PLDT wants to block violent ‘grooming’ sites

MANILA, Philippines —  Telco giant PLDT Inc. is appealing to the government to grant providers the power to unilaterally block sites without regulatory approval, to improve online safety and prevent copycat effects.

On the sidelines of an online child safety forum, PLDT chief operating officer Menardo Jimenez Jr. backed legislation empowering telcos to block violent sites.

Jimenez cited Republic Act 11930, which requires internet service providers to detect and block sites promoting online sexual abuse and exploitation of children and to report such activity to the Philippine National Police within 24 hours.

He pointed out that PLDT has detected channels promoting violence or nihilistic violent extremism but has yet to secure regulatory approval to block them.

“I think if we are given the right guidelines, either by the law or by the right government entity, I would prefer some level of empowerment. If we are able to see and confirm that there are certain sites that actually do violent acts, [I hope we are empowered] to shut them down,” Jimenez said.

Such authority could also encourage telcos to compete to become the provider with the safest network for children, according to Jimenez.

Stricter child-safety policy

The issue of online safety also figured in the Senate as Akbayan Youth on Wednesday opposed a proposed outright ban on social media use by people below 18, urging lawmakers to consider stricter child-safety measures instead.

Akbayan Youth national chairperson Khylla Meneses argued that restricting access alone would not necessarily protect young people online.

“We cannot protect young people simply by closing the door. We need to make the digital spaces they enter safer,” Meneses said in Filipino.

The group cautioned that an outright ban could drive young users to less regulated online spaces, where parents and authorities may have fewer safeguards and oversight mechanisms.

Instead, Akbayan proposed prohibiting social media accounts for children aged 13 and below while strengthening privacy protections, age-assurance systems, parental controls and accountability measures for social media platforms.

“Social media companies should be accountable for dangerous design, harmful content and inadequate safeguards,” the group said.

The position came as the Senate considers Senate Bill 2066, which seeks to establish a minimum age for social media use, regulate children’s access to social media platforms and impose obligations on social media providers.

Introduced by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, the bill was referred to the Senate committees on public information and mass media, and science and technology.

The move is in line with President Marcos’ vow to carry out measures to ensure the safety of students in the face of growing concerns over three recent school shootings that have left a total of nine persons dead.

More work remains

In his remarks during the celebration of National Teachers’ Month in Manila, Marcos yesterday said the government has done much to change the course of Philippine education, but acknowledged that “much work still remains.”

He cited the need to remedy the gaps in how teachers are prepared and developed, including the assigning of educators to subjects outside their specialization and provide a safe environment for learners.

“Teachers do more than just teach lessons. For many of our children, they become second parents in school, helping create environments where learners feel safe, supported and cared for,” Marcos said. “This also means strengthening school safety and student support. Together with parents, communities and other partners, we will continue to work to make our schools more secure and more responsive to the needs of our learners.”

The discussions followed a series of school shooting scares, including an incident at Isulan National High School in Sultan Kudarat.

Yesterday, a loud sound initially perceived as gunfire caused panic among students and teachers, prompting an investigation and the suspension of face-to-face classes.

Sultan Kudarat Gov. Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu later revealed that there was no shooting and that the sound was likely caused by faulty electrical wiring.

No ammunition was found at the site, he said, while the Bureau of Fire Protection continued its investigation.

The DepEd Division Office of Sultan Kudarat assured the public that the situation was under control with no reported injuries or casualties.

The loud sound caused widespread panic on campus, with students seen in viral videos posted on Facebook securing themselves inside classrooms amid fears of an active shooter.

Police and military officials said the incident also caused alarm among parents after reports of a supposed shooting circulated on social media.

As a precautionary measure, the local government of Isulan suspended face-to-face classes Wednesday afternoon until further notice.

“We urge everyone to remain calm and refrain from sharing unverified information,” the DepEd division office said.

The incident came amid heightened concern over threats against schools in Region 12 following a deadly shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato on Sept. 18 that left three people dead and six others wounded.

South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said Wednesday that psychologists and social welfare personnel are counseling 40 students who were apprehended for making online threats to attack schools in separate operations in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat over the past 10 days.

Twenty of the students are from different towns in South Cotabato while another 20 are from different towns in Sultan Kudarat.

Tamayo said the students, who include elementary and high school students, are being treated as children needing psychological interventions rather than law offenders.

Counselors from units of the Police Regional Office 12 are also helping rehabilitate the students.

Meanwhile, Baguio City police are investigating messages circulated among students of the Philippine Science High School-Cordillera Administrative Region Campus in Barangay Irisan that were perceived as threats.

Personnel of Baguio City Police Station 9 launched an inquiry on Sept. 29 following a Facebook post alleging threatening messages linked to the school.

According to a police report, school officials told investigators that the claims stemmed from an earlier incident and a reported group chat containing statements involving a firearm.

Authorities have yet to establish any confirmed threat or attack plan.

No firearm has also been reported recovered and police have made no criminal finding arising from the inquiry. –  Evelyn Macairan, Emmanuel Tupas, Roel Pareño, Art Dumlao, John Unson, Mark Ernest Villeza, Alexis Romero