School shooting sparks talks on tighter social media use for minors

MANILA,  Philippines— Proposals to restrict social media access for children below 15 years old have resurfaced following the June 22 fatal shooting incident at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City.

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The incident, which left three students dead and several others injured, allegedly involved two students aged 14 and 15, prompting lawmakers to revisit measures aimed at protecting minors from harmful online influences.

READ: School shooting kills 3 in Tacloban

“As authorities dig deep into the incident, we must also take a hard look at the various factors influencing the behavior and well-being of our youth, including their exposure to harmful content online,” said Sen. Joel Villanueva, who currently heads the Senate committee on higher, technical and vocational education.

Villanueva said the incident underscores the need to study measures that would better protect children or minors, including proposals to restrict social media access for those below 15 years old.

Several bills seeking to regulate minors’ use of social media remain pending in Congress.

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READ: Senate bill filed limiting social media use for minors

The school shooting has also prompted Sen. Robin Padilla to press for his bill, seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 10 years old from the current  15-years-old  as provided for under the Juvenile Justice Act.

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READ: Pangilinan: Tacloban shooting suspects can’t be released even if minors

Describing the incident “disturbing” and “deeply saddening,”  Villanueva also pushed for stronger mental health programs such as boosting the number of guidance counselors to support student needs.

READ: Gatchalian outraged by shooting in Tacloban school: ‘Unacceptable’

Villanueva likewise called for a review of school safety and threat-assessment protocols nationwide, citing the need for better systems to identify warning signs of violence, stronger coordination among schools, parents, local governments and law enforcement agencies, expanded anti-bullying initiatives, and updated emergency response plans.

“Every school in the country must take a preventive approach by intervening early when students show signs of distress or aggressive behavior while ensuring schools remain safe, supportive, and welcoming environments,” Villanueva said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros called for  an investigation into how the incident happened.

“As chairperson of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality, we will do everything we can to ensure that a school shooting never happens again in our country,” she vowed.

“We must never get used to this kind of violence.”

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Echoing Villanueva, Hontiveros stressed that schools should be safe spaces for  students where they  can learn freely and without fear./dp