Palace open to have socmed platforms secure franchise from Congress

September 22, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

Malacañang is open to proposals that will mandate social media platforms to secure a legislative franchise so that the government can have more authority and jurisdiction over these online platforms.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro made the remarks in a press briefing on Tuesday.

She said such moves are being pushed at the House of Representatives and the

Department of Information and Communications Technology.

“Napag-uusapan din po iyan, at iyan din po ang nais ng DICT at iyan din po ang pinu-propose para hangga’t maaari ay magkaroon tayo ng jurisdiction at authority over these social media platforms,” Castro said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will still review the suggestion before the government can make a stand on various versions of the proposal.

“Kapag nabasa po siguro ng Pangulo kung ano ang nilalaman ng mga version na iyan, kapag nakitang maganda at nakakabuti sa ating mga kababayan, hindi naman ito maghahadlang,” she said.

The move came amid speculation that harmful, violent content on social media may have been the trigger in the recent school shooting incidents in the country.

The government is waiting for Meta to act on a proposed agreement on safety measures on its platforms, such as blocking violent content in messaging applications.