MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday renewed his call to ban children aged 16 and below from using social media, saying Congress should prioritize stronger safeguards against harmful online content following the June 22 school shooting in Tacloban City and other recent cases of violence involving minors.
Gatchalian said his proposed Social Media Safety for Children Act (Senate Bill No. 2066) aims to address online influences that may contribute to violent behavior among children.
“That for me is the priority. It’s one of the priority bills that I submitted,” Gatchalian said.
He said lawmakers should examine the factors that influence children to commit violent acts.
“The biggest question here is what influences children these days to commit violence? Children are not violent in nature. There are influences that happen that affect the way they think,” he said.
Gatchalian renewed his proposal after two Grade 9 students allegedly opened fire inside San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22, killing three students and injuring 20 others. Authorities earlier said one of the suspects allegedly played the violent online game Gorebox before the attack.
The proposed measure requires social media platforms to implement stricter age and identity verification systems, regularly deactivate underage accounts, provide parental control and content-filtering tools, and redesign features such as autoplay, algorithm-driven recommendations and frequent notifications. The bill also imposes fines and possible suspension or revocation of operating authority on violators.
“Their parental controls and identification validation systems should be strict. Opening social media should not be easily allowed just because you provided an email. There should really be facial recognition or age verification,” Gatchalian said.
He also urged authorities to speed up efforts to identify and remove social media accounts belonging to underage users.
Gatchalian rejected proposals to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility, saying intervention and rehabilitation remain appropriate for children in conflict with the law. He also called for the establishment of more Bahay Pag-asa rehabilitation facilities nationwide.
The Philippine Pediatric Society supported tighter restrictions on children’s access to social media. The group said it does not recommend social media use for children aged 16 and below. It advised parents or guardians to co-manage accounts and provide active supervision if children use social media.
The Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics also expressed support for stricter supervision. The organization said its members have treated children with anxiety, emotional dysregulation, sleep problems and worsening behavioral and developmental conditions associated with unregulated social media use.
The Tacloban shooting prompted broader discussions on juvenile justice and child protection.
In a vlog on Saturday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed education, health, law enforcement agencies, local governments and communities to strengthen measures that protect students.
“The school should be a place of learning, dreams and growth. Not a place where parents fear for the safety of their children,” Marcos said, citing the Tacloban shooting, two stabbing incidents involving minors in Cavite and the deaths of two Ateneo de Manila University student-athletes during a team-building activity in Aurora.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo also announced that the Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development will conduct a comprehensive review of Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.
Tulfo said the inquiry will examine the shortage of functional Bahay Pag-asa facilities, intervention programs for children in conflict with the law, parental accountability and whether lawmakers should retain the current minimum age of criminal responsibility at 15 years old.
Malacañang said it remains open to reviewing the age threshold after the Philippine National Police recommended lowering it to 12 years old.
The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council opposed proposals to lower the age of criminal responsibility. The council said 94 percent of children aged 12 to 15 who complete rehabilitation at Bahay Pag-asa successfully reintegrate into their communities.
The council also reported that the number of children in conflict with the law dropped by 77 percent, from 24,683 in 2016 to 5,698 in 2025.
Instead of imposing harsher penalties, the council urged government agencies to strengthen family support, school-based interventions, mental health services, anti-bullying programs, guidance services and regulations that limit children’s exposure to violent online content.