Did you know that there is no specific Philippine law for cyberbullying? However, acts that constitute bullying in the Philippines are still punishable as crimes under existing legislation. This information prompted significant reactions from nearly everyone in the Van Gogh room of the John Clements Hub on May 18, 2024.
Every third Saturday of the month, the JCCI-EDI team gathers for a learning session, and to recognize the top performers of the previous month. For April, the organizing team of the Service Delivery Hub decided to focus on a highly relevant topic: cyberbullying. They invited Atty. Chris Jark Ace Maño, the Assistant City Prosecutor in the Office of the City Prosecutor, Manila, to speak on the subject.
Ms. Alice Llamas, Group Managing Consultant, set the stage with her opening remarks, welcoming everyone to the session. To break the ice and energize the atmosphere, an interactive game led by game masters Sherlyn Malit and Rhea Esperas was introduced before the official start of the learning session. This game, known as the Fun Picture Association Game, challenged participants to synchronize their thoughts and quickly respond with the same word prompted by images displayed on the screen. The activity not only engaged everyone in the room but also set a lively tone for the rest of the session.
After the fun-filled game, everyone was ushered to have a sumptuous breakfast as pancit puti, palitao, and tuna and cheese pimiento sandwiches were served. When the tummies were filled, it was time for some food for the brain.
Bullying in Cyberspace
To keep the learning session engaging and relatable, Prosecutor Chris Maño chose to present life scenarios and examples. He began by explaining that although there is no specific law for cyberbullying, acts constituting “bullying/cyberbullying” are considered crimes under existing laws. All crimes committed through IT and cyberspace carry penalties that are one degree higher.
He also walked us through the process of filing a criminal case.
We can either consult the Public Attorney’s Office, hire a private lawyer, or seek assistance from law enforcement officers. It is crucial to prepare the Complaint-Affidavit, Affidavit of Witnesses, screenshots, recordings, and other evidence. It’s worth noting that a case filed before a law enforcement officer is not yet a formal complaint; a formal charge begins only upon filing a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office, which then undergoes preliminary investigation and actual trial.
Celebration of Top Performers
Following the stimulating discussion and productive learning session, we transitioned to the recognition of top performers.
Although JCCI-EDI values the efforts of all its consultants, these individuals stood out for their notable contributions in April. Carlo Miguel Lao of Enterprise Sales earned the title of Sales Consultant of the Month, while Jarrell Mirriam Minguillan of the Outsourcing team was recognized as the Production Consultant of the Month.
The conference concluded with remarks from Ms. Grace C. Sorongon, JCCI’s Executive Vice President, as she gracefully passed the baton to the next organizing division, EDI-Staffbuilders.
With all the advancements in technology, everything is highly accessible to everyone. Once you post something online, it is there forever. May we all be reminded to be smart in clicking, posting, and sharing content online.
Let’s always choose to be kind to everyone, even in cyberspace.
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