MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Faustino Dy 3rd on Monday called for stronger protection against online threats and disinformation, urging Filipinos to reject fake news and uphold truth as the House of Representatives opened the Second Regular Session of the 20th Congress.
In his opening remarks, Dy warned that children were increasingly being exposed to violent, explicit and other harmful online content, while adults were also falling victim to false information that fuels division and conflict.
“Let us not allow the noise of social media to shape our beliefs. Let us prioritize truth over fake news, understanding over anger, and unity over division,” the lawmaker said in Filipino.
He noted that the chamber has prioritized legislation aimed at protecting Filipinos in the digital space, among them the approval of the Digital Media Anti-False Information Act and the Child Online Safety and Protection Act of 2026.
“To complement these measures and to further protect our youth, I together with Majority Leader Sandro Marcos and the rest of the members filed House Bill Number 9965 or the Children’s Social Media Safety Act, prohibiting minors under 13 years old from using social media,” he said.
“We hope that this proposal will also be included in the LEDAC (Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council) priority bills so that it can be passed as soon as possible,” he added.
Dy's remarks came as a recent Pulse Asia survey found that 85 percent of Filipino adults used the internet, with nearly all internet users active on social media.
The survey also showed that 72 percent of Filipinos consider disinformation a major national problem, while 41 percent admitted they were likely to believe information simply because it has been widely shared online.
The Speaker said protecting children online and preserving truth in public discourse were essential to safeguarding Philippine democracy.
