CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (February 28) — A bill seeking to strictly regulate children’s gadget use is drawing cautious backing — and pointed concerns — across Northern Mindanao.
Filed by Asenso Pinoy Party-list Rep. Henry Oaminal Jr., House Bill 7887 or the “Children’s Gadget Use Regulation Act” proposes a total screen-time ban for children aged zero to two, limits for those aged two to 12, and regulated use for minors 13 to 17 in schools and community settings.
“In today’s digital world, it’s so easy to hand a gadget to a child just to get a few minutes of peace. But this comes at the expense of their development,” Oaminal said.
For some parents, the proposal hits close to home.
Milyn Aban, a 30-year-old solo parent in Barangay Canitoan, said she struggles to rein in her children’s phone use. Her three children — 12, 10, and 8 — spend hours on mobile devices even after school.
“Even when they get back home from school, they still use their phones because that’s the only way for them to enjoy,” she said, adding that clearer rules could help her set boundaries.
But in academic circles, the measure is being met with caution.
Crystal Raro, chair of the Department of Technology Communication Management at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, said legislation must not overreach into family life.
She emphasized that parents should be empowered directly, noting that child-rearing remains a primary responsibility that should not be displaced by the state. She also raised concerns about provisions that could intrude on privacy.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development–Northern Mindanao (DSWD-10) expressed “conditional” support, anchoring its stance on the best interests of the child.
Grace Dael, DSWD-10 Children Sector Focal, said the agency recognizes the need to shield minors from digital harm but stressed that state intervention must remain “subsidiary in nature.”
“The Department’s qualified support is predicated on ensuring that the measure remains developmental, protective and enabling in character,” she said.
The private sector, meanwhile, sees alignment with ongoing child-protection efforts.
Telecommunications giant PLDT-Smart, through chief sustainability officer Melissa Vergel de Dios, called the bill timely, citing its campaign against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children.
“Child protection is one of our important advocacies and the bill is a move towards age-appropriate access to content,” she said.
Under the proposal, monitoring mechanisms would be non-intrusive and voluntary, with barangay health workers bound by strict confidentiality. The Department of Health, local government units, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government would serve as implementing bodies.
Oaminal said the bill promotes a parental and community-based approach, stressing that its provisions are advisory and supportive rather than punitive.
As debate builds, one question lingers in Northern Mindanao households: where should the line be drawn between parental authority and state protection in the digital age?
