Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday denied claims that she is pushing for a ban on video games in the Philippines following recent incidents of school-related violence, saying no such recommendation has been made by her committee.
“I never recommended, said, or even thought about banning any game, including this Gorebox,” Hontiveros said, refuting what she described as misinformation circulating over the weekend.
Hontiveros said the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality has yet to release any findings or recommendations as it prepares to hold a hearing on the incidents.
“Wag pangunahan nung mga nag fake news over the weekend. Dun po tayo sa totoo,” she said, emphasizing that the focus should remain on the victims.
“May mga batang napatay, may mga magulang na naulila sa anak, may marami pang bata na sugatan at malalim ang trauma," she added.
The senator said the Department of Justice (DOJ) had noted possible links to “nihilistic violent extremism” (NVE) in the case, prompting the committee to invite a wide range of stakeholders to the hearing.
Among those invited are families of victims, relatives of one of the alleged shooters, the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), telecommunications firms, gaming industry representatives, and local police officials.
Hontiveros said the issue goes beyond video games, citing factors such as parental supervision, access to firearms, and online safety.
She also raised concerns about alleged malicious actors who infiltrate gaming platforms to target minors.
“They spot and target, sinusubukan nilang kaibiganin yung ilang mga batang naglalaro doon and then apparently they lure them out of the gaming platform and on to other spaces,” she said, referencing patterns discussed in previous hearings involving online platforms.
Hontiveros said she had hoped the developer of the game “Gorebox” would attend the hearing to shed light on the issue, but added that other stakeholders could still provide insights on improving child safety both online and offline.
Aquino opposes blanket ban
Meanwhile, Sen. Bam Aquino rejected calls for a blanket ban on video games, saying stricter enforcement of age restrictions would be more effective.
“Hindi solusyon ang blanket ban sa video games. Ang dapat pagtuunan ng pansin ay ang mahigpit na pagpapatupad ng age restrictions,” Aquino said.
The senator further stressed that some games are not appropriate for minors and should be treated similarly to films and other media with mature ratings.
He also underscored the role of parents in monitoring their children’s gaming habits and ensuring age-appropriate content.
“May pananagutan din ang mga game developers na tiyaking ligtas ang kanilang mga platform laban sa mga online predator, extremist groups, at iba pang may masasamang hangarin,” he said.
Aquino added that existing safeguards are not enough unless they are strictly implemented to protect young users.
Both senators emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to address the issue, balancing regulation, parental guidance, and industry accountability to ensure the safety of children.
