Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

O24
HOUSE BILL NO. 2340

Introduced by Hon. MARY MITZI “MITCH” L. CAJAYON

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines ranks top among countries in Asia where cyber cafes and internet
cafes are extremely popular and access to internet services such as web mail, e-mail and
instant messaging access, multiplayer or network gaming, file downloading and
encoding, are easily made available to the public in exchange for a fee.

Owners and operators of internet cafes and cyber cafes, with their lax procedures
and user registration, risk themselves to cybercrime offenders and law violators. Cyber
crimes such as fraud, trafficking in child pornography and intellectual property, identity
theft, or violating privacies are becoming more and more rampant with the easy
accessibility of internet services.

Also, cybercafés and internet cafes have been popular targets of thieves, and there
are instances that such offenders gain entry and knowledge of an establishment by
posing as customers, since most of the time, identification is never required from any
individual who might wish to avail of the internet services they offer.

This Act seeks to make mandatory the registration of all computer users who will
avail of the services offered by internet cafes and cyber cafes. The integrity of the
information provided by a customer shall be confirmed by presenting a valid ID which
may be in the form of Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) ID, Land
Transportation Office (LTO) Driver’s License, Passport, Tax Identification Number
(TIN) ID, Postal Identification or School ID that is valid for the current semester.

A client shall be refused access to the internet services offered if he fails to
present a valid identification. Aside from protecting and safeguarding the integrity of
public computer networks, internet café owners and internet café operators, local
ordinances on multiplayer or network gaming among school children will also be
reinforced by this proposed Act.

In view of the foregoing, approval of the bill is earnestly sought.

MARY MITZI “MITCH” CAJAYON


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo.__ 2340)

Introduced by Hon. MARY MITZI “MITCH” L. CAJAYON,

AN ACT
MAKING MANDATORY THE REGISTRATION OF COMPUTER USERS IN
INTERNET CAFES AND OTHER SIMILAR ESTABLISHMENTS

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. It shall be the policy of the State to protect
and safeguard the integrity of public computers networks, internet café owners and
internet café operators from cyber crime offenders by making mandatory the
registration of all computer users who will avail of their services.

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following
terminologies shall be construed as:

a. “Registration” refers to the act of registering the name and age of the
computer user and determining the credibility of the information that the user
has provided by presenting a valid identification.

b. “Valid Identification” refers to the proof or evidence of identity. Valid
identification may include the following:

(1) Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) ID
(2) Land Transportation Office (LTO) Driver's License
(3) Passport, Tax Identification Number (TIN) ID

(4) Postal Identification

(5) School ID that is valid for the current semester

“Public Computer Network” refers to computers that are connected to a
telecommunications system for the purpose of communicating, research and
sharing resources.

d. “Internet Cafe” refers to a place where one can use a computer with Internet
access for a fee, usually per hour or per minute.

e. “Services” refer to web mail, e-mail and instant messaging access, multiplayer
or network gaming, file downloading and encoding.

£ “Cyber crime” refers to any use of a computer as an instrument to further
illegal ends such as committing fraud, human trafficking, child pornography,
intellectual property violation, identity theft, or violation of privacy.

___ SECTION 3. Making Mandatory Computer User Registration. In the
failure of a computer user to present a valid ID prior to availing of the services
provided by internet cafes, the administrator of the said internet café will not


extend the client access to the services they offer. There must be an
announcement posted on the establishment that computer user registration is
required and that they do not honor clients who do not have valid identification.

SECTION 4. Compliance and Monitoring. Local Government Units
(LGUs) shall regularly conduct inspections in all internet cafés and cyber cafés
under their territorial jurisdictions through duly designated persons.

SECTION 5. Penalties. — The following penalties shall apply to the owner,
president, manager, or the most senior officers of any establishment or business
entity who violates the provision of Section 3 of this Act:

a. On the first offense, a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos
(Php10,000.00) but not more than Twenty Thousand Pesos (Php20,000.00) shall be
imposed.

b. On the second offense, a fine of not less than Twenty Thousand Pesos
(Php20,000.00) but not more than Forty Thousand Pesos (Php40,000.00) shall be
imposed.

On the third offense, in addition to a fine of not less than Forty Thousand Pesos
(P40,000.00) but not more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00), the business
permits and licenses to operate shall be cancelled or revoked.

SECTION 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,