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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SG REC

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bil No, 6787

Introduced by HON. KRISTINE ALEXIE B. TUTOR
Third District, Bohol

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In recent years, the Philippines has been recognized as one of the top internet users in the
world, with Filipinos averaging 10 hours and two minutes of screen time every day.' The
Digital 2019 report of social media firms Hootsuite and We Are Social showed that Filipinos
spent an average of four hours and 12 minutes on social media platforms, almost double of
the global average of two hours and 16 minutes.

And with more mobile subscriptions than there are people in the country—109.2 for every
100 inhabitants, according to the Measuring the Information Society Report 2017 of the
International Telecommunications Union (ITU)—the foundations are there for the
Philippines to blossom into a truly digital society. But just as the experience with the
COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine has
demonstrated, several gaps and institutional deficiencies persist—underscoring the need for a
comprehensive digital transformation policy to be rolled out and implemented, one that is
especially focused on digital skills and competencies.

Leveraging on the Filipinos’ interest and presence in the digital space and in order to foster
digital competency in support of the country’s economic and social development goals, this
bill seeks to create a national framework for digital competency with focus on information
and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, safety and
problem solving. The proposed digital competency framework is patterned after the European
Commission's DigComp 2.0°, which identified the five key components of digital
‘competence.

Among the key provisions in the bill is the adoption of information and communication
technology (ICT) competency for teachers, since building digital competency should
encompass all forms of learning. The proposed provisions were adapted from the 2011
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ICT
Competency for Teachers, aimed at helping countries develop comprehensive national
teacher ICT competency policies and standards and integrate these in overarching ICT in

* ntips:/iwww.theguardian, convtechnology/2019)feb/01iworld-internet-usage-index-philippines-10-hours-a-day

2 htips:/;www philstar.com/businessitechnology/20 19/01/31/1889736iipinos-are-worlds-heaviest-intemnet-users-
2018-report-says,

5 https://milunesco.unaoc.org/mil-resources/digital-competence-framework-for-citizens/

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education plans.‘ A 2019 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Report highlights that traditional teaching curricula and training programs contribute to the
enhancement of digital skills and at the same time, digital technologies facilitates learning by
providing education access to those who might not be able to benefit from formal education.

The bill also seeks to establish and institutionalize a national digital transformation strategy,
and a national digital skills development strategy to ensure that every citizen is given the
opportunity to understand ICT and develop the necessary skills and ability to apply ICT in
their everyday lives.

Finally, the bill also creates the National Digital Transformation Council who will oversee
policy formulation for the national digital competency framework and facilitate the
development and implementation of the proposed strategies under the bill.

This measure falls under our broad effort towards the formulation and sustained
implementation of a “Tatak Pinoy” industrialization campaign and policy that helps Filipino
enterprises move up the value chain, Filipino entrepreneurs to produce better quality
products, and Filipino professionals to render world-class services.

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

HON. NT? aes B, TUTOR

“ https://en.unesco.org/themes/ct-education/competency-framework-teachers
5 hitps://unctad org/en'PublicationsLibraryidtsict201943_en pdf


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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

< 6787

House Bill No.

Introduced by HON. KRISTINE ALEXIE B. TUTOR
Third District, Bohol

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION POLICY AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

TITLE 1
STATE POLICIES AND BASIC PRINCIPLES
CHAPTER I
State Policies

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “National Digital

Transformation Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of State Policy. — It is hereby declared policy of the State to
integrate digital technology into all areas of government that will greatly improve Philippine
governance, socio-economic development and services to people. Consequently, the State
shall create @ plan that shall transform the government into a digital platform providing
transparent and accountable governance, efficient operations, direct citizen engagement, and
innovation.

CHAPTER I
Definitions of Terms

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — The following terms as used in this Act shall mean:

(a) “2ist century skills” refer to skills that are required by new jobs such as critical

thinking, problem solving, good communication, collaboration, information and

technology literacy, flexibility and adaptability, innovativeness and creativity.


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(b)

()

(d)

(e)

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(9)

(h)

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“Automatic and Artificial Intelligence” refers to combining technology such as
Robotics Process Automation or RPA, Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine

learning;
“Big Data and Analytics" refers to data discovery process using techniques and
tools like mining useful information or insights from huge sets of data either

structure or unstructured. This is enabled through exponential increase in both
computing power and storage capacity;

“Cloud Computing” refers to the delivery of IT services hosted over the
internet to transform compute resources into a utility;

“Data” refers to a sequence of one or more symbols given meaning by specific
act(s) of interpretation. Data can be analysed or used in an effort to gain
knowledge or make decisions. Digital data is represented using the binary
number system of ones (1) and zeros (0) as opposed to its analogue
representation;

“Digital Competence” refers to the confident, critical, creative, relevant and
responsible use of, and engagement with, digital technologies for learning or
education, for work or occupation, and for participation in society;

“Digital content” refers to any type of content that exists in the form of digital
data that are encoded in a machine-readable format, and can be created, viewed,
distributed, modified and stored using computers and digital technologies, e.g.
the internet, The content can be either free or pay content such as web pages and
websites, social media, data and databases, digital audio, such as mp3s, and e-
books, digital imagery, digital video, video games, computer programmes and
software.

“Digital entrepreneurship” refers to combining traditional entrepreneurship
with new digital technologies, thus creating digital enterprises which are
characterized by a high intensity of utilization of novel digital technologies,
particularly social media, big data analytics, mobile and cloud solutions to
improve business operations, invent new business models, sharpen business
intelligence, and engage with customers and stakeholders;

“Digital services” refer to public or private services that can be delivered

through digital communication, such as Internet, mobile phone network that


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0)

(k)

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(m)

(n)

(0)

(p)

(a)

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might include delivery of digital information, data or content or transactional
services;

“Digital skills” refer to range of abilities, from basic to more advanced,
encompassing a combination of behaviors, expertise, know-how, work habits,
character traits, dispositions and critical understandings on the use of digital
devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage
information;

“Digital technology” refers to any product that can be used to create, view,
distribute, modify, store, retrieve, transmit and receive information
electronically in a digital form such as personal computers and devices like
desktop, laptop, netbook, tablet computer, smart phones, PDA with mobile
phone facilities, games consoles, media players, e-book readers, as well as
digital television, and robots;

“Digital tools” refer to technologies used for a given purpose or for carrying out
a particular function of information processing, communication, content
creation, safety or problem solving;

“Digital Transformation” refers to the total and overall societal effect of
digitalization;

“Digitization” refers to the technical conversion from traditional to digital;
“Innovation” refers to the creation of new ideas using new or existing
technologies that results in the development of new or improved products,
processes, or services, which are then spread or transferred across the market;
“Internet of Things (loT)” refers to everyday devices connected to the internet
through sensors and computing power to monitor and manage actions, offering
users greater influence over their environment;

“Social inclusion” refers to the process of improving the terms for individuals
and groups to take part in society (World Bank). Social inclusion aims to
empower poor and marginalized people to take advantage of burgeoning global
opportunities. It ensures that people have a voice in decisions which affect their
lives and that they enjoy equal access to markets, services and political, social
and physical spaces;

“Well-being” is related to the World Health Organization definition of good
health as a state of complete physical, social and mental well-being, and not


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merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Social well-being refers to the sense
of involvement with others and with the communities such as access and use of

social capital, social trust, social connectedness and social networks;

TITLE I
DIGITAL COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK FOR CITIZENS
CHAPTER I

Functions

SEC. 4. Digital Competence Framework for Citizens. —A Digital Competence
Framework for Citizens is hereby created. It shall serve as a tool to improve the digital
competence of citizens and a guide in the formulation of policies that support digital
competence building. The framework shall include education and training initiatives to
improve the digital competence of various specific target groups.

The essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes that comprise digital competence are,
generally classified as follows:

(@) Information and Data Literacy. - The ability to articulate information needs, to
locate and retrieve digital data, information and content, to judge the relevance of the source
and its content and to store, manage, and organize digital data, information and content. The
skills are as follows:

1, Browsing, searching and filtering data, information, and digital content

2. Evaluating data, information, and digital content

3. Managing data, information, and digital content

(6) Communication and collaboration. — The ability to interact, communicate and
collaborate through digital technologies while being aware of cultural and generational
diversity, to participate in society through public and private digital services and participatory
citizenship and to manage one’s digital identity and reputation. The skills are as follows:

1. Interacting through digital technologies

Sharing through digital technologies
Engaging in citizenship through digital technologies
Collaborating through digital technologies
Netiquette

ayn

Managing digital identity


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(©) Digital Content Creation. — The ability to create and edit digital content, to
improve and integrate information and content into an existing body of knowledge while
understanding how copyright and licenses are to be applied, and to know how to give
understandable instructions for a computer system. The skills are as follows:

1. Developing digital content

2. Integrating and re-elaborating digital content

3. Copyright and licenses

4, Programming

(d) Safety. ~ The ability to protect devices, content, personal data and privacy in digital
environments, to protect physical and psychological health, and to be aware of digital
technologies for social well-being and social inclusion, as well as to be aware of the
environmental impact of digital technologies and their use. The skills are as follows:

1. Protecting devices

2. Protecting personal data and privacy

3. Protecting health and well-being

4, Protecting the environment

(©) Problem Solving. ~ The ability to identify needs and problems, and to resolve
conceptual problems and problem situations in digital environments, to use digital tools to
innovate processes and products and to be updated with the digital evolution. The skills are as

follows:

1. Solving technical problems

2. Identifying needs & technological responses

3. Creatively using digital technologies

4, Identifying digital competence gaps

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the
Department of Education (DepEd) in collaboration with the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA) shall design and develop an instrument to measure and certify citizens’ digital
competence based on the framework. These agencies shall consult experts in the field of
various technologies necessary for digital transformation, such as but not limited to cloud
computing, automatic and artificial intelligence, robotics, big data and other disruptive

technologies.


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CHAPTER II
ICT Competency Framework For Teachers

SEC. 5. ICT Competency Framework for Teachers. ~ An 1CT-Competence Framework
for Teachers is hereby created. This shall be used to outline the competencies that teachers,
educators, and trainers need in order to integrate Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) into their professional practice.

The framework shall be used to compare the teachers’ competencies in different
regions, provinces, cities, and municipalities in order to analyze and develop educational
programs and training courses for teacher professional development at national or regional
level

The required competencies are defined as the intersections of the three approaches to
teaching, as follows:

(a) Technology literacy approach shall enable students to use ICT in order to learn
more efficiently and increase the extent to which new technology is used by
students, citizens and the workforce by incorporating technology skill into the
school curriculum. The goal of the technology literacy approach is to enable
earners, citizens, and the workforce to use ICT to support social development and
improve economic productivity.

(b) Knowledge deepening approach shall enable students to acquire in-depth
knowledge of their school subjects and apply it to complex, real-world problems;
and increase the ability of students, citizens, and the workforce to use knowledge
to add value to society and the economy by applying it to solve complex, real-
world problems. The aim of the knowledge deepening approach is to increase the
ability of students, citizens, and the workforce to add value to society and to the
‘economy by applying the knowledge gained in school subjects to solve complex,
high priority problems encountered in real world situations of work, society and in
life generally.

(©) Knowledge creation approach shall enable students, citizens and the workforce
they become, to create the new knowledge required for more harmonious,
fulfilling and prosperous societies; and increase the ability of students, citizens,
and the workforce to innovate, produce new knowledge, and benefit from this new
knowledge. The aim of the knowledge creation approach is to increase
productivity by creating students, citizens, and a workforce that is continually

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engaged in, and benefits from, knowledge creation, innovation and life-long
learning. The six aspects of a teacher's work, under the framework are as follows:
1. Understanding ICT in education

Curriculum assessment

Pedagogy

IcT

Organization and administration

aveeny

Teacher professional learning

‘The modular structure of learning shall be encouraged. Teacher-education institutions

and providers of professional learning shall design offerings that address and is aligned to the

overall goals and rationale of the Framework.

PART IIL
NATIONAL DIGITAL SKILLS STRATEGY
CHAPTER I
Definitions

SEC. 6. National Digital Transformation Strategy. — A National Digital

Transformation Strategy shall be created. The Strategy shall ensure that every citizen shall
have the opportunity to understand ICT and develop skills and ability to apply the ICT in

their work, vocation, business, and life in society. The Strategy shall include, but not limited

to:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(@)

Affordable and clean energy and growth, which includes plans and programs to
ensure competitive costs as well as lower adverse impact to the environment;
Digital inclusion, which includes plans and programs to spread growth across
the country, and identify potential areas for various industries to unlock growth,
increase skill levels, or promote local innovation;

Infrastructure, which includes concrete plans and strategies to develop and
upgrade performance on digital, energy, and transport infrastructure, to
effectively align central government infrastructure investment with local growth
priorities;

Institutional framework, which includes strategies and directions to establish or
improve existing institutions such as innovation councils, local educational

institutions, trade associations or financial networks;


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(e) Procurement policy, which includes concrete and specific plans in the
government procurement in order to drive innovation and enable the
development of effective, efficient and transparent supply chains across the
country;

(f) Science, research, and innovation, which include concrete set of plans and
strategies to ensure a knowledge economy, create and commercialize intellectual
property that will promote and enhance the global brand of the Philippines;

(9) Sectoral engagement, which includes plans, policies and strategies programs to
enhance areas of competitive advantage, and help new sectors to grown;

(h) Skills, which include concrete plans and strategies to ensure that the Filipino
workforce is equipped with the relevant and necessary 21% century skills for
them to thrive in a modern economy and build leaning organizations and
systems to benefit the everyone especially those who are not able to attend or
complete formal education, and enhance science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM) skills and numeracy, and raising skill levels especially in
underprivileged areas;

(i) Trade and inward investment which includes plans and strategies to boost
productivity and growth across the economy by increasing competition and
helping to bring innovation and new ideas, systems and processes; and

() Supporting businesses to start and grow, where we the government must ensure
that businesses across the country can access the finance and management skills
they need to grow; and create the conditions to enable firms to invest for the

long term.

SEC. 7. Digital Inclusion. - The DICT shall enable all citizens, irrespective of age,
gender, physical ability, ethnicity, health conditions, or socio-economic status to access the
opportunities of the internet. Citizens, businesses and public services must take full advantage
of the transformational benefits of the digital revolution. The Department must identify the
root causes of digital exclusion in all sectors and regions for the purpose of increase their
digital competence,

The DICT shall identify and develop the full range of digital skills that individuals
and companies across the country need to address the requirements of a digital economy and
instill measures and programs for citizens to continuously up-skill and re-skill throughout
their working lives.


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It shall also develop a strong collaboration between the public, private, and
educational sector to address the digital skills gap in a coherent and holistic way.

SEC. 8. Digital Libraries and Learning Hubs. - The DICT and the National Library
of the Philippines shall enhance and promote the role of libraries in improving digital
communication, increasing citizen's digital footprint, promoting digital inclusion and
transform these libraries as providers of digital access, training and support for local

communities.

SEC. 9. Digital Entrepreneurship. — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and
the DICT shall strongly promote the digitization of businesses according to their own specific
digital needs, mainly focused on these four core digital activities, namely maintaining a web
presence, selling online, using the cloud, and digitizing back-office functions such as payroll
and human resource management, in order to become or remain competitive. The DTI shall
ensure that entrepreneurs undertake the certification under the digital competence framework

for citizens to identify areas the need training and intervention.

SEC. 10. Digital Civil Service. — To ensure the highest standards of public service,
the DICT and the Civil Service Commission shall identify and consolidate all the skills and
competencies of public employees in the career service and recommend and cause the
conduct of digital skills training under an annual digital skills mapping activity. All public
employees shall be covered under a mandatory basis of certification under the digital

competence framework for citizens to identify areas the need training and intervention,

CHAPTER II
National Digital Skills Development Strategy

SEC. 11. National Digital Skills Development Strategy. — The State shall create

digital skills development strategy that wil

(@) Identify the digital skills development goals for:

1. Primary education

2. Secondary education

3. Tertiary education, for students, and digital technology development and design
experts,


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4. Work-related digital skills training programs for out-of-school youth, including
for freelancers and part-time workers;
. Work-related digital skills training programs for adults requiring re-skill

5.
6. Skills for life in the digital economy for all citizens;
7. Training programs both for life and work for under-represented populations;

8. Develop or plan for a digital entrepreneurship skills strategy.

(d) Inventory existing policies, plans and programs that support the development of
digital skills and analyze how they can be used to support the goals of the digital
skills strategy

(©) Benchmark the goals against existing frameworks or countries with similar goals
as well as identify the existing priorities and challenges in meeting the above
goals as well as identify promising solutions for providing digital skills that
address the common challenges

(f) Identify current and future trends in relation to demographic trends, technological
changes, business trends, trade, industrial policies, and the shift to a greener,
digital and knowledge-based economy

(g) Identify available training programs, curriculum and providers that can be
leveraged to meet the strategy’s goals and develop new curricula where necessary
as well as identify gaps in training programs and curricula — and identify providers
and strategies that will help fill them.

(h) Identify and recommend new policies and programs that are needed and conduct

advocacy both using the existing policies and to build support for new policies.

CHAPTER III
Digital Jobs

SEC. 12. Digital Jobs. - The DICT in coordination with Department of Labor
(DOLE) and other concerned agencies shall provide jobs which are in line with freelancing,
virtual work, homebased digital activities, and the like.

CHAPTER VII
National Digital Transformation Council
SEC. 13. National Digital Transformation Council, — The National Digital

Transformation Council is hereby created to ensure the effective implementation of this Act.

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SEC. 14. Composition of the Council. — The Council shall be composed of:

(a) DicT

(b) Department of Science and Technology (DOST)

(0) DTI

(4) DOLE

(e) DEPED

(f) CHED

(g) TESDA

(h) At least ten (10) members coming from the private sector that is involved in
digital skills development, digital industries and jobs, or digital systems and
products.

SEC. 15. Functions of the Council. ~The following are the functions of the Council:

(a) Take the lead in the formulation and implementation of specific rules for the
National Digital Competence Framework for Citizens;

(b) Oversee the development and implement the National Digital Transformation
Strategy, the ICT Teachers Competency Framework, and National Digital Skills
Development Strategy;

(c) Recommend, propose or endorse any measure related to the above functions to
concerned line agencies for purposes of administrative concerns, to the private
sectors, schools or other business entities for policy guidance, and to Congress for
policy purposes

(d) Provide a report to Congress and to the Office of the President on the progress of

the implementation of this Act

SEC. 16. Council Secretariat. ~ The DICT shall provide secretariat support to the
Council,
TITLE IV
COMMON PROVISIONS
SEC. 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the DOLE and DICT together with relevant stakeholders shall
promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of this Act.

1.


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SEC. 18. Appropriations. ~ The amount necessary for the effective implementation of
the provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act for the year
following the approval of this Act.

SEC. 19. Repealing Clause. — All other laws, decrees, executive orders and rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SEC. 20. Separability Clause — If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions

hereof.

SEC. 21. Effectivity — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication

in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

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