations regularly report incidents involving abused or exploited children, Ulep urged journalists to move beyond episodic coverage focused on individual cases.

“When children experience violence, these usually become news. The way we tell these stories shapes how the public understands the issue. When the public understands the problem better, the call to action gets stronger,” he said.

“The media’s role is not only to report incidents but to provide context. We need stories that explain why these incidents happen, who is affected, what interventions work, and what policies are needed,” he added.

Ulep pointed to research as a foundation for journalism, saying it helps explain patterns, risk factors, and systemic issues rather than treating violence against children as isolated events.

“Whenever we report on violence against children, we are not just telling a story of an incident. We have a responsibility to protect the children … their identity and dignity; lessen language that adds to stigma and discrimination, and if possible, we should say not only what happened, but also where to seek help and what the solutions are,” Ulep said.

“Research can help journalists tell more meaningful stories. It allows the public to understand that these are not just individual tragedies but social issues that require collective action,” he added.

He also encouraged closer collaboration among researchers, journalists, policymakers, and civil society organizations to ensure evidence reaches the public in a form the public can understand and policymakers can act on.

“Evidence should not remain in academic journals. It has to be translated into stories that people can understand and that policymakers can use,” Ulep said.

The PIDS researcher said responsible reporting can influence public opinion, strengthen accountability, and support evidence-based policymaking aimed at protecting children.

He noted that journalists are in a unique position to bridge the gap between research and public discourse by highlighting not only problems but also proven interventions and policy solutions.

The webinar, organized by the CWC in partnership with PIDS and media organizations, brought together researchers, journalists, government agencies, and child rights advocates to discuss how evidence-based reporting can advance children’s rights and well-being.

PIDS is the government’s socioeconomic policy research arm, while the CWC is the national body that coordinates policy on children’s welfare.

The event also featured veteran broadcast journalist Kara David, who called on reporters to adopt a “children first, story second” approach.

The CWC likewise launched an updated guide for child-sensitive journalism.