Politics · Philippines Bureau
Lawmaker pushes Congress to act on child social media safeguards
A senior congressional leader has called for expedited legislative action on measures to restrict children's access to social media, citing concerns about online content exposure following a deadly school shooting in South Cotabato.
LSN Philippines ·
BANGA, South Cotabato — Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez has urged Congress to accelerate deliberations on proposed safeguards limiting children's social media use, following the September 18 shooting at Banga National High School that claimed multiple lives.
Hernandez, who represents South Cotabato's second congressional district, linked the need for stricter online regulations to concerns about young people's exposure to potentially harmful digital content. The legislator emphasized that the incident underscores broader risks associated with unrestricted social media access among minors.
The call for faster legislative movement comes as lawmakers grapple with balancing child protection with digital freedom. Hernandez's position reflects growing concern among Filipino policymakers about the relationship between online content consumption and youth behavior.
Several proposed bills addressing social media restrictions for children are currently pending in Congress. These measures seek to establish age-appropriate safeguards and parental controls, though lawmakers continue to debate implementation details and scope.