Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan backed two Senate measures approved on third and final reading on September 21 that seek to strengthen protection for Filipino children against threats to their safety and well-being in schools and online.

The Senate approved Senate Bill No. 2426, or the Comprehensive School Safety Act, and Senate Bill No. 1819, or the SAGIP Bata Act. Pangilinan said government and educational institutions must respond with “urgency, wisdom, and compassion” to keep children safe.

As a parent, Pangilinan said he was particularly concerned about children’s safety in schools, which he described as their “second home.”

He cited the continuing concerns over violence, bullying and other forms of abuse involving students, including incidents that are recorded and circulated online.

Data from the OECD’s PISA 2025 showed that 47.2 percent of Filipino 15-year-olds reported experiencing at least one form of bullying a few times a month or more, while 13.9 percent reported cyberbullying.

Under the Comprehensive School Safety Act, school safety would cover not only physical security but also the emotional, psychosocial and digital well-being of learners. Pangilinan stressed that safety should enable children to learn and seek help without fear of shame, exclusion or retaliation.

Meanwhile, the SAGIP Bata Act seeks stronger safeguards against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, including grooming, luring, sexual extortion, image-based abuse and technology-enabled exploitation.

Pangilinan said protecting children is a shared responsibility of government, schools and parents, with stronger coordination needed to ensure that young Filipinos are safe both inside the classroom and in the digital spaces they increasingly use.