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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Internet, or sometimes called the "Information Superhighway", 
has become an impressive but common tool providing easy access to all kinds 
of information and communication. Its widespread usability and access 
cannot be overstated as it is now part of every individual's daily social 
interaction and activities. 
Nevertheless, such convenient, easy and unhampered access to all 
kinds of information has its own downside. If the Internet already serves as a 
medium that caters pornography, violence and other immorality to minors, it 
is submitted that proper regulation should be had. Hence, this proposed 
measure intends to regulate Internet access by Filipino children. 
This bill is principally anchored on the express State policy provisions 
of the Constitution which mandates the promotion of the youth's social, 
physicaI, spirituaI and moral well-being and the protection of their interest 
and welfare against all forms of neglect, exploitation and other similar 
prejudicial conditions. And in doing so, it proposes to prohibit and restrict the 
access of harmful materials in the Internet by minors. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
I. 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
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AN ACT 
PROVIDING INTERNET SAFETY AND PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Child Internet Safety and 
Protection Act of 2008." 
SEC. 2. 
Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared a policy of the State to 
promote and protect the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, psychological and social 
well-being of children. Toward this end, it shall vigorously promote the safety and 
protection of children in accessing the Internet against harmful materials, such as, but not 
limited to, pornography, sex and violence by adopting extensive public awareness 
programs and using appropriate and effective filtering or firewall devices. 
SEC. 3. 
Definition of Terms: 
(a) 
"Children" refers to persons below eighteen (18) years of age; 
(b) 
''Commercial establishments" refers to businesses offering Internet 
services for profit such as Internet caf6s or other establishments offering access to 
cyberspace and the world-wide-web; 
(c) 
"Harmful materials" means: 


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1) 
any 
communication, 
picture, 
image, 
graphic 
image, 
information, file, article, recording, writing, or any other form of media that is obscene as 
defined by law; 
2) 
one that depicts, describes, or represents in any manner 
directly or indirectly offensive to children, an actual and/or simulated 1) sexual act 
and/or contact, especially sexual perversions such as pedophilia and bestiality; or 2) a 
lewd exhibition of the genitals or female breast; or 
3) 
if taken as a whole, the lack of serious literary, artistic, political, 
or scientific value for children. 
(d) 
”Internet” refers collectively to the myriad of computer and 
telecommunications facilities, including equipment and operating software, which 
comprise the interconnected world-wide network of networks that employ the 
Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol, or any predecessor successor protocols 
to such protocol, to communicate information of all kinds by wire, radio, or other 
electronic media; 
(e) 
”Internet Content” refers to all forms of information including text, 
pictures, animation, video and sound recording, and may include software; 
(f 
“Internet filter” refers to a piece of software that filters by keyword or 
blocks by Uniform Resource Locator or commonly known as URL what a web browser 
will display for the benefit of children; 
(g) 
”Internet Service Provider” (ISP) refers to a company that provides 
individuals and companies access to the Internet and other related services; 
(h) 
”Public Internet points” refers to those establishments offering 
Internet services such as public or private schools, libraries, and similar establishments 
that provide computer or Internet services to the public; 
SEC. 4. 
Internet Safkfy for Children. - For purposes of this Act, Internet safety 
for children includes access to Internet materials that shall not, in any way, be harmful to 


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the physical, moral, spiritual, psychological development, and social well-being of 
children. 
SEC. 5. 
Restriction of Access by Children to Harmjkl Materials in the Intemef. - All 
commercial establishments or public Internet points offering Internet services shall be 
required to offer filtered "clean feed Internet service using end-user or PC based filtering 
software to all Internet users below eighteen (18) years of age. The State shall encourage 
and make widely accessible the use of similar filtering products for households to enable 
parents or guardians to block web pages that are considered unsuitable to children. 
SEC. 6. 
Duties and Responsibilities of ISPs. - Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 
shall have the following duties and responsibilities under this Act: 
(a) 
take reasonable steps to ensure that Internet access accounts are not 
provided to children under 18 years old without parental consent; 
(b) 
provide to its users one or more duly approved filter software 
products or services by providing them with an Internet link which they can install or 
download the software or by providing a Compact Disc which enables users to install the 
software on their own computer or a 'server based' filter software service or a service 
which filters Internet content before it is sent to the user's computer. No Internet filtering 
software shall be used in all commercial establishments or public Internet points other 
than those duly approved and prescribed by the CISC. 
SEC. 7. 
The Child Internet Safety Council. - There is hereby created a Child 
Internet Safety Council (CISC) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD). It shall be headed by an Undersecretary of the said agency as its Chair, and shall 
be composed of duly designated representatives of the following departments or agencies 
as members: 
(a) Department of Education 
(b) Department of Interior and Local Government 
(c) Council for the Welfare of Children 
(d) Commission on Information and Communications Technology 
(e) National Youth Commission 


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(Q National Telecommunications Commission 
(8) Philippine Information Agency; and 
(h) Non government organization concerned with the welfare of children 
SECT. 8. 
Initial Review and Report. Within one (1) year after its creation and 
organization, the CISC shall review and evaluate: 
(a) 
the status of government policy and industry efforts to promote 
Internet safety through educational programs, parental participation and guidance, 
technology application, blocking and filtering software, age-appropriate labels for content 
or other regulatory and technological initiatives designed to promote a safe Internet 
environment for children; 
(b) 
the development of technologies to help parents, schools, commercial 
establishments, and public Internet points shield children from inappropriate material on 
the Internet. 
Within the same period, it shall submit a report to Congress setting forth 
(a) 
its findings, including any information relating to the effectiveness of 
existing or planned strategies, technologies, prevalence within industry of educational 
campaigns, parental control technologies, blocking and filtering software, labeling, or 
other technologies to assist parents and protect children’s interests; and 
(b) 
its recommendations as to what interventions, Internet protocols, and 
implementation and 
incentives could be developed and enforced for the effective 
employment of such strategies and technologies. 
SEC. 9. 
duties and functions: 
Duties and Functions of the CISC. - The CISC shall have the following 
(a) Oversee and ensure the effective implementation of this Act; 
(b) Advise the President on all matters relating to child Internet protection; 


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(c) Assist the concerned agencies in the review and redrafting of existing 
policies/regulations or in the formulation of new ones in line with the objectives of this 
Act; 
(d) Determine Internet materials that are harmful to children; 
(e) Determine and approve the appropriate Internet filtering software that will 
effectively limit children’s access to unauthorized websites; 
(f) Determine harmful websites to which children’s access shall be restricted; 
(g) Conduct regular inspections of commercial establishments or public Internet 
points offering Internet services through its deputized representatives and with the 
assistance of the agencies provided in the preceding section and to undertake random 
inspections on their own initiative in order to monitor compliance with the standards 
provided herein and to make necessary recommendations to appropriate agencies; 
(h) Deputize local government agencies or offices including law enforcement 
agents to assist it in the discharge of its duties and functions under this Act; 
(i) Develop and enforce mechanisms to ensure that parents, parent-school 
associations and children are involved in research and policy development in furtherance 
of this Act. 
(j) Coordinate with other concerned agencies of the government and the private 
sector towards the effective implementation of this Act; 
(k) Perform such other functions as may be necessary to achieve the purposes of 
this Act. 
SEC. 10. Prohibited Acts. - The following acts shall constitute an offense punishable 
under this Act: 
(a) Offering unfiltered Internet service to children or allowing them access to 
unauthorized websites as determined herein. 


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(b) Providing Internet services to subscribers without provisions for filtering 
software in the bundled services. 
(c) Allowing within the premises of a commercial establishment, the 
photography, electronic depiction, whether in text or graphics, uploading, downloading, 
copying, burning, or transmission of harmful materials as defined in this Act. 
(d) Installing or maintaining enclosed or private cubicles, cells, private 
partitions or enclosures for individual internet users. The presence of such prohibited 
enclosures shall be prima facie evidence of unlawful services under this Act. 
(e) Approving or granting a business permit to commercial establishments 
operating in violation of this Act, without prejudice to the appropriate administrative 
sanctions applicable to public officers and employees under the Civil Service Law. 
SEC. 11. 
Public Awareness Programs - The CISC shall develop, lead, undertake 
and coordinate a nationwide sectoral program to advance public awareness and 
involvement in furtherance of the purposes of this Act. The program shall utilize existing 
resources and efforts of the national government, local governments, nonprofit 
organizations, private technologies and Internet service providers, World Wide Web- 
based resources, and other appropriate entities, and shall include: 
(a) 
Identifying, promoting, and encouraging best practices for Internet 
safety; 
(b) 
Establishing and carrying out a national outreach and Internet Safety 
Education campaign regarding Internet safety utilizing various media and Internet-based 
resources; 
(c) 
Facilitating access to, and the exchange of, information regarding 
Internet safety to promote up-to-date knowledge regarding Internet safety; and 
(d) 
Facilitating access to Internet safety education and public awareness 
efforts of the government, nonprofit organizations, and other appropriate entities. 


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SEC. 12. 
Penalties. - Violations of this Act shall be penalized as follows: 
(a) 
A fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) for the first offense. 
(b) 
A fine of One Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhplOO,OOO.OO) for the 
second offense; 
(c) 
Revocation of the business permits and licenses to operate and a fine 
of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (I' 200,000.00) for the third offense. 
SEC. 13. 
Filing of Administrative and Civil Cases. If the violation is committed by 
a public Internet point, the CISC shall file the appropriate administrative and civil case/s 
against the highest officer responsible for the management or operations of the same. 
SEC. 14. 
Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of 
this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the Department of 
Social Welfare and Development and other government agencies concerned, and 
thereafter included in the General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 15. 
Separability Clause. - If for any reason, a provision or any part hereof is 
declared invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and 
effect. 
SEC.16. 
Repealing Clause. - All acts, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations contrary or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
SEC. 17. 
EfJectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following 
its publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved,