SPEAKER Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III’s push to make online spaces safer for Filipino children took center stage at the latest LegisHear in South Cotabato, where House leaders updated the public on legislation restricting minors’ access to potentially harmful and addictive social media content.
Responding to a question during the LegisHear press briefing on Saturday about the dangers posed by social media to young people, Senior Deputy Speaker and South Cotabato 2nd District Rep. Ferdinand “Dinand” Hernandez said he and Speaker Dy have been pushing for stronger safeguards on children’s access to social media.
Hernandez stressed the urgency Speaker Dy places on the measure, recalling a statement by the Speaker that had stayed with him during their discussions on protecting children online.
“Ang position ni Speaker, ang sabi ni Speaker, ‘Hindi na kailangan pang magbuwis ng isa pang buhay ng isang kabataan.’ So that is the line na natatak sa isip ko when we were talking about this,” Hernandez said.
“Kahit anong mangyari, ang sabi ni Speaker, ‘Hindi na kailangan magbuwis pa ng isa pang buhay ng isang bata.’ So kailangan na natin talagang pag-aralan ito,” he added.
The proposed Children’s Social Media and Online Gaming Safety Bill had earlier been approved by the House Committee on Welfare of Children, chaired by Nanay Party-list Rep. Florabel Yatco, following deliberations by a technical working group that refined the measure.
Among the measures consolidated into the bill is House Bill No. 9965, or the proposed Children’s Social Media Safety Act, principally authored by Speaker Dy, Hernandez, and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos. HB 9965 has also been included in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) Common Legislative Agenda as a priority measure.
Under the consolidated bill, children below 13 years old would be prohibited from accessing social media platforms, while those aged 13 to 17 would be barred from using potentially harmful or addictive features, including short-form videos and group chats.
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, who chaired the technical working group, said the proposed safeguards recognize the different risks faced by children of different ages while seeking to provide stronger protection from potentially harmful online experiences.
The measure would also require all social media and online gaming platforms accessible in the Philippines to register in the country, ensuring that they fall under Philippine jurisdiction and can be held accountable for complying with child-safety regulations.
Hernandez noted during the LegisHear briefing that lawmakers have been studying approaches adopted by other countries as the House works out how best to regulate children’s access according to age.
South Cotabato was the fourth stop of LegisHear following earlier consultations in Isabela, Butuan City, and Dumaguete City, as the House continues to bring the legislative process closer to Filipinos and make Congress more open and responsive to concerns on the ground.
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