Senator Risa Hontiveros met with representatives of Roblox Corporation at the Senate on Thursday, September 17, to discuss stronger online safety measures aimed at protecting children from grooming, abuse and other digital threats.
Hontiveros welcomed Roblox’s expressed willingness to work with Philippine authorities but urged the gaming company to designate a legal representative based in the Philippines.
The senator said having a local representative should be required for online platforms operating in the country, particularly when cases involving the safety and protection of minors arise.
She raised the proposal during discussions on the strengthened Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) measure, now referred to as the SAGIP Bata Act.
Under the proposed legislation, online platforms would be required to appoint a Philippine-based representative who can receive subpoenas, takedown and blocking orders, requests for user account information, and other lawful directives from authorities.
“When a Filipino child is a potential victim of grooming or online sexual abuse, every hour counts. Our authorities need to know immediately who to approach,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros said the proposed requirement would provide authorities with a clear and dependable point of contact while strengthening accountability and compliance mechanisms for online platforms.
According to the senator, Roblox told her that it already has existing channels for coordinating with Philippine law enforcement agencies. The company also indicated that it is open to designating a qualified third party to serve as its local representative.
“We appreciate Roblox’s openness and its existing work with our law-enforcement agencies. Our goal is to build on that cooperation and make it reliable across platforms, and not dependent on informal or individual arrangements,” she said.
The Senate meeting followed discussions held in Singapore in August, where Roblox said it would incorporate the Philippine national identification system into its user verification procedures.
The gaming platform also committed to strengthening its policies and safeguards covering children’s messaging features.
Hontiveros stressed that keeping children safe online should not be treated as the sole responsibility of parents and young users.
She said platforms that provide spaces where children interact and communicate also have a role in preventing grooming, exploitation and other forms of abuse.
The discussions form part of broader efforts to strengthen protections for Filipino children as online platforms and digital gaming services become increasingly accessible to minors.