Quezon City authorities on Monday said it may be forced to close down Internet and computer shops for accommodating students even during class hours.

With the growing number of complaints of distractions, Councilor Jimmy Borres of the third district of Quezon City expressed concern over the rising number of students cutting classes spending their time inside the Internet shops instead of attending their school duties.

He asked the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) to cancel the permits of errant computer shops vowing to seek the assistance of barangay officials to ensure that the students are barred from the Internet café premises.

Borres also advised the parents to keep their “communication lines with their children open’’ in a bid to discourage them from being engulfed by peer pressure and bad company.

“Mahalaga din ang kalinga ng mga magulang. Wag po natin ipagkait ang ating panahon sa kanila para po malaman ng ating mga anak kung gaano natin silang kamahal. Di po sapat na good provider lang po tayo importante po ang bonding kahit po gaano po tayo kabala sa ating mga trabaho. Let us spend quality time with the children," Borres added.

Borres warned delinquent Internt café owners to mend their ways to avoid fines, stiff penalties and other unfavorable circumstances they may get into due to their illegal business operation.

Being parents themselves, Borres asked errant businessmen if their conscience do not bother them when they play major roles in putting the lives of the young students astray.

“Di lang pagkita ng pera ang mahalaga dapat maging makatao naman tayo. Paano natin maaatim na magpasasa sa yaman at karangyaan kung ang kapalit nito ay ang pagkapariwara ng mga kabataan? Nakakarimarim ang ganitong gawain,’’ Borres said.

Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista also stressed the need for government authorities to exercise restrictions on web access especially by elementary pupils and high school students whose morals have steadily been distorted.

The lenient regulations of Internet shops prompted students to use their computer facilities even during school hours and weekdays causing a major bane for parents whose children have gone wayward eventually giving way to temptations.

Bautista is now calling for strict computer shop regulations that would protect young people.