Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _______ 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SAFETY INTERNET EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE 
CURRICULUM OF ALL ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines had been well known to be a country where there is a huge number of 
internet users. As of February 2022, around 79.66 million Filipinos are internet users1. As a 
result of the pandemic, the number of internet users in the Philippines also increased. The 
Philippines ranks as second in Southeast Asian countries with Manila having a compound 
annual growth rate of 14.2%2. 
The 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall “establish, maintain, and support a 
complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people 
and society3. It further provides that the State shall recognizes the vital role of the youth in 
nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and 
social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their 
involvement in public and civic affairs4. 
The State has the duty, in recognizing the vital role of the youth in nation-building and 
shall equip them with proper education and keep them up to date to the latest development 
and technological advancement. At this day and time, where technology and the use of the 
internet is widespread and continuously growing, the people must be able to adapt and this is 
possible by making sure that we have sufficient knowledge about it.  
Currently in the Philippines, proper education with regard to safe internet use is not 
part of the curriculum in our educational institutions. Given that the technological and internet 
use in the world is continuously increasing, and there are multiple possible risks with its use, 
proper education regarding safe internet use is necessary. Having stated the foregoing, the 
immediate approval of this bill is necessary.  
1 DICT highlights the Digital Infrastructure Program on Philippine Internet Day available at https://dict.gov.ph/dict-
highlights-the-digital-infrastructure-program-on-philippine-internet-day/ (last accessed on September 26, 2022). 
2 Philippine Digital Convention 2021 available at https://www.dti.gov.ph/archives/archived-speeches/speech-
digital-convention-2021/ (last accessed on September 26, 2022).  
3 Article XIV, Section 2, 1987 Constitution. 
4 Article II, Section 13, 1987 Constitution. 
October 7, 2022
9:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _______ 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SAFETY INTERNET EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE 
CURRICULUM OF ALL ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. -- This Act shall be known as the “Internet Safety 
Education Act”. 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
recognize the vital role of the youth in nation building, and as such, to protect them 
and equip them with education in order for them to fully adapt to the changing and 
moving phase of technology, specifically the internet. 
Sec. 3. Definition. – For the purposes of this Act, the terms: 
(A) “Internet Safety Education Program” means an age-appropriate,
research-based program that encourages safe, ethical, and responsible
use of the Internet, promotes an informed, critical understanding of the
internet, and educates children and communities about how to prevent
or respond to problems or dangers related to the internet or new media;
(B) “New Media”
(a) Means emerging digital, computerized, or network informed and
communication 
technologies 
that 
often 
have 
interactive
capacities; and
(b) Includes e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging, web sites,
blogs, interactive gaming, social media, cellphones, and mobile
devices; and
Sec. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - 
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(A) The DepEd shall, in consultation with the Department of Information and 
Communications Technology (DICT) and the Council for the Welfare of 
Children (CWC): 
(a) Identify, develop, and implement Internet Safety education 
programs, including educational technology, multimedia and 
interactive applications, online resources, and lesson plans 
(b) Provide professional training to elementary and secondary 
teachers, administrators, and other staff on Internet safety and 
new media literacy; 
(c) Develop online risk prevention programs for children; 
(d) Train and support peer-driven Internet Safety education 
initiatives; 
(e) Coordinate and fund research initiatives that investigate online 
risks to children and Internet safety education; 
(f) Develop and implement public education campaigns to promote 
awareness of online risks to children and Internet safety 
education; 
(g) Educate parent about teaching their children how to use the 
Internet and new media safely, responsibly, and ethically and help 
parents identify and protect their children from risks relating to use 
of the Internet and new media; or 
 
(B) The DepEd Secretary, in coordination with the DICT and the CWC  shall, 
within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate rules 
and regulations, including those of disciplinary nature, to carry out and 
enforce provisions of this Act. Further, the DepEd shall be the lead 
agency in the carrying out of the following: the Secretary is hereby 
authorized and directed to adopt a system to implement and carry out 
the provisions of this Act. 
 
 
Sec. 5. Appropriations. -- To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount 
as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National 
Treasury. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous operation of this 
program shall be included in the annual appropriation of the DepEd.  
 
 
Sec. 6. Separability Clause. – If any provision or section of this Act is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions and sections not affected thereby shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
 
 
Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrease, executive orders, 
or issuances, or any part thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.  
 
 
Sec. 8. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspaper of general circulation.  
 
Approved,