Senator Robinhood “Robin” Padilla urged lawmakers to stop treating online radicalization among Filipino youth as merely an academic issue and to prioritize immediate legislative action to protect children from extremism, manipulation, and exploitation.
Speaking amid growing concerns over the influence of social media and online platforms, Padilla stressed that Filipino minors are increasingly vulnerable to extremist ideologies, harmful content, and organized recruitment efforts.
“Radicalization through the internet is not something we can continue to study indefinitely. Our youth have long been targeted by religious, political, and ideological extremists, and children are especially easy to influence,” Padilla said.
He highlighted the urgent need for legislative safeguards, pointing to progressive countries that have implemented stricter controls on children’s access to online platforms. Padilla renewed his call for the passage of the Children’s Safety in Social Media Act, which aims to restrict minors from using social media until an appropriate age, reducing exposure to manipulation and extremist content.
“Other nations’ experiences should guide us. This measure seeks to protect our children from online exploitation and ideological manipulation,” he said, lamenting that the bill remains pending in the Senate.
Padilla also pressed for swift action on Senate Bill No. 372, which proposes amendments to the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act. The bill seeks to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to ten years while strengthening intervention and accountability mechanisms for minors involved in criminal activity.
“This legislation is designed to deter the rise of heinous crimes among children and ensure accountability, while still providing appropriate rehabilitation,” he said.
The senator criticized the Senate for delaying action on both measures despite repeated incidents of youth exploitation, online manipulation, and crimes involving minors.
“What are we waiting for? We cannot pretend to work while our children are at risk,” Padilla said.
He acknowledged other pending bills but stressed that measures directly affecting the protection and future of Filipino children should be treated with urgency and priority.
“Legislation protecting our youth must be approached with seriousness. Our children are the future of this nation, and they deserve our immediate attention,” Padilla said.
The senator also called on his colleagues to focus on substantive legislative work rather than political maneuvering.
“Let us work with purpose and focus. Delays and games come at the expense of our children’s safety,” he said, adding that the country’s lack of political maturity in addressing urgent youth concerns is alarming.