In a press briefing on Monday, June 9 at SM Ecoland, Dr. Adrian Tamayo of Institute of Popular Opinion of the University of Mindanao says Davao youth starts drinking and smoking as early as 12 years old based on the survey conducted by IPO among youth in this city. (Robby Joy D. Salveron/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A recent survey conducted by the Institute of Popular Opinion (IPO) of the University of Mindanao revealed that the youth here started smoking and drinking when they were 12 years old, six years earlier than the common age.
A total of 264 youth aged 16 to 24 years old were surveyed from May 24 to 30.
Dr. Adrian Tamayo of UM IPO said that the result of the survey showed that 4 in 10 Dabawenyo youth started to smoke cigarettes while 5 in 10 youth, drink as early as 12 years old.
The survey revealed that 97 percent of the Dabawenyo youth smokers were influenced by their friends while three percent were influenced by their own relatives.
Ninety-eight percent of the youth who are into drinking were also strongly influenced by friends while 71 percent of them drink once a week.
Tamayo pointed out that loose family engagement, too much exposure in the internet and social media, and strong influence of friends are the factors why the youth are into smoking and drinking.
“Although they spend most of their time with their family, yet the family control and family values seem to be reducing,” Tamayo said. The study notes a reduction of values and virtues among the youth.
The survey also showed that 23 out of 50 Dabawenyo youth are engaged in sex, one of it, a female, revealed she started having sex as young as ten years old.
“This is already a confirmation of the teenage pregnancy because as early as ten years old and the common age is 18,” Tamayo said.
Tamayo said that while the youth spend most of their time with their family, the trouble with drinking, smoking and engaging into sex remains alarming.
Based on the survey, a Dabawenyo youth spends an average of eight hours a day with family while five hours are spent with friends and four hours are spent in the internet. They also allot two hours for physical development such as fitness and health.
According to the survey, in a 1 to 10 scale system, the youth also value and consider their family as the most important thing with an average of 9.3. They also consider the country (8.5), physical health (8.5), and mental ability or skills (8.2) as extremely important.
“The parents now are in constant struggle with technology. The youth are indicating that time spent with their family are rest time not much of an engagement time,” Tamayo said. (davaotoday.com)
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