Dagupan City, located in northern Philippines and about 100 miles north of Metro Manila, just banned all “Pisonet” computer rental shops in the town. According to the Mayor’s Facebook Post, the city passed an ordinance banning these establishments and others that offer computer rental services “for the safety of the youth.” She alleged that these shops “distract students from their studies, make them waste their time, and even lead a few to situations of abuse and other dangers.” The move comes a week after a school shooting incident in central Philippines resulted in three student deaths and 15 more receiving injuries, two of which were critical, an event that has been linked to video game violence.
“Pisonet,” a portmanteau of “Piso,” which stands for one Peso, and “net” for internet, are affordable computer rental shops that allow anyone, both young and old, to rent a computer to play games and access the internet. These establishments are crucial for many families who still do not have access to a computer inside their home. Many young people also use these services to play online games with their friends. However, the school shooting incident, which was perpetrated by kids aged 14 and 15, put these shops in the limelight, especially as many adults have started to blame violent computer games for the incident.
