SENATOR Camille Villar has renewed her call for the passage of the proposed Safe Online Spaces Act, saying the recent series of violent incidents involving students underscores the urgent need to protect Filipino children both in schools and in digital spaces.

Villar said safeguarding young people now requires a coordinated national response that extends beyond the classroom, as children’s behavior and well-being are increasingly shaped by online platforms.

“Schools must remain places of learning, not places of fear,” Villar said. “The environment influencing our children no longer ends at the school gate—it follows them through their phones and into the digital spaces they enter every day.”

Villar reiterated her support for Senate Bill No. 1729, or the proposed Safe Online Spaces Act, which seeks to promote the responsible use of social media, gaming and other digital platforms.

The measure would also require warnings on potentially harmful online environments and establish a mandatory parental awareness program on the risks of unrestricted digital access.

She also highlighted her role as co-author of Senate Bill No. 2424, which proposes setting a minimum age for social media use and regulating children’s access to social media platforms.

The senator’s renewed appeal comes in the wake of several violent incidents involving students, including the August 18 shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, where a student allegedly killed a fellow student before taking his own life and reportedly livestreamed the attack.

The incident followed the San Jose National High School shooting in Tacloban City and the fatal stabbing of 13-year-old Aaron Miguel Duran Ontong inside Las Piñas National High School.

Beyond online protections, Villar called for stronger school security, improved emergency preparedness, expanded mental health and guidance services, early intervention against bullying and violent behavior, and stricter safeguards to prevent minors from accessing firearms and other dangerous weapons.

“As a mother and as a legislator, I will continue pushing for measures that protect our children wherever they are—offline and online,” Villar said, stressing that the recent tragedies should not be allowed to end in another cycle of public outrage followed by inaction.