Youth told: Be careful with Facebook photos

After Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, it’s now Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal’s turn to defend the decision of St. Theresa’s College to bar five high school students from attending last Friday’s graduation ceremonies.

Vidal called on the Cebuano youth yesterday to exercise responsibility in posting their photos on Facebook and other social media sites, a reminder echoed by an STC official following last week’s controversy.

The parents of one of the girls will file contempt charges against STC officials after she and her classmates were refused admission to the graduation rites despite a standing court order allowing them to do so.

In his homily during yesterday’s 27th Local World Youth Day (LWYD) held at the University of San Jose-Recoletos Basak Campus, Vidal said the youth should assume responsibility for everything they do.

He said employers can access photos and messages of young applicants to evaluate their fitness and capabilities for the job they’re applying for.

Vidal said one’s actions also affect his/her family, community and friends.

“In proliferating images on Facebook, one has to be responsible. Since the Internet is open to the public, there are times when these images would be misinterpreted although we don’t intend to do so,” Vidal said.

When asked by Cebu Daily News if he referred to the STC incident in his homily, Vidal said he wasn’t. “I’m not trying to single out any institution but to all young people around,” he said.

However Vidal said students enrolled in Catholic educational institutions should learn to respect their rules.

“If these rules and regulations aren’t followed, then there’s no reason for our Catholic schools to exist,” he said.

Last week’s decision to bar five high school students from attending the graduation ceremonies highlighted the need to impose sanctions on irresponsible use of social media sites, St. Theresa’s College said yesterday.

“We are now at the stage when we have this institutional renewal and we know these realities. That’s why it is important for us to impose sanctions on irresponsible use of the Web,” STC Institutional Planning Officer Lilu Aliño said.

School officials said they found the Facebook photos “lewd” and in violation of the school’s regulation prohibiting ample body exposure of students.

Alan Trani, the school’s human resource officer, said it’s not just about “wearing bikinis.”

He said the photos also showed the girls doing  “sexually provocative” acts and another holding lighted cigarettes. Another girl was shown wearing skimpy clothing.

Aliño said the irresponsible use of online social media will have long-term consequences and effects on the children.

“They may not realize it now. We would like to give them a lighter disciplinary action. It is the appropriate disciplinary action for the thing that they did. It’s not like the school doesn’t understand the workings of the Internet,” Aliño said.

In last Friday’s press conference, school officials said the sanction is intended to make the students realize the gravity of their offense.

“It’s more of protecting them and making them secure,” Aliño said.

“I hope everybody understands this is a grave matter. One photo they upload will cost them their jobs in the future …  Employers will be looking at your Facebook to look at your character,” Aliño told reporters. Patricia Andrea Pateña and Ador Vincent Mayol with a story from Reporter Marian Z. Codilla