Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality will open an inquiry on July 1 into the Tacloban City school shooting and the growing concern over youth radicalization online.
Hontiveros said the investigation will assess the role of online platforms in exposing children to violent ideologies and whether these spaces are being used for grooming, manipulation, and recruitment into harmful behavior.
The hearing follows the committee’s April 14, 2026 probe, which flagged how gaming and online platforms may be enabling not only violent radicalization but also sexual exploitation, grooming, and extortion of minors.
“Kung ginagamit ang internet para biktimahin ang mga bata, dapat may managot,” Hontiveros said, stressing that “big tech” firms must be held accountable for safeguarding children online.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian separately called for stronger mobilization of parents and local government units through the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program under Republic Act 11908, citing its role in strengthening child protection and parental guidance systems.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo urged stricter enforcement of the Anti-Bullying Act, noting reports that the alleged shooters were bullying victims, while warning that violence is not a justified response.
Sen. Pia Cayetano called for a review of school safety protocols, expanded mental health and counseling services, and sustained support for affected families, emphasizing a whole-of-government response.
Sen. Joel Villanueva said the incident highlights the need to address children’s exposure to harmful online content and reinforced calls to review safeguards, including proposals to restrict social media access for minors under 15.
Authorities are expected to examine both school-based safety gaps and digital risk factors as part of the inquiry into the incident.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said there is a pressing need to mobilize parents and local government units through the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program to address the escalation of violence in schools nationwide.
Gatchalian said the PES Program was established through RA 11908 or the Parent Effectiveness Service Program Act to strengthen the knowledge and skills of parents and parent-substitutes in responding to their parental duties and responsibilities.
He said the law mandates that the PES Program is implemented in all cities and municipalities, together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which is tasked to develop modules on child protection from abuse and promoting positive behavior.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo said he condemns the shooting incident even as he called on his colleagues to strengthen the implementation of the Anti-Bullying Act.
Tulfo said reports showed that the two minors who shot their schoolmates were victims of bullying.
“Bagama’t hindi tama ang naging paraan nila para resolbahin ang bullying sa kanila, isa po itong nakakaalarma na hudyat para sa lahat ng mga eskwelahan. At sa mga awtoridad: Lagyan na ng pangil ang implementasyon ng Anti-Bullying Act
(Though it’s not the right thing to resolve bullying on them, the incident is alarming to all schools. And to the authorities: Strengthen the implementation of the Anti-Bullying Act),” he added.
Sen. Pia Cayetano said there is a need to immediately review and strengthen school safety measures, expand access to guidance and mental health services, ensure adequate counseling support, and provide sustained assistance to affected families and communities.
She said authorities must investigate to determine the conditions that led the students to shoot their schoolmates.
“Addressing this requires a whole-of-government approach involving law enforcers, the DepEd, child protection and social welfare agencies, families, and communities,” she said.
Sen. Joel Villanueva said the Tacloban City shooting incident is a reminder “that protecting our children requires vigilance inside and outside the classroom.”
“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,” Villanueva said.
He said the incident bolsters the need to review existing measures to better protect the youth, including proposals to restrict social media access for children below 15 years old.
“Our schools must remain places of learning and security,” he added.