Marikina bans late-night network gaming in Internet shops

MANILA, Philippines - Internet shops in Marikina City are no longer allowed to run network games during the late hours following a number of complaints from parents who said their children have been spending more and more time in these establishments. In a statement, Marikina City Mayor Marides Fernando said the city, through its Business Promotions and Development Office and the local police, has implemented an ordinance that would closely monitor Internet shops. Fernando said they had received complaints that many patrons of these Internet shops, most of them students, play online games until the wee hours of the morning. "As a result, these students have become addicted to computer games, thus affecting their studies," Fernando said. To prevent this "bad habit" from escalating further, Fernando said the operation of online games and other related forms of computer gaming in all Internet cafés should be regulated. An ordinance, authored by Councilor Ponciano Ubaldo and approved by the City Council, prohibits establishments from running online computer games from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. Internet shops found violating the order face revocation of their business permits and closure. The city also has an existing ordinance that prohibits operators of video and computer arcades and shops from allowing grade school and high school students in uniforms to enter their establishments, except if the students are doing research and other academic-related activities. There are about 330 operators of computer shops in 16 barangays (villages) of the city. - GMANews.TV