Lawmakers push gun safety, social media reforms anew

Lawmakers at the House of Representatives renewed calls for stricter gun safety measures and restrictions on children’s access to social media following the shooting incident in South Cotabato on Friday, 18 September.

In separate statements Sunday, Tingog Rep. Jude Acidre, Quezon Rep. David “Jay-Jay” Suarez and Bukidnon Rep. Audrey Kay Zubiri called for government action to address violence involving young people and improve safety in schools.

Acidre, chair of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, said government action on issues affecting the youth should be preventive rather than reactive.

He said it was difficult to accept that “the places where our children should be safe have become the same places of fear and violence.”

“We have a responsibility to understand how this happened and what must change to prevent another family from suffering the same tragedy,” Acidre said.

With investigations ongoing, Acidre said authorities should avoid focusing on a single factor that may have contributed to the incident.

He called for stronger support systems for children, including better access to guidance counselors and mental health professionals.

“When a young person expresses an intention to harm themselves or others, there must be a clear process for taking that warning seriously and responding immediately,” he said.

Acidre said Congress should also examine gaps in policies, funding and implementation to strengthen schools as “places of learning, hope, and safety.”

Social media platform accountability

Lawmakers are also pushing measures to strengthen restrictions on children’s access to online platforms and potentially harmful content.

Authorities investigating Friday’s incident said the 16-year-old gunman had accessed what they described as the “deep dark web.”

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the gunman’s online exposure was among the factors being examined and that he would coordinate with concerned agencies, including Congress, on possible reforms involving social media use.

Suarez has filed a bill seeking to require social media platforms to secure congressional franchises before operating in the Philippines.

The proposed measure would also impose requirements involving age-assurance systems and parental consent for young users.

Suarez said social media has evolved beyond entertainment and now plays a significant role in shaping public life, making greater accountability necessary.

“Filipinos deserve a digital space that is safe, fair, and truly serves the public interest. This is about empowering our people, not stifling free expression,” Suarez said.

Gun safety reforms

Lawmakers have also called for stronger accountability among gun owners over the storage and safekeeping of firearms.

The issue emerged after investigators said firearms used in recent shooting incidents in Tacloban City, Zamboanga City and South Cotabato came from relatives of those allegedly involved.

Zubiri said firearms must be kept out of children’s reach, warning against allowing gun violence to become “normalized among children.”

She said existing gun safety policies should be reviewed and adults held accountable when negligence allows children to gain access to firearms.

“We condemn the failure of every legally accountable adult who allows a firearm to become accessible to a child. Owning a firearm under legal circumstances comes with great responsibility,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri stressed that the reforms she is seeking are not intended to target responsible gun owners but to prevent firearms from becoming a source of “lifelong trauma and loss of life” among young people.

Investigations into Friday’s shooting remain ongoing, including into the circumstances and possible factors that influenced the incident.