Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) reaffirms its commitment to address online child safety concerns involving the tech giant Meta.
The DICT said in its social media post on Wednesday, Sept. 16, that the House of Representatives has called on Meta Platforms Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg to face Congress in a hearing on social media safety, which will zero in on platform accountability and mechanisms reinforcing online safety.
“Accountability cannot be optional,” the agency said in its press statement
The House took issue on social media safety in deferring action on the ₱19.49-billion DICT budget for next year, in particular Meta’s poor cooperation with the government.
“The issues raised, particularly Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Materials (CSAEM), are grave threats that demand decisive action and full accountability,” the DICT said.
The department pointed out what it described as a disparity between Meta and other tech platforms that have demonstrated meaningful cooperation with local authorities to safeguard users, saying Meta “continues to fall short of its responsibility and commitment to youth safety.”
It said the user reach of Meta’s services in the country comes with an equal obligation to implement effective and measurable safeguards, as well as adherence to transparency and close cooperation with the government.
“The protection of children is non-negotiable. All stakeholders, especially the largest platforms, must be held fully accountable.”
According to DataReportal’s “Digital 2026: The Philippines report,” a total of 95.8 million people use Facebook in the country as of late 2025.
