CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga — House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III has called for stronger synergy between the national legislature and local government units (LGUs) to safeguard minors against both digital and physical dangers.
Addressing local chief executives at the 2026 League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Visayas Island Cluster Conference at the Royce Premium Hotel, Dy stressed that laws crafted in Congress require proactive enforcement at the grassroots level to truly safeguard youth.
“Ito ang gusto nating partnership sa pagitan ng national at local governments. Gumagawa tayo ng mga batas sa KAMARA, pero sa ating mga bayan at barangay natin nakikita kung gumagana ba ang mga ito,” Dy said.
“Kailangan natin ang ating mga mayor, barangay officials, kapulisan, paaralan, social workers, at mga magulang upang gawing tunay na proteksyon sa ating mga anak ang mga batas na ito,” he added.
To demonstrate how national legislation relies on community enforcement, the Speaker highlighted two pending legislative proposals: House Bill (HB) No. 11387 and House Bill (HB) No. 9965.
HB 11387, or the Responsible Firearm Ownership and Safe Storage Act—co-authored by Dy and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos—aims to prevent gun-related incidents by imposing stricter storage mandates, compulsory safety instruction, and stiffer legal liabilities for owners whose negligence grants unauthorized minors access to weapons.
“This is the principle behind the bill: responsible gun ownership must include responsible gun storage,” Dy said.
Meanwhile, HB 9965, or the Children’s Social Media Safety Act—filed alongside Marcos and House Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez—proposes banning children under 13 from establishing social media profiles. It also mandates parental consent for users aged 13 to 17, while obligating digital platforms to institute age verification tools and child safety mechanisms.
“Our responsibility to protect a child does not end when that child goes online,” Dy said.
“Whether they are walking into a classroom or logging onto a social media platform, our children deserve an environment designed with their safety in mind,” he added.
Pointing to recent school shootings as a wake-up call, Dy urged local leaders to work alongside police forces, school administrators, social workers, and parents to implement early intervention strategies and bolster emergency preparedness.
“Genuine peace and order is not just about responding when an incident occurs. It is about acting early to prevent tragedy before it happens,” Dy said.
Reflecting on his former tenure as a municipal mayor, Dy noted that local chief executives are critical partners whose ground-level insights should inform national policy making.
“Bilang dating local chief executive, alam kong ang mga mayor ay hindi lamang implementers of government programs. Kayo rin ang mahalagang tulay sa pagitan ng national government at ng ating mga mamamayan,” Dy concluded.