SENATOR Panfilo Lacson said he misses the strict discipline imposed by parents and teachers during his generation, saying it helped keep many young people on the right path amid recent incidents of violence in schools.

Lacson made the remark following a series of violent incidents involving students, including the June 22 shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City that left three students dead and several others injured.

Reflecting on his childhood, Lacson said the discipline he received both at home and in school played a vital role in molding responsible, law-abiding citizens.

“My generation must be missing our fathers’ belts, our mothers’ bamboo sticks and our teachers’ rulers. We were disciplined, always at home for the 6 o’clock evening prayers to receive our daily blessings from our elders. Those were the days,” Lacson wrote.

The senator’s statement came after a Senate hearing on the Tacloban school shooting, where lawmakers were informed that the two minors allegedly involved in the attack may have been influenced by 764, an international online network linked to violent extremism.

During the hearing, senators also learned that one of the alleged gunmen reportedly shot his own best friend in the back during the attack.

The Tacloban tragedy has renewed calls from lawmakers and education stakeholders for stronger measures to curb youth violence, juvenile delinquency, and online radicalization.

Lacson also shared personal stories about his upbringing, recalling that he and his siblings were raised by their mother, Maxima, whom he described as a strict disciplinarian who instilled honesty and accountability in them from an early age.

He recounted how his mother once instructed his older brother to search for and return a one-centavo coin he had found on the way home from school. Lacson also recalled being punished for coming home late, but said his mother would later comfort him and remind him not to repeat the mistake.

According to Lacson, that kind of “tough love” instilled in him the values of integrity, discipline, and responsibility that guided him throughout his career in law enforcement and later as a legislator.