A public interest group on Monday, Sept. 25, launches a media fellowship program in Pasig City aimed at improving the public awareness on the negative effects of advertising and marketing of unhealthy food to children.

“Unhealthy food marketing harms children. It increases their risk of being overweight or obese and leads to other diet-related diseases,” ImagineLaw Executive Director Atty. Sophia San Luis said as she cited a study spearheaded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Dubbed as "Bawas Patalastas", ImagineLaw's fellowship program seeks to deepen the public’s understanding about the issue and initiate conversations through stories, features, or reports.

The fellowship will accept seven Filipino journalists, called "Fellows", who will receive a grant of up to P60,000 for the research, editing, and publication of their desired stories.

“Media plays an important role in creating an environment that encourages children to make healthy choices. The stories and reports produced by the Fellows will help us craft a policy proposal that will regulate unhealthy food marketing targeting children," San Luis stressed.

According to the group, interested participants may apply for the said fellowship through https://bit.ly/ILMediaFellowship until Oct. 5.

Aside from the cash grant, the Fellows will also receive briefings and review sessions from experts and fellow journalists on the topic.

The Fellowship proper will be held from November to December of this year.

Because of the direct link between marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks, and overweight and obesity in children, the World Health Assembly (WHO’s main governing body) endorsed a set of recommendations to guide country efforts in designing new and/or strengthening existing policies on food marketing communications to children in order to reduce the impact of marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks on their health.

"Children and adolescents are exposed to marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks in various settings, including at school, in shops, outdoors, when they play and watch sport, watch television or use social media. This marketing makes unhealthy foods and drinks appeal to children. Huge sums of money are spent to reach these groups because they influence family decisions on what to buy and because of their potential for brand loyalty. The channels being used to reach children and adolescents have grown from traditional media like billboards, print advertising, television and radio commercials to new media like social media platforms, paid online ads, email, websites and search results. Other channels include movies, video games and schools," WHO said.

"Unlike traditional media, new media allows for narrow (individually-tailored) versus broad targeting, meaning more precision in reaching children and adolescents with marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks. Companies make their products attractive to children and adolescents with different flavours, promotions, free samples, merchandizing, free gifts with meals, prized games and competitions, paid advertising, advergaming (advertising brands through video gaming) branding, sponsorship, product design and packaging, cartoons, product placement in movies and TV shows, social media and influencers. They also tap into new marketing opportunities made possible by digital media like food-themed game applications and use real-time data to target children and adolescents based on their online habits thus threatening their future health and well-being," it added.