It’s 2009. Do you know where your kids are? They’re still most likely in front of the TV, but Internet use among the young ones is on the rise. And they’re richer to boot.

By Tish Ong

According to New Generations Philippines 2009, a detailed study on Pinoy kids and their lifestyles, children are notably more in tune with the digital age and have greater spending power, among other findings. The bi-annual study is on its fourth edition this year, and it’s the first of its kind in the country.

Sponsored by Cartoon Network and conducted by Synovate, New Generations is based on at-home interviews of 1,000 kid and parent pairs, with children aged 7 to 14, living in the key metropolitan areas of Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

The study was completed from August 25 to September 21, 2009 and results were presented at an official media round-table event last October 28.

Early Start on Technology

Of the kids surveyed, 63% are Internet users, and as early as age 7, some already have this "other life" on the web. Of these kids, one in two go online to help them in their homework, while 45% frequent social networking sites such as Friendster, Facebook, and Multiply. Not so long ago, even joining an e-group brought age-limit hassles to someone below 18. These days, kids are very aware of the many possibilities brought by the computer and the world-wide web. They even voted for the laptop computer as the number one must-have gadget.

With kids’ increased access to the Internet, parents may need to be ever more vigilant about what sites their children visit, but not to the point of watching over their kids' shoulders all the time.

Duncan Morris, Vice President for Research and Market Development of Turner International Asia Pacific, and presenter of New Generations Philippines 2009 findings, notes that increased web access may be particularly advantageous for the kids, in that they’re given an early start on basic computer and Internet skills, for instance.

More Spending Power

It may be safe to say that Filipino kids were unaffected by the economic crisis. Ninety-one percent of parents give their kids pocket money to spend any way they like. When compared with their counterparts in other countries, like Japan (49% give pocket money), Australia (59%) and India (41%), Filipino parents are pretty generous with their kids. The Pinoy kid receives an average of P197 per week. The amount rose by 17% from 2007. In addition, 96% of kids receive gift money, an average of P2,130 per year. As a result, the total spending power of Filipino kids is up by 14%, which is now at P42 billion per year.

Other Findings

Television is still the top medium for Pinoy kids, with 57% preferring to watch TV, while 43% choosing to go online. Of favorite actors and actresses, Marian Rivera tops the list (19%), followed by Richard Gutierrez (6%). On favorite sports persons, Manny Pacquiao (14%) gets the top spot, followed by Kobe Bryant (11%).

Despite the growing Internet usage among kids, they still “keep it real” in terms of interaction, with a majority preferring talking over texting, and choosing real friends over virtual ones. Moreover, kids may be more aware of world issues than grown-ups think. Out of a list of topics, they picked out swine flu (59%), poverty (59%) and the economic crisis (48%) as their top three most important things happening in the country and the world.