a day ago
Cyprus-based Filipino groups pledge safer online spaces
Over 80 Filipinos representing 22 diaspora communities in Cyprus attended a digital media literacy seminar in Nicosia to prevent cyberbullying and promote safe online spaces. Courtesy: Ester Beatty
NICOSIA, Cyprus – Hotel housekeeping staff Lea Evangelou still recalls how she and her close friends felt worried after her Filipina colleague went missing. After several hours of searching, they found her wandering by the beach, seemingly distraught by the alleged bullying she faced on social media.
Evangelou, a 55-year-old Filipina migrant worker who has lived in Cyprus for 33 years, told GMA Integrated News that this incident deeply affected her colleague and almost led to their hotel employer becoming involved in the investigation.
This incident prompted her to encourage other community leaders to organize a digital media literacy seminar for Filipino migrants in Cyprus.
After months of planning, the seminar took place on July 6 and drew over 80 Filipinos from 22 different civic and community organizations across the island nation. The activity was titled, "DigiPinoy: Safe and Ethical Social Media Use".
"Para makahikayat kami sa mga OFW (overseas Filipino workers) na huwag gamitin sa harassment ang social media (The seminar was organized so we can encourage OFWs to refrain from using social media to harass others," Evangelou said.
"Dahil sa social media, naise-share 'yung mga karanasan natin sa ibang bansa. Pero 'yung paninira, hindi maganda at lumalawak 'yan kasi."
(Social media helps us share our experiences abroad. But bullying and speaking ill about others through the platform aren't good as they spread quickly.)
Pinoys in Cyprus
One of the seminar's co-organizers, 53-year-old businesswoman Valerie Badilla, has observed that most Filipino migrant workers in Cyprus use their off-days or vacation to make more money, leaving them with less time to mingle with other kababayans.
"More often, a regular Filipino worker here earns up to EUR 400 (approximately P26,500) every month, while their counterparts in mainland Europe earn significantly more, between EUR 1,000 and EUR 1,500 (approximately P66,350 to P99,525). OFWs in Cyprus use their days off for gigs, which makes it difficult to maintain real-time and in-person connections," shared Badilla, a co-founder of Nicosia-based tech company Artemis Intelligence.
"I lived and worked in Hong Kong and Singapore, and OFWs would gather every Sunday or on their day off to see friends. It helps in their community building."
Badilla has observed that many Filipinos in Cyprus tend to post personal or community issues immediately on social media without reaching out to others, which has led to gossiping and bullying—including the incident Evangelou's friend faced.
The seminar, Badilla shared, was their way not only to reintroduce digital media literacy to Filipinos in Cyprus but also to emphasize community building across different diaspora organizations.
"At the DigiPinoy seminar, participants learned beyond just identifying misinformation and scams, but they were also encouraged to practice respectful and ethical social media engagement," Badilla said. "They were given concepts to help them recognize and prevent cyberbullying. Towards the end, the participants reflected on their own online habits to consider how their digital actions impact others."
One of the seminar trainers, Michael Glaros, founder of the tech company that Badilla also co-founded, reminded participants to "uphold the Filipino values of respect and community" amid their constant connectivity.
"A simple moment of reflection—asking if our words might harm or expose others—can help build a safer, kinder digital space for all," Glaros added.
Maura De Vos, a psychology researcher on misinformation at the University of Central Lancashire, warned participants about the risks associated with manipulated content.
"For the Filipino diaspora, especially those far from home, the digital world offers a lifeline—but it also brings risks," De Vos said. "By pausing, questioning, and relying on evidence over emotion, we become more resilient."
Promoting digital safety
At the close of the seminar, all 22 participating groups presented personalized commitments to promote a safer online environment. These included pledges to verify information before sharing, avoid spreading harmful content, and encourage constructive online dialogue.
"We commit to shaping safer, kinder digital spaces—starting today," the groups declared in a unified statement.
Organizers said the pledge symbolized not only digital responsibility but also a renewed sense of cultural integrity and leadership within the Filipino community in Cyprus.
The organizers shared that DigiPinoy was the first in a series of community-led education initiatives aimed at empowering Filipinos in Cyprus. Evangelou added that she would continue pushing for similar digital media literacy seminars and community-building activities to strengthen Filipino migrants in the island nation.
"Kailangang maulit muli para hindi mawala yung spirit na sinimulan namin. May mga OFW kasi na ginagamit sa maling bagay ang social media. Dapat iwasan 'yun dahil nakakasira ng buhay, tulad ng nangyari sa kasamahan ko," Evangelou said.
(This event should be repeated so its spirit of what we started won't be lost. There are OFWs who social media for the wrong things. This should be avoided because it can affect other people's lives, just like what happened to my colleague.
"'Yang pambu-bully sa social media, nagiging dahilan kung bakit naii-stress at nade-depress ang ibang tao. Ayaw ko namang mangyari 'yun, kasi hindi naman lahat ng gumagamit ng social media ay matapang o malakas ang loob. Mayroong ibang mahina at dinidibdib ang ginagawa sa kanilang pambu-bully."
(Social media bullying is also a reason why others get stressed or depressed. I don't want that to happen because not many people can deal with social media bullying. Others get affected more easily.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News
