Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 7907

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
INCORPORATING THE VALUE OF RESPONSIBLE, FAIR
USAGE AND ENJOYMENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN CAMPUSES
NATIONWIDE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In 2018, the number of internet users around the world reached four billion or over half of the
world’s total population.' 67 million Filipinos or 63% of an estimated population of 105.7
million are internet users and active social media users.” For the third year in a row, the
Philippines tops the list in global social media usage with 3 hours and 57 minutes average time
daily spent using social media in any device.’ 58% of Filipinos online use the internet every
day for personal use.

‘A 2016 study conducted particularly on the youth online showed that Filipino children, some
as young as nine years old, can freely access the internet through free wifi connections at home
and in school or in cybercafes.’ Some children encountered exploitative strangers who
befriended them online and persistently tried to chat with them. Others experience bullying
online through hurtful comments or posts on social networking sites. Other online risks include
health, family, and academic problems due to excessive internet use; identity theft, and
receiving morbid posts.°

In addition, while the internet is seen as a repository of knowledge, social media has become
an alarming source of fake news and misleading information. As such, it becomes essential for
children and teenagers to be able to distinguish a reliable source from an unreliable one.’ They

' Simon Kemp, “2018 Digital Yearbook,” wearesocial, January 30, 2018,
haps://wearesocial.com/blog/2018/01/global-digital-report-2018

* Ibid.

* Ibid.

“Ibid.

$ “Global Kids Online: The Philippines ~ Executive Summary,” Global Kids Online. November 2016,
http://globalkidsonline.netwp-content/uploads/2016/02/Executive-summary 28-Oct-2016.pdf

"thid.

7 Ainslie MacLellan, “How kids and teens navigate social media in the era of fake news,” CBC News,
March 24, 2018, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/megill-fake-news-1.4591529


must be educated not just how to effectively use social media for information but also in
tracking down the source, researching the author and the news organization, checking with
other sources, and fact-checking.*

It is an express state policy to address these concerns. Under Section 17, Article II of the 1987
Constitution, the State is mandated to prioritize, among others, education and science and
technology to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total
human liberation and development. Section 13 of the same recognizes the vital role of the youth
in nation-building and the State’s duty to promote their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual,
and social well-being as well as to inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and
encourage their involvement in public and civie affairs.

This bill thus seeks to educate our children on how to effectively use social media in
communications and dissemination of information. It aims to help pupils and students utilize
social media in public discourse and opinion for a more participative democracy. Moreover, a
goal herein is also to develop discernment and critical-thinking in the responsible use of current
and future technologies.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

FRED VABGAS:

®“Do tweens and teens believe “fake news?” Common Sense Media,
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/news-and-media-literacy/do-tweens-and-teens-believe-fake-news


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 7247

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
INCORPORATING THE VALUE OF RESPONSIBLE, FAIR
USAGE AND ENJOYMENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN CAMPUSES
NATIONWIDE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Social Media Awareness in
Campuses Nationwide Act of 2018".

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State has constitutionally-declared policies
to serve and protect the people, to give priority to education to foster patriotism and
nationalism and to recognize the vital role of communication and information in nation-
building. Towards this end, it is the objective of this Act to cope up with the mercurial rise of
the influence and prevalence of use of Social Media by inculcating onto the youth and/or
students the virtues of discernment and critical-thinking in their unavoidable daily immersion
in Social Media.

SECTION 3. Inclusion of Social Media in the Curricula for Primary and Secondary
Education. — Social Media awareness shall be part of the curriculum for both primary and
secondary education, in public and private schools, with the following objectives:

(a) To inculcate how various types of Social Media aid in the effective and efficient
dissemination of information;

(b) To inculcate how Social Media helps in shaping public discourse and opinion;

(c) To inculcate how Social Media helps in fostering a more participative democracy;

(d) To inculcate the importance of upholding truth and the veracity of facts, figures and
events in Social Media;

(e) To inculcate responsible and fair use of Social Media; and

(0 To inculcate the virtues of discernment and critical-thinking in the use and/or
enjoyment of Social Media.

‘The Department of Education (DepEd), in consultation with the Department of
Information and Communications Technology (DICT), shall immediately formulate the
necessary steps and measures to achieve the objectives of this Section.


SECTION 4. Social Media Awareness as part of the National Service Training
Program (NSTP). — Social Media awareness must be made part of the National Service
Training Program (NSTP), particularly in the service components pertaining to the Literacy
Training Service (LTS) and the Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS).

‘The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), in consultation with the DICT, shall immediately
formulate the necessary steps and measures to achieve the objectives of this Section.

SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The DepEd, CHED, TESDA,
in consultation with the DICT, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of the provisions of this Act: Provided, That the failure of the
concerned agencies to promulgate the said rules and regulations shall not prevent the
implementation of this Act upon its effectivity.

SECTION 6. Separability Clause. — \f any section or provision of this Act shall be
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not affected thereby shall
remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,