Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed support for regulating and if necessary, banning violent online games, citing growing concerns over incidents of violence in schools.
Speaking on the sidelines of the National Safe Schools Summit and Safety Drill at Manila Science High School, Angara said the government should rely on experts in determining whether certain online games pose risks to children and should be prohibited.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has already said that if we have to ban them, we should ban them. The important thing is to listen to the experts because they have the experience and knowledge on this issue,” Angara told reporters.
The education chief specifically pointed to the online game GoreBox, describing it as highly violent and potentially harmful to young users.
“Some games, such as GoreBox, are extremely violent because the objective involves organizing gangs and inflicting harm. I believe games like these should either be banned or strictly regulated,” he said.
Angara acknowledged the increasing frequency of violent incidents involving students and noted that experts have linked some cases to harmful content on social media and other negative online influences.
“We recognize that incidents of violence are becoming more common. According to experts, exposure to damaging social media platforms and other harmful influences contributes to this problem,” he said.
He also warned that extremist groups have used online platforms to recruit members, underscoring the need to shield children from harmful digital content while fostering supportive family environments.
On proposals to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility, Angara said the matter should be left to Congress, emphasizing that the Department of Education (DepEd) remains focused on strengthening school safety measures.
“As for lowering the age of criminal responsibility, we will leave that to Congress. Our priority in DepEd is improving our protocols and ensuring the safety of our learners,” he said.
Among the measures being implemented by DepEd are bag inspections, the use of metal detectors, and active threat response drills in schools. Angara, however, acknowledged that some perpetrators still manage to bypass security measures.
The department is also enhancing guidance and child protection services by activating guidance offices and training faculty members to provide counseling support in schools without licensed guidance counselors.
The push comes in the wake of the shooting incident at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, which highlighted the need for more guidance counselors to address students’ mental health and behavioral concerns.
DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma earlier said every public school should have at least one guidance counselor, while larger schools should have three to five counselors depending on enrollment size.
In addition to hiring more counselors, DepEd aims to change students’ perception of guidance offices, encouraging learners to view them as safe spaces for support rather than places associated with punishment or disciplinary action.
