Filipino content creators are promoting sugary treats and chocolate biscuits on TikTok as affiliates, turning a side hustle into a full-time job, promoting creativity and commission between creators and sellers.
Affiliate marketers like Janina Diwa make money without large capital investments by promoting products on TikTok. In the Philippines, marketing to children is allowed, despite restrictions on minors’ participation. This presents challenges for agencies like the Department of Health’s National Nutritional Council.
Obesity a looming problem
The Philippines is grappling with the marketing of unhealthy foods, a regional issue that has led to increased obesity rates. Despite the prevalence of undernourished children, no legislation has been filed to regulate such marketing, despite the development of a nutrient profile model.
The NPM will guide the NNC and agencies in classifying food items for children’s marketing, considering industry partners’ concerns and addressing concerns from fact-checkers, media literacy, and counter-disinformation advocates.
Media literacy
Older generations are more susceptible to deceiving marketing tactics, according to Marlon Nombrado of Out of the Box Media Literacy Initiative. Emotional learning and media literacy are crucial for consumers. The National Nutrition Council (NNC) is implementing social behavior change communication to reduce obesity.