Manila: The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has accepted the House of Representatives' deferment of its budget pending the resolution of long-standing concerns involving Meta. In a statement on Thursday, the DICT said it fully understands and takes heed of the House leadership's position and stands in solidarity with the House's advocacy.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DICT expressed its concerns regarding Meta's responsibilities, stating, "Unlike other technology platforms that have demonstrated meaningful cooperation with authorities and concrete progress in safeguarding users, Meta continues to fall short of its responsibility and commitment to youth safety." DICT Secretary Henry Aguda submitted to the House's exercise of its oversight function.

The DICT highlighted that 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. These issues are compounded by other persistent harms on major platforms, including online illegal gambling, cyberbullying, social media addiction, depression, and related mental health risks that continue to endanger Filipino children and young adults.

The agency emphasized that Meta's enormous scale and reach carry a corresponding obligation to implement effective, measurable safeguards, remove harmful content promptly, and cooperate fully and transparently with Philippine authorities. "Accountability cannot be optional," it stated, stressing that the safety and welfare of Filipino children must remain paramount and that technology companies operating in the Philippines must be held to the highest standards of responsibility.

The DICT stated that persistent failure to address these risks erodes public trust and cannot be tolerated. "The DICT remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting Filipino children online and will continue working closely with Congress, law enforcement agencies, child protection advocates, and responsible technology partners to strengthen child online protection measures," it reaffirmed. "The protection of children is non-negotiable. All stakeholders, especially the largest platforms, must be held fully accountable," the DICT concluded.