House, LGUs are partners in protecting children online, offline – Dy

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives and local government units should share the responsibility of protecting children online and offline, with lawmakers strengthening laws to achieve this and local officials implementing those laws.

House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said in Filipino in his speech on Wednesday at the 2026 League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Visayas Island Cluster Conference at Royce Premium Hotel in Clarkfield, Pampanga.

The conference gathered municipal mayors from across the Visayas under the theme “Building Responsive and Future-Ready Municipalities Through Convergence, Collaboration, and Regional Integration.”

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The LMP is headed by National President Faustino “Inno” Dy V, the mayor of Echague, Isabela.

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READ: Dy seeks stronger protection of kids from social media threats

“This is the partnership we want between the national and local governments,” Dy said in Filipino.

“We need our mayors, barangay officials, police, schools, social workers, and parents to make these laws give real protection to our children,” he added.

He outlined proposed measures on responsible firearm ownership and children’s social media use, in light of recent school shooting incidents.

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He cited House Bill No. 11387, or the proposed Responsible Firearm Ownership and Safe Storage Act, which he filed with Majority Leader Sandro Marcos. The measure seeks stricter safe-storage requirements, mandatory gun-safety training, and greater accountability when negligence allows a minor or another unauthorized person to obtain a firearm.

“This is the principle behind the bill: Responsible gun ownership must include responsible gun storage,” Dy said.

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He also cited House Bill No. 9965, or the proposed Children’s Social Media Safety Act, which he filed with Marcos and Senior Deputy Speaker Dinand Hernandez.

The proposal would prohibit social media accounts for children under 13 and require parental consent and supervision for those aged 13 to under 18. It would also require platforms to adopt age verification, parental controls, and safeguards against harmful content.

Such a measure is necessary, Dy said, “because our responsibility to protect a child does not end when that child goes online.”

“Whether they are walking into a classroom or logging onto a social media platform, our children deserve an environment designed with their safety in mind,” he added.

Dy urged LGUs to work closely with barangays, police, school authorities, parents, and social welfare offices to prevent violence, address safety threats, and strengthen emergency response.

READ: DILG recognizes LGUs’ role in community safety

“Genuine peace and order is not just about responding when an incident occurs. It is about acting early to prevent tragedy before it happens,” he said.

In this regard, Dy said mayors could share their experiences and recommendations to help lawmakers craft measures that respond to the needs of communities.

“As a former local chief executive, I know that mayors are not only implementers of government programs. You are a vital bridge between the national government and our citizens,” Dy said.

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“We can see success in the feeling of security of parents, in the safety of our children, and the trust of countrymen in our government,” he added. /atm