The Dagupan City Council has decided to prohibit the operation of Pisonet and similar coin-operated computer rental establishments. This decision was made as these establishments are believed to contribute significantly to the poor academic performance of students, often resulting in them having to repeat grades.
Councilors Michael Fernandez and Jose Netu Tamayo cited alarming data from the City Schools Division Office regarding the high number of repeaters in both elementary and high schools. They moved for the passage of an ordinance banning the operation of Pisonets and similar businesses within the city.
According to Fernandez, school officials have linked the significant number of repeaters to students’ addiction to online games, which they can easily access through Pisonets. Many of these units are found in local sari-sari stores within various barangays.
Fernandez noted that students are not using Pisonets for educational purposes, like researching assignments, but rather for playing addictive games for long hours, often into the early morning, forgetting that they need to attend school shortly after.
Pisonet operators acknowledge that 80 percent of their customers are children, and banning kids from using these establishments would effectively force them to shut down.
Reports from parents in Barangay Pantal, where many Pisonets are located, reveal that children often leave their homes after dinner and return only at dawn or around 4 a.m., just a few hours before they need to go to school.
Fernandez pointed out that while sari-sari stores have permits from the city government, the Pisonets they operate do not.
He emphasized that addiction to internet gaming through Pisonets is leading to tardiness and poor academic performance among children, ultimately causing them to fail their grades. Furthermore, the easy access to the internet via Pisonets is exposing children to bad behavior, as they start using inappropriate language towards their peers and even their parents.
Tamayo, a lawyer, expressed concern that Pisonets serve as significant distractions for children. Instead of focusing on their studies at home and assisting with household chores, many choose to spend hours playing games through these establishments.
Initially, Tamayo had advocated for regulations on Pisonet operations but changed his stance after realizing the detrimental impact of gaming addiction on students’ academic performance. Consequently, he supported the substitute ordinance imposing a total ban on Pisonet operations.
Both Fernandez and Tamayo noted that existing Pisonet establishments in Dagupan operate without any regulatory oversight, unlike traditional internet cafes.
Pisonet establishments that were operating prior to the ordinance’s enactment will have a non-extendable period of 60 days to cease operations.