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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session 
House Bill No. 9431 
Introduced by Representatives EDVIC G. YAP, JOCELYN P. TULFO, 
ERWIN T. TULFO and RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In a 2021 publication, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), citing 
Roy Schulman and David Siman-Tov, defines fake news as either (1) misinformation or 
“the dissemination of false information, even if not deliberate or malicious, based on 
unsubstantiated conjecture and in light of various considerations” and (2) 
disinformation or “false information that is spread deliberately and maliciously for 
personal gain or to cause damage to another party. While fake news existed even in 
the old times, the PIDS highlights the ease of producing, spreading, and multiplying 
fake news today given the existence of communication tools at the height of digital 
transformation, particularly through social media.  
In fact, in a Pulse Asia Survey conducted in 2022, eighty-six percent (86%) or nearly 
nine (9) out of ten (10) Filipinos believe that fake news is a problem in the country, 
attributing fifty-eight percent (58%) to social media influencers, bloggers and vloggers 
as peddlers of fake news about government and politics, followed by journalists at 
forty percent (40%), national politicians at thirty-seven percent (37%), and local 
politicians at thirty percent (30%). 
Hence, considering the potential hazards of spreading fake news, it is imperative to 
penalize those who seek to create and disseminate fake news, especially through the 
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use of social media. In this regard, this bill seeks to incorporate into the existing 
violations under Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 the 
creation and dissemination of fake news as one of the content-related offenses, thereby 
combatting the unwanted proliferation of misinformation and disinformation. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
HON. EDVIC G. YAP 
HON. JOCELYN P. TULFO 
HON. ERWIN T. TULFO 
HON. RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session 
House Bill No. 9431 
Introduced by Representatives EDVIC G. YAP, JOCELYN P. TULFO, 
ERWIN T. TULFO and RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO 
AN ACT 
CRIMINALIZING THE CREATION AND DISSEMINATION OF "FAKE NEWS" 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 3 AND 4 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
10175, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CYBERCRIME PREVENTION ACT OF 
2012 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
           SECTION 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10175, otherwise known as the 
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"Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012", is hereby amended to include: 
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(M) FAKE NEWS REFERS TO ANY INFORMATION, STORY, NEWS, OR
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FACT, 
DELIBERATELY 
DISTORTED, 
ALTERED, 
CHANGED, 
OR
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MANIPULATED BY ANY PERSON WITH MALICIOUS INTENT WHICH IS
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PRESENTED AS A FACT, THE VERACITY OF WHICH CANNOT BE
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CONFIRMED, WITH THE INTENT OF DISTORTING A FACT OR
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PROLIFERATING 
FALSE 
INFORMATION 
AND 
MISLEADING 
ITS
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AUDIENCE.
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SEC. 2. All succeeding subsections under Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10175 
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shall be renumbered accordingly. 
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   SEC. 3. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 10175, otherwise known as the 
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"Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012", is hereby amended to include: 
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(c) Content-related Offenses:
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xxx 
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(5) FAKE NEWS - THE CREATION AND DISSEMINATION OF FAKE NEWS
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AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3 HEREOF, COMMITTED THROUGH A
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COMPUTER SYSTEM OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR MEANS WHICH MAY BE 
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DEVISED IN THE FUTURE. 
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ANY ONLINE PLATFORM, SUCH AS WEBSITES, USING A COMPUTER 
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SYSTEM OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MEDIUM THAT FAIL TO ACT OR 
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CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION ON REPORTS OF FAKE NEWS WITHIN 
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THEIR RESPECTIVE PLATFORMS SHALL BE HELD LIABLE FOR A FINE 
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EQUIVALENT 
TO 
A 
MAXIMUM 
OF 
TWO 
MILLION 
PESOS 
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(PHP2,000,000.00). 
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          SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - If any of the sections or provisions of this Act is 
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held invalid, all other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid. 
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           SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, issuances, rules and regulations 
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
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accordingly. 
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           SEC. 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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