- 7 minutes ago
The stories don’t end with the headlines — and neither does the conversation.
Join us on Beyond the Headlines as we take a closer look at the proposed ban on violent online games and unpack the issues driving the debate. From concerns over its effects on behavior and mental health to the possible impact on gamers, parents, educators, and the wider community, this issue raises questions that go far beyond the screen.
Hear different perspectives, gain deeper insight, and be part of the discussion on a topic shaping today’s digital generation.
🎥 Beyond the Headlines
Look Deeper. Think Deeper.
Join us on Beyond the Headlines as we take a closer look at the proposed ban on violent online games and unpack the issues driving the debate. From concerns over its effects on behavior and mental health to the possible impact on gamers, parents, educators, and the wider community, this issue raises questions that go far beyond the screen.
Hear different perspectives, gain deeper insight, and be part of the discussion on a topic shaping today’s digital generation.
🎥 Beyond the Headlines
Look Deeper. Think Deeper.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
01:17Then comes the milk, steamed, smooth, creamy, and balanced.
01:22The perfect latte is not brushed.
01:25It is crafted one cup at a time.
01:29Your perfect latte is ready.
01:31Coffee first, then everything else.
01:35Good afternoon.
01:37Welcome to Beyond the Headlines.
01:38I'm DJ Moises.
01:39And today's conversation is brought to us by Coffee First.
01:43In just a matter of days, one tragic incident has triggered question that reached far beyond Tacloban City.
01:52Should violent video games be banned?
01:55Are online platforms doing enough to protect children?
01:59Or are we looking for a simple solution to a far more complicated problem?
02:05Today, we look deeper and think better.
02:09Let's begin with the timeline.
02:11Everything started with a tragic school shooting in Tacloban City.
02:17As investigators pieced together what happened, reports surfaced that one of the suspects had played the game Gorebox, a sandbox
02:26game known for graphic violence.
02:29Was the game merely something the suspect happened to play?
02:34Or did it somehow contribute to the tragedy?
02:38These questions quickly became part of national conversation.
02:42The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, or CICC, temporarily blocked access to Gorebox in the Philippines.
02:51Officials emphasized that the move was precautionary.
02:56But later, the agency clarified that the ban is not necessarily permanent.
03:01Instead, it will remain until the game's developer introduces stronger safeguards, including better age verification and protection for minors.
03:11The focus, they said, is child safety.
03:15The discussion soon expanded.
03:17Interior Secretary John B. Kremulia called for Congress to study a permanent ban on violent video games.
03:26Soon after, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he was open to restrictions or even a ban, provided the decision is
03:35supported by evidence and expert recommendation.
03:39Then, Senator Risa Ontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, Gender Equality, announced that the committee
03:48is reopening its inquiry into child safety in digital spaces.
03:53The committee is not focusing solely on violent video games.
03:58It is examining online grooming, sexual exploitations of children, online radicalizations, and whether digital platforms are doing enough to protect
04:09minors.
04:10One of the resource persons invited to the hearing was Felix Philipp, founder of the developer or developer of Goreboxx,
04:20an independent game development studio based in Germany and the creator of the said video game.
04:28Philipp said he was heartbroken by what happened in Tacloban.
04:32He also committed that he would cooperate with Philippine authorities with their investigation within the bounds of applicable law.
04:40However, Felix Philipp did not attend the Senate inquiry.
04:46Two months before the campus attack, Roblox, another online game, was actually almost banned in the Philippines.
04:55The first to raise the alarm were, again, parents and the conversation touched on grooming, the process where a malicious
05:02adult manipulates minors using online platforms, befriending them, gaining their trust, and eventually exploiting them for abuse, trafficking, or extortion.
05:15But the Department of Information and Communications Technology, or DICT, later announced that Roblox could stay.
05:24This was after Roblox executive vowed stricter safeguards, improving monitoring and reporting mechanism, and age-appropriate content controls.
05:36According to Dr. Rafael Henry Legazpi, a psychiatrist at the University of the Philippines' Philippine General Hospital, or UPPJH,
05:47there is still no established causal link between video game and real-world aggression.
05:56He said the connection also has not been proven, even in the United States, which has the extensive history of
06:06gun violence.
06:07In fact, Japan and South Korea also have very strong gaming culture, yet post some of the lowest gun homicide
06:16rates in the world.
06:18What happened in Tacloban, Legazpi said, may be more about easy access to guns, not gaming.
06:27Meanwhile, a consultant at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division, still with UPPJH, Dr. Konstantin Yu Chua said,
06:37It is possible for minors to be indoctrinized or radicalized by the game itself, but through their interaction with other
06:46gamers or strangers online.
06:50Online games allow players to communicate with one another.
06:54For example, in Roblox or other online games, where apart from playing the game, they're also able to talk with
07:01adults from other countries.
07:04That's when they get indoctrinized or radicalized.
07:08However, Yu Chua also said that blaming online games for Tacloban shooting suspects acts may be like a very superficial
07:18solution.
07:19Paolo Bago, a long-time e-sports professional, did not deny that radicalization of minors can happen while playing online
07:30games.
07:30But it is not the content of the game that is radicalizing.
07:35It's who the children interact with.
07:38And if you recall, this is similar to Yu Chua's point of view.
07:43He also added, it is irresponsible and premature to conclude that a video game was the main cause.
07:52Now, where should we draw the line?
07:54Should government ban violent video games?
07:58Should digital platforms be held to higher standards?
08:02Are stronger safeguards enough?
08:05Or are we trying to solve a complex problem with a single solution?
08:13Those are the questions we will unpack today.
08:17And by the way, for our viewers, if you have comments or questions or if you wish to participate in
08:24the conversation,
08:25please drop your comments in the comment section.
08:29And I'm opening actually the live as we speak so that the goal is for me to be able to
08:35spot your questions or comments as we move forward.
08:39Now, my first comment about this issue.
08:43A tragedy involving children should never become a contest of political positions.
08:49So please, let's not politicize an important issue such as this.
08:55Kay mairog ang ato ang focus from looking at a solution.
08:59Okay.
08:59Daghan na kaayong nanakay.
09:01And it's sad because I could actually see quite a number of politicians na nisakay na yun in tawon.
09:09I'm fine if musakay sila as long as mo pliti sila.
09:13Ang sad lang na ako nga part is because nanakay lang yun sila, period.
09:17So if kaning mga content creators slash politicians ba, they are just here for the ride, palihug lang, kanaug na
09:25mo.
09:25Because this is conversation for people who would want to find solutions and implement the solutions.
09:32This is not for people and naalang din hi for the clout.
09:36Or politicians lang yun na nagsakay-sakay lang yun.
09:39Because nag-appeal-appeal lang mo sa noise instead of looking for the solutions.
09:45And I'm sorry if I'll have to digress a bit.
09:48Kitapod na mga voters ba?
09:49Wari puntaan yung mga politicians, bitaw na kanang tapahaw lang ang ilang contribution basta makakontent lang.
09:56Because I think there are even content creators who do better job than them.
10:02Kanila comment-comment lang, kanang sakay-sakay lang, kunwari na sila igibuhat na action steps.
10:08But in reality, wala man.
10:10And para i-elevate na ito ang ito ang voter critical thinking ba, when we look at politicians,
10:15in the first place, ang mga leaders, they're supposed to see more than what we can see.
10:23So kung ilang ipang advance di ang content sa social media are just things that we already know,
10:28then sila leader, their followers, or worse, ni take advantage ng yun in tawon.
10:35So let's be more wary about this type of politician.
10:38Now that said, I will recognize that this is every leader's concern.
10:44Every parent, every teacher, every policymaker.
10:50Because kitang tanan, everyday Filipinos, everyday Cebuanos, kitang tanan,
10:55we want to solve this issue and to solve this issue for good.
10:59So that no more kids will have to go through the ordeal.
11:02And no more families of kids also who will have to go through this ordeal.
11:07But let us remember that good intention alone is not enough.
11:14We need good policy and good governance.
11:20So it is a reasonable question.
11:24If people more and more are now asking whether video games should have a stronger safeguard.
11:31And it is, yes, it is a reasonable expectation that technology companies should be more mindful
11:39about age restrictions, about age verification, about parental controls,
11:47and to have greater accountability in the digital platform.
11:52So wala ko yung problema na.
11:54In fact, I'm glad that we are surfacing this conversation para we can improve the gaming system.
12:00But let's also put into context,
12:06katong input earlier sa katong mga experts na to in the field of child psychology,
12:12and even on the field also of online gaming.
12:17Ang radicalization may be because of the people that they interact in the game,
12:21but it's not the game itself.
12:25Katong good status siya nga.
12:27Japan and South Korea, they have a very strong gaming culture.
12:33And part of that are actually the games that our kids are also playing.
12:38But nga nung mubo man ang ila ang gun-related violence or incidents.
12:43So there may not be an exact or absolute correlation.
12:49Now, in the context, and this is also where,
12:53this is also where, I'm hoping na some of our viewers would also comment,
12:58the Philippines is not the only country that has officially,
13:03Philippines as of this time is the only country that has officially restricted gore box.
13:10And this was when the CICC imposed a temporary ban on the game on June 2026.
13:18But Russia already also kanang blocked.
13:25In another online game, the League Gore Box,
13:29but Roblox was already blocked in Russia.
13:32And prior to the blocking,
13:34this was Russia's most downloaded mobile games.
13:37But their concern actually is more on the inappropriate content
13:41that can impact a child's spiritual and moral development.
13:47Because some of them would also are concerned about LGBTQ plus leaning
13:53in some of the content.
13:55And then, specific to Roblox,
13:58other gaming happen, which is Roblox,
14:01it also went through scrutiny in Singapore in 2023.
14:06After government recognized that there was a radicalized teenager
14:12that has joined ISIS-themed servers on the platform.
14:18However, giliwok po din siya diretsyo by Roblox.
14:21Because in December of last year,
14:24Roblox announced that it would stop allowing children to chat with other strangers.
14:29After long-standing criticism of this.
14:33And again, as what the experts would say,
14:35it's not the game itself.
14:36The danger of radicalization or possibly the danger of being influenced,
14:42it's really the adults, the other adults,
14:45that children could be chatting with as the game is progressing.
14:51And that's where the risk is.
14:53So, that's why there's good benefit.
14:57If we have stronger conversations around safeguard,
15:01around protection of minors,
15:03around better age verification.
15:06But it is not necessarily reasonable
15:09to attribute the whole Tacloban shooting
15:13to just violent video games.
15:18Millions of people around the world
15:21played the same games.
15:24But the overwhelming majority
15:27did not commit crimes.
15:31Let's take that into context.
15:34I'm not saying that it's completely, absolutely okay.
15:38I'm not saying that.
15:39But statistics will tell us
15:40there are millions of players around the world
15:43who are also into these games.
15:46But the overwhelming majority
15:49are not necessarily,
15:51they did not become criminals.
15:54So, youth violence
15:56is rarely explained by a single factor.
16:00So, that's where I was coming from.
16:01Nausahay,
16:02ang kaning mga leaders na to,
16:04moderecho dahin sila ag-assume
16:05because they also,
16:06or musakay sila sa isyo
16:08because they think
16:09it's the popular thing to say.
16:11But I think this is also
16:12a good time for them
16:14to do their homework.
16:15I'm not saying that
16:17kaning ilang actions
16:19nagipang implement ka ron
16:20are wrong.
16:21But what I'm just saying is,
16:22maybe kinahangla nilang
16:23huna-hunaon further, no?
16:26Rather than,
16:27diretsyo lang sila
16:28gsakay sa jeep,
16:29niya di mo bayad sa pliti, no?
16:31Now,
16:32the other thing also
16:33that I have to emphasize, no?
16:36Because parents have
16:38responsibility also
16:39to know what their children
16:40are playing
16:41and who they are interacting, no?
16:44Murag ka nang,
16:45this is a very fundamental thing, actually.
16:49And in fact,
16:50that's the reason why
16:51when we went to school,
16:52among the definitions that we,
16:55early definitions that we learned is,
16:57family is the basic unit of society.
17:00It's mainly because,
17:02naaginun ta,
17:03dapat diha ang supervision,
17:06naaginun ta diha ang discipline,
17:09naaginun ta diha ang value formation, no?
17:12Before,
17:13iasa na to ang bata sa school,
17:15sa community, no?
17:17O sa Pilipinas, no?
17:18So,
17:19I also hope that
17:21the parents who are watching,
17:22this is also a good time for us
17:25to assess and ask ourselves,
17:27ba,
17:27how are we in terms of
17:29our influence, no?
17:30with our children?
17:32And where are we, no?
17:34In terms of actually knowing
17:35what they are doing online
17:37and who they are interacting with, no?
17:41Now,
17:42technology companies,
17:43I've also,
17:43kanang mentioned earlier,
17:45have the responsibility
17:46to build a safer platform
17:48and strengthening, kanang,
17:49possession of minors.
17:50And yes,
17:51government also has the responsibility
17:53to craft policies
17:54that are grounded on evidence,
17:57evidence, no?
17:58Not just emotion.
18:00Now,
18:00some people were asking,
18:02kung kung sa'yay reaction po na to,
18:03at tong,
18:04katong move, no?
18:05in the municipality of Dumanhog, no?
18:07Announcing the prohibiting,
18:09nagyud,
18:10of bringing,
18:11or using mobile phones in public.
18:13Well,
18:14I've seen reports,
18:15na,
18:16kanang,
18:17it actually created
18:19a good environment,
18:20kemurag nibalik ta sa,
18:22the good old days,
18:23no?
18:23The good side of the days, no?
18:26When,
18:26when technology was not much
18:28of an interference,
18:30so,
18:30mas magdula ang bata sa gawas,
18:31which is good,
18:32mas magsturya ang mga bata
18:34with each other,
18:35which is also good,
18:37and then,
18:38kabalumansad ta,
18:39na,
18:39technology,
18:40and mobile phones,
18:41and the app
18:43that we have in our mobile phones
18:44can also be distracting.
18:46So,
18:46it's a good exercise also
18:48that once the students
18:49are already in school,
18:51their focus is about learning, no?
18:53And,
18:54and,
18:54and interaction with their teachers
18:56and their students.
18:57So,
18:57there's a positive side to it.
19:00But,
19:01ang question lang na ako po,
19:02is,
19:03na,
19:03po'y positive side po,
19:05ang technology,
19:06because,
19:07this is also the,
19:08the direct access, no?
19:10of parents to be able to communicate
19:12with their children.
19:13no?
19:14At the same time,
19:15dakod ako po natabang
19:16biya po ang cell phone
19:18o gang mobile phones
19:19or technology
19:19when it comes to
19:20emergencies, no?
19:22So,
19:23so,
19:24kanang napoy nawala
19:25po sa mga bata.
19:26So,
19:27that's where I was coming from,
19:28that I see the spirit
19:29of,
19:30of,
19:30of,
19:31of,
19:32banning the bringing
19:34of mobile phones
19:35in school.
19:35I see the effect,
19:36but,
19:37I would hope that
19:38after that step,
19:39our leaders
19:41would also continue
19:42to,
19:43to look for solutions,
19:45no?
19:45Because,
19:46kung nag-expecta nga,
19:48if we prohibit them
19:49from bringing cell phones,
19:51they will not be,
19:52uh,
19:53vulnerable to violence
19:54or they will not
19:55commit violence.
19:56muragtap haw rapod kay siya nga,
19:58understanding, no?
19:59Of the problem.
20:00Because violence
20:01is a product
20:02of many
20:03causes,
20:04not just
20:05mobile phones
20:06or not,
20:07in this context also,
20:08not just mobile games, no?
20:10So,
20:11so,
20:12I think I would like to,
20:13to close this commentary,
20:15ba nga?
20:15At this time, nga,
20:17naanatay ka nang
20:18digital access
20:19and it's good for people
20:21to have access
20:22to technology
20:23because that's where
20:24the world is moving, no?
20:26If we don't give access
20:27to technology
20:28to,
20:29to our children,
20:31for example,
20:32then mabilin pod sila, no?
20:33As the world is moving forward.
20:35So,
20:36I think what we need
20:37to focus more now
20:38aside from,
20:39I'm not saying not,
20:41aside from digital access,
20:43it's actually digital discipline, no?
20:46That's,
20:46that's where we,
20:47we actually need to empower, no?
20:49Our children.
20:51If we go back,
20:52nabigid tay ka tong,
20:53kanang,
20:55yes,
20:55principle, no?
20:56We don't fish, no?
20:58For people,
20:59we teach them how to fish.
21:01So,
21:01ang atuapod is,
21:03kita,
21:03we cannot be always present, no?
21:06100%, no?
21:07In every move
21:09of,
21:09of,
21:09of,
21:10of the child
21:10under our care.
21:12So,
21:12I think let's rather
21:13empower them,
21:15no?
21:15To be more discerning,
21:17let's be present
21:18in their lives,
21:20let's be engaged
21:21in their activities
21:22because I think
21:24naadiha ang
21:25daku-daku nga solution, no?
21:27Because if,
21:28if a child
21:28is actually
21:29cared for
21:31at home,
21:33then the likelihood
21:33for the child
21:34to be a bully
21:35somewhere,
21:36ba,
21:36would be minimized, no?
21:39So,
21:40so whether it's
21:41a total ban
21:42or a more flexible policy,
21:45I'm not saying
21:46we can already
21:47decide
21:48about it now,
21:50But what I'm just saying
21:50is let's look deeper
21:52and think better
21:54because success
21:55will not ultimately
21:56depend on just
21:58one rule
21:59that we impose,
22:00no?
22:01But in,
22:02in my view,
22:03it's really
22:03on the values
22:04that we teach
22:06because one day
22:08these students
22:08will leave the classroom.
22:10They won't always
22:12have their teachers
22:13watching over them
22:14or school policies
22:16to guide them.
22:17They will have
22:18to make,
22:19eventually,
22:20they will have
22:21to make
22:21responsible choices
22:23on their own.
22:25So our goal,
22:26therefore,
22:26is not simply
22:27to regulate technology.
22:29It is to help
22:30the younger generation
22:32develop the wisdom
22:33and the discipline
22:35to use it well.
22:38Let's not forget,
22:39also,
22:40that the family
22:40remains the basic
22:42unit of society.
22:43Long before children
22:45learn from teachers,
22:46social media,
22:47or smartphones,
22:48they learn
22:49from their values
22:50they see
22:51and experience
22:52at home.
22:54No school policy
22:56can replace
22:57parental guidance.
22:59No technology
23:00can substitute
23:01for meaningful
23:02conversations
23:03at home.
23:05And no ban
23:06can take the place
23:07of parents
23:08who are present,
23:10engaged,
23:11and involved
23:12in their children's
23:14lives.
23:15Digital discipline
23:16is already
23:17just as important
23:19as digital access.
23:21But digital discipline
23:23begins long
23:24before a child
23:25walks into
23:26a classroom.
23:28It begins
23:29at home.
23:30So I'm DJ Moises.
23:32Thank you
23:33to Coffee First
23:34for supporting
23:34conversations
23:35that matter.
23:36This is
23:37Beyond the Headlines.
23:38Let's look deeper
23:39and think better.
23:41Have a good afternoon.
23:57Okay.
23:58comes the milk.
23:59Steamed smooth,
24:01creamy,
24:02and balanced.
24:03The perfect latte
24:04is not brushed.
24:05It is crafted
24:07one cup at a time.
24:10Your perfect latte
24:11is ready.
24:12Coffee first,
24:14then
24:14everything else.
24:15Whoa.
24:21Whoa.
24:34There!
24:34let's look down.
24:34Mmm.
24:35Mmm.
24:35Mmm.
24:38I'm
24:39Take a minute.
24:39Bye.
24:39Let's пол.
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