A gaming-related incident in CALABARZON has prompted Senator Risa Hontiveros to push for a Senate inquiry into the safety risks children face on popular online platforms.
Senate Resolution No. 357, filed by Hontiveros, calls on the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality to investigate platforms including Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Free Fire. The resolution seeks to produce legislative recommendations covering mandatory age verification and stronger child protection standards.
The CALABARZON case, which involved minors who allegedly coordinated a planned school attack through gaming chat environments after exposure to violent content, served as a central basis for the resolution. Hontiveros described it as evidence that such platforms can be exploited for radicalization and the coordination of violence.
Beyond the threat of violent content, the resolution raises alarms over online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, or OSAEC. Hontiveros cited findings from local and international investigations showing that offenders frequently initiate contact with minors through gaming platforms before migrating conversations to private channels for grooming and coercion.
A key concern flagged in the resolution is the widespread use of self-declared age systems, which Hontiveros said leave minors exposed to predators, impersonation, and harmful material. She invoked Republic Act No. 11930, the law that directs the State to address technology-facilitated abuse of children, arguing that existing protections have not kept pace with the threats.
The resolution pointed to Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands as examples of countries already requiring or piloting stricter age assurance technologies, including facial age estimation and identity-based verification for online services accessed by minors.
“These developments show that stronger child safety mechanisms are both feasible and increasingly becoming global standards,” the resolution stated.
Hontiveros framed the proposed inquiry as a move toward risk-based regulation rather than outright bans, calling on digital platforms operating in the country to implement safeguards commensurate with the risks their services pose to children. She also called for parallel efforts to strengthen digital literacy and responsible gaming among young users, saying child protection and innovation need not be mutually exclusive.
