The Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) has called for a shift away from banning mature-rated video games in the wake of the Tacloban school shooting, arguing instead for a "shared responsibility" approach involving parents, schools, platforms, and government.

In a position paper titled "Protecting Children in Digital Spaces: A Shared Responsibility," posted on Facebook, GDAP opened by extending condolences to the victims and families affected by the tragedy, acknowledging that the incident has reignited public debate over violent video games and children's access to digital platforms.

The organization argued that the conversation sparked by the shooting actually involves two distinct issues that are often conflated: whether violent video games cause violent behavior in children, and how children are able to access games that are not meant for them in the first place.

On the first question, GDAP said more than two decades of international research has not established that violent video games, on their own, cause serious real-world violence. The group said youth violence stems from multiple interacting factors, and pointed to family engagement, anti-bullying programs, mental health support, digital literacy education, and early identification of concerning behavior as interventions with stronger evidence behind them.

On the second question, GDAP was direct: GoreBox, the game linked to the Tacloban incident, is rated 18+ and was never designed or marketed for children. A 14-year-old playing it, the group said, points to a failure of access controls rather than a failure of the game itself.

The paper also pushed back on the lingering perception of video games as primarily a children's pastime. Citing figures on the Philippine gaming population, GDAP said about 62.4 million of the country's 117 million Filipinos play games, that over 80% of gamers are adults, and that the average gamer is around 36 years old. The group likened the industry's evolution to that of film, noting that games now carry age ratings — from children's titles up to 18+ — much like movies are classified by the MTRCB.

GDAP pointed to two safeguards already built into the gaming ecosystem: age rating systems that disclose mature content such as graphic violence, and platform-level parental controls, citing Steam as an example, that let parents restrict what children can purchase or launch. Both, the group said, only work when a parent or guardian actually applies them.

The association said banning violent games outright would be comparable to banning an R-18 film or series because a minor managed to watch it, and would carry economic consequences for legal adult consumers.

To support its case, GDAP cited two international examples. South Korea's "Cinderella Law," a mandatory gaming curfew, was widely circumvented by minors using adult accounts, and the country eventually moved toward parental controls instead. China, despite having some of the strictest gaming regulations in the world, continues to face unauthorized access through grey markets and VPNs.

GDAP added that in the Philippines, parents themselves sometimes create gaming accounts for children who are underage for those accounts, undercutting existing safeguards from within the home.

Rather than restrictions, GDAP outlined roles for multiple sectors:

Developers should provide accurate age ratings (citing systems like ESRB, PEGI, or IARC) and clear mature-content warnings.

Platforms should keep improving age verification, parental controls, and moderation tools, and physical retailers should display age ratings in stores.

Parents and guardians should use parental controls and maintain open conversations with children about online behavior.

Schools should strengthen digital citizenship and anti-bullying education.

Government should raise public awareness of existing safeguards and support nationwide digital education.

GDAP's formal recommendations include a nationwide awareness campaign on age ratings and parental controls, parent education programs on digital parenting, expanded digital literacy programs in schools covering cyberbullying, online predators, and scams, and stronger coordination among government agencies, schools, local government units, parents, and industry stakeholders.

The group closed its statement by reiterating that the central question is not whether a single game should exist, but how to build a digital environment where children can safely learn, play, and grow, a goal it said requires education and shared responsibility rather than bans. GDAP said it stands ready to work with the Senate, government agencies, educators, parents, and platforms toward that end.