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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Ano ang hinihintay?': Padilla hits delay in bills lowering criminal liability age, social media ban for minors

'Ano ang hinihintay?': Padilla hits delay in bills lowering criminal liability age, social media ban for minors

Published Jun 26, 2026 02:24 pm

At A Glance

  • Senator Robin Padilla urged the Senate to immediately pass his pending measures, including the Children's Safety in Social Media Act and a bill lowering the age of criminal liability to 10, saying both are crucial to protecting Filipino youth.
  • Padilla argued that online radicalization no longer needs further study, saying children have long been vulnerable to religious, political, and ideological extremism through the internet and social media.
  • The senator criticized delays in acting on the proposals, urging lawmakers to stop political maneuvering and prioritize legislation that safeguards children from online manipulation and youth crime.
Senator Robin Padilla renewed his call for the immediate passage of two pending measures aimed at protecting children, arguing that the Senate should stop delaying action as young Filipinos continue to face threats from online radicalization and youth crime.
Senator Robin Padilla (Facebook)
Senator Robin Padilla (Facebook)
In a Facebook post on Friday, June 26, Padilla questioned why lawmakers still need to further study the issue of internet-driven radicalization, saying the country has already seen young people fall victim to religious, political, and ideological extremism.
"Radicalization mula sa internet kailangan pa bang pag-aralan? (Do we need to study radicalization that comes from the internet?) Can we not learn from our past experiences?" Padilla said, adding that minors are particularly vulnerable to manipulation through online platforms.
The senator urged the Senate to prioritize the passage of his proposed Children's Safety in Social Media Act, which seeks to prohibit minors from using social media to shield them from online manipulation and extremist influences. He lamented that the measure remains pending at the plenary despite what he described as its urgency.
Padilla also pressed for action on Senate Bill No. 372, which seeks to amend the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act by lowering the minimum age of criminal liability to 10 years old. He argued that the proposal would serve as a deterrent and help curb cases involving minors accused of committing heinous crimes.
"Ano po ba ang hinihintay natin talaga? Huwag po nating ipakita na parang naglolokohan na lang tayo sa Senado (What are we really waiting for? Let us not give the impression that we are merely fooling around in the Senate)," he said.
While acknowledging the passage of another measure declaring Waling-waling as the country's national orchid that he co-authored, Padilla stressed that his two pending proposals are more critical to protecting Filipino children and the broader public.
"Sabi ninyo po magtrabaho na tayo! Magtrabaho po tayo ng tama! Hindi po maganda ang patintero sa oras ng napapahamak ang ating kabataan (You said we should work! Then let us work properly! It is unacceptable to play games when the youth are in danger)," Padilla said.
The senator ended his statement by lamenting what he called the lack of "political maturity" in addressing issues.

Related Tags

Robin Padilla Juvenile Justice Act Social media ban criminal liability
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