At least 400 students from 103 different schools in Cebu signed a manifesto against cyber bullying during a recent two-day youth conference in Cebu City.
The “Manifesto of the Cebuano Youth Against Cyber Bullying” contains their stand against inappropriate online action and their commitment to raise awareness and educate fellow teenagers on the responsible use of information and communications technology.
“We see that cyber bullying is an inhumane, intolerable act and if left unattended, will eventually damage more people and teens like us. However, we, as Cyber Teens Responsible Leaders, can be advocates for its eradication,” the manifesto read.
The manifesto also contains the youths’ commitment to this advocacy and how to use the social media.
“We believe that our advocacy begins with defining our boundaries on proper media usage anchored on the values of respect, empathy, discipline, sincerity and compassion. We likewise believe that such advocacy empowers young people like us in accepting our differences regardless of physical attributes, race, social status, economic standing, belief or religion,” the manifesto said.
The manifesto was drafted during the conference and signed at the close of the event called “Shift + CTRL + Del — Shifting Attention to what matters, Controlling Cyber Usage, Deleting Harmful Practices.”
According to a statement by the conference organizers, CTRL stands for “Cyber Teens Responsible Leaders.”
The conference looked at the growing problem of cyber bullying among teens. It was organized by the Child Protection Network and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the Salesian Youth Movement. It was held on Oct. 17 and 18 at the Bayfront Hotel.