To protect Filipino youths from the ill effects of social media, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson proposed on Monday the use of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) or National ID as the primary basis for verifying the age of users seeking access to social media platforms.
Lacson, the principal author of Senate Bill 2424 or the proposed Child Online Safety and Protection Act as he was the first to file a bill on the subject (Senate Bill 40), sought to simplify the process and remove technicalities and gray areas that could result in problems in its implementation.
In Filipino: Lacson Nais Gawing Pangunahing Age Check ang National ID para sa mga Gumagamit ng Social Media
“I-simplify natin (at) gamitin natin ang National ID… Ang panukala ko, pagdating sa period of amendments, gawin nating must ang basis, gawin natin ang National ID o ano ang backup ID na pwedeng gamitin para documented (Let us simplify the process and use the National ID. During the period of amendments, I will propose that we use the National ID or a backup ID be made a required and documented basis for access to social media platforms),” Lacson said during his interpellation of Senate Bill 2424 sponsored by Sen. Robinhood Padilla, who expressed openness to the proposal.
“Kung baligtarin natin ang batayan, gawing pangunahing batayan ang National ID at kung gusto ng socmed platforms ibang batayan, nasa kanila. Pero ang pangunahin (dapat ang National ID kasi) bawat Pilipino at birth meron na. Mas accurate yan at kinikilala ng ating batas (We should reverse the order of priority and make the National ID the primary basis, while allowing social media platforms to use other methods as they see fit. But the National ID should come first because every Filipino is assigned a National ID number at birth. It is more accurate and recognized under Philippine law),” he added.
Lacson had also sponsored what is now the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys Act) or Republic Act 11055, which establishes a single, unified national ID system for all Filipino citizens and resident aliens.
“Sa akin, okay ibang batayan pero gawin nating pangunahing batayan at must submit ang National ID natin (I am okay with other methods, but the National ID should be the primary basis and its submission should be required),” Lacson stressed.
Under Senate Bill 2424, minors below 16 would be barred from registering on social media platforms, while those aged 16 to below 18 would be allowed to use them subject to age-assurance requirements and child-safety protocols.
Lacson said the methods currently contemplated under the bill – including self-declaration of age by the user, use of third parties to determine age, and even artificial intelligence to estimate age – could create technicalities and gray areas that may make the measure more difficult to implement and easier to circumvent.
“Pag naglatag tayo ng discretion maglilikha tayo ng butas… upang paikutan ang pagpapatupad ng batas na ito (If we allow discretion, we will allow loopholes that could be used to circumvent the implementation of this law),” he said.
Besides, Lacson noted that the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has said that National ID registration has already covered about 96 percent of the population and continues to expand.
Also, Lacson proposed that the prohibition be maintained throughout ages 16 and 17, during which youths can be taught a structured social media and digital literacy education, as part of the senior high school curriculum.
“Hindi ba mas coherent to maintain the restriction throughout the age of minority and use the two SHS years for structured social media and digital literacy education so they understand the risks of social media before gaining unrestricted access at 18 (Would it not be more coherent to maintain the restriction throughout the age of minority and use the SHS years, 16 to 17, for structured social media and literacy education so they understand the risks of social media before gaining unrestricted access at 18)?” he said.
He added Filipinos below 18 must not have access to online platforms without the proper supervision in schools and at home. “Alisin natin ang age restricted, pagbawalan natin ang access na walang supervision (Instead of age restriction, we should remove unsupervised access),” he said.
He proposed as well a more active role for the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), including quasi-judicial authority, to determine liability and impose administrative penalties for violators.
Padilla expressed openness to Lacson’s suggested amendments. “Napakaganda ng inyong minumungkahi (Your suggestions are very good),” he said.
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Lacson Nais Gawing Pangunahing Age Check ang National ID para sa mga Gumagamit ng Social Media
Upang maprotektahan ang mga kabataang Pilipino mula sa masasamang epekto ng social media, iminungkahi ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Lunes na gamitin ang Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) o National ID bilang pangunahing batayan sa pagberipika ng edad ng mga user na nais gumamit ng mga social media platform.
Iminungkahi ni Lacson, na principal author ng Senate Bill 2424 o Child Online Safety and Protection Act dahil siya ang naunang naghain ng panukalang batas tungkol sa isyu (Senate Bill 40), na gawing simple ang proseso at alisin ang mga technicality at gray area na maaaring magdulot ng problema sa implementasyon.
“I-simplify natin (at) gamitin natin ang National ID… Ang panukala ko, pagdating sa period of amendments, gawin nating must ang basis, gawin natin ang National ID o ano ang backup ID na pwedeng gamitin para documented,” ani Lacson sa kanyang pag-interpellate sa Senate Bill 2424 na ini-sponsor ni Sen. Robinhood Padilla – na nagsabing bukas siya sa mga panukala.
“Kung baligtarin natin ang batayan, gawing pangunahing batayan ang National ID at kung gusto ng socmed platforms ibang batayan, nasa kanila. Pero ang pangunahin (dapat ang National ID kasi) bawat Pilipino at birth meron na. Mas accurate yan at kinikilala ng ating batas,” dagdag ni Lacson.
Si Lacson ang nag-sponsor ng ngayo’y Philippine Identification System (PhilSys Act) o Republic Act 11055, na nag-establish ng “single, unified national ID system” para sa lahat ng Pilipino at resident aliens.
“Sa akin, okay ibang batayan pero gawin nating pangunahing batayan at must submit ang National ID natin,” diin ni Lacson.
Sa ilalim ng Senate Bill 2424, hindi papayagang magparehistro sa social media platforms ang mga menor de edad na wala pang 16, habang papayagan ang mga edad 16 hanggang wala pang 18 na gumamit ng mga ito, subject sa age-assurance requirements at child-safety protocols.
Ani Lacson, ang mga pamamaraang kasalukuyang nakapaloob sa panukalang batas—kabilang ang self-declaration ng edad ng user, paggamit ng third parties upang tukuyin ang edad, at maging ang artificial intelligence upang tantiyahin ang edad—ay maaaring lumikha ng technicalities at gray areas na maaaring magpahirap sa pagpapatupad ng panukala at magbigay ng pagkakataong malusutan ito.
“Pag naglatag tayo ng discretion maglilikha tayo ng butas… upang paikutan ang pagpapatupad ng batas na ito,” aniya.
Bukod dito, binanggit ni Lacson na sinabi ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) na nasa 96 porsiyento na ng populasyon ang saklaw ng pagpaparehistro para sa National ID at patuloy pa itong lumalawak.
Iminungkahi rin ni Lacson na panatilihin ang pagbabawal sa paggamit ng social media hanggang sa edad na 18, sa halip na payagan ang mga edad 16 hanggang 17 na magkaroon ng access na sasailalim lamang sa age-assurance requirements. Sa dalawang taon ng senior high school (SHS), aniya, maaaring bigyan ang mga kabataan ng structured social media at digital literacy education bilang bahagi ng kurikulum upang maunawaan nila ang mga panganib ng social media bago magkaroon ng ganap na access sa edad na 18.
“Hindi ba mas coherent to maintain the restriction throughout the age of minority and use the two SHS years for structured social media and digital literacy education so they understand the risks of social media before gaining unrestricted access at 18?” aniya.
Dagdag pa niya, hindi dapat magkaroon ng access sa online platforms ang mga Pilipinong wala pang 18 taong gulang nang walang wastong superbisyon sa paaralan at tahanan.
“Alisin natin ang age restricted, pagbawalan natin ang access na walang supervision,” aniya.
Iminungkahi rin ni Lacson ang mas aktibong papel para sa Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), kabilang ang quasi-judicial authority, upang tukuyin ang pananagutan at magpataw ng administrative penalties sa mga lumalabag.
Nagpahayag naman si Padilla ng pagiging bukas sa mga iminungkahing amyenda ni Lacson. “Napakaganda ng inyong minumungkahi,” aniya.
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