Citing concerns over the problem of teen pregnancies in the Philippines, Senator Raffy Tulfo urged government agencies to consolidate with social media platforms to regulate Filipino minors under the age of 18 from using their applications.
The senator also suggested that leading social media platforms such as Tiktok, Facebook, Bigo, Instagram and Omegele require all users to provide an identification card as proof of age to gain access, although some platforms already require a user to be at least 13, before being allowed to sign up for an account, though proof of age isn’t required.
Tulfo, in a speech given Tuesday, called out the Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine National Police (PNP), and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and asked them to create measures to ensure that these social media sites are only allowing adult users to gain access.
“Maraming nabubuntis dito because they exploit kasi ‘pag papasok ka dito sa Bigo, Alua, OnlyFans, then magdi-display ka ng talent mo,” he said during a committee hearing on women, family relations and gender equality.
Tulfo then stressed the need to submit age verification in order to use social media applications.
“Through DepEd siguro, and then PNP, NBI, makipag-tie up para kausapin o makipag-communicate dito sa mga nabanggit ko na mga online page or website na para ‘yung mga kabataan na pumapasok dito hingan ng ID to make na sure they’re adults, they’re of age,” he said.
According to the final results of the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), “one in ten young Filipino women age 15-19 has begun childbearing: 8% are already mothers and another 2% are pregnant with their first child,” Philippine Statistics Authority reported.
The survey also revealed that one in five (19%) young adult Filipino women aged 18 to 24 years had initiated their sexual bactivity before age 18.
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