ASIDE from the internet cafes, minors are now prohibited from playing online games in coin-operated internet machines (pisonet) and gaming arcades during weekdays after the 19th Davao City Council amended its regulation on Tuesday, September 24.
The council had amended Section 8 of the existing Davao City Children’s Welfare Code, wherein operators of pisonet and other commercial establishments catering rental of electronic video games and/or offering Local Area Network (LAN) services shall not provide gaming services to children during school days.
Councilor Richlyn Justol, committee head on women, children and family relations, said the mushrooming existence and accessibility of pisonets in some parts of the city, including private subdivisions had led for her committee to include it in the regulation.
She added there are some pisonets who do not have a permit to operate, which is also another problem in the Business Bureau.
Justol admitted that the city is struggling to monitor both internet cafes and pisonets despite the existing city ordinance regulating the operation of internet cafes.
During the session, the Internet Cafe Association of Davao (ICAD) admitted they struggled in monitoring internet cafes in the city due to the lack of regulatory manpower.
Meanwhile, the councilor said the monitoring shall be ensured at the barangay level through the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC).
Justol, a former village watchman, said a village official should be at the frontlines of the implementation, including checking and penalizing establishments violating the ordinance.
Although she is optimistic the ordinance will be implemented, the councilor urged the public to report those violating the ordinance.
“Siyempre kelangan jud nato, na di man ta kalihok kung way musumbong. Walay exemptions, basta as long as nagasunod lang ta sa balaod na ginaprotektahan nato atong mga minors (We call on the public to report any violations so we could immediately take action. We are only following what the law prescribes, and that there will be no exemptions. We are doing this to protect the minors),” Justol said on Tuesday.
She also clarified that minors are still allowed to enter the internet cafe, provided they will only be using it for “research and other academic purposes”.
With the amended provisions, Justol said minors will now only be allowed in internet cafes until 9 p.m. only. From 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., minors will not be allowed to enter internet cafes.
The last time the Children’s Welfare Code was amended was around 10 years ago.
She said the amended ordinance will now be filed to the City Legal Office for review and signatory for implementation. With report from Elijah Romero, UM intern