Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 2077 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by Representative 
BRIAN DANIEL POE LLAMANZARES, PhD, MNSA 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT RESTRICTING THE USE OF BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING OR 
CALL CENTER OPERATIONS FOR POLITICAL PROPAGANDA AND 
CAMPAIGNING, PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY IN POLITICAL ADVERTISING, 
AND IMPOSING PENALTIES FOR TROLL FARM OPERATIONS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In the age of social media and rapid digital communication, the Philippines has witnessed 
a dramatic shift in how information shapes public opinion and influences elections. While digital 
platforms have given citizens unprecedented access to political discourse and participation, they 
have also become vulnerable to abuse through organized troll farms, coordinated disinformation 
networks, and the misuse of legitimate Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) facilities for 
unethical political ends. 
Investigations and Senate inquiries in recent years have revealed the alarming reality that 
certain political operators and interest groups exploit BPOs and call centers to produce, amplify, 
and spread false or misleading political propaganda. Such operations manipulate the sentiments 
of ordinary Filipinos, distort the truth, undermine fair competition during elections, and 
ultimately weaken trust in democratic institutions. The Philippines, as a global leader in the 
outsourcing industry, bears a serious responsibility to protect the integrity of its BPO sector 
while safeguarding the sanctity of its electoral and public discourse. 
This measure addresses these challenges by restricting the use of BPOs and call center 
operations for partisan propaganda and organized troll operations. It strengthens accountability 
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by imposing clear prohibitions and meaningful penalties against individuals, corporations, or 
political entities found engaging in or benefiting from such deceptive practices. It further seeks 
to promote transparency in online political advertising by requiring the clear disclosure of 
funding sources and spending amounts for political content posted on digital platforms, ensuring 
that Filipino voters know who is behind the messages they encounter online. 
Recognizing the fast-evolving nature of disinformation and digital manipulation, this bill 
also establishes a robust regulatory and enforcement framework through the creation of a Special 
Regulatory Unit under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). 
This Unit will have the mandate to monitor compliance, conduct audits, investigate reports of 
troll farm operations, and coordinate with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), the 
National Privacy Commission (NPC), and other relevant agencies. Social media platforms are 
likewise required to cooperate fully by implementing systems to detect and remove coordinated 
inauthentic accounts and by submitting regular transparency reports on political advertising and 
disinformation takedowns. 
This legislative measure reaffirms the policy of the State to protect the integrity of 
elections, defend freedom of expression from abuse, and uphold the people’s right to credible, 
fact-based information. It is rooted in our Constitution’s mandate to ensure free and fair elections 
and supports international best practices on responsible digital governance. The Anti-Troll Farm 
Act aims to strike a fair balance between our globally competitive outsourcing industry and our 
people’s democratic right to honest and transparent public discourse. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought to defend 
our democratic institutions from digital manipulation, promote transparency and accountability 
in political campaigning, and preserve the credibility of the BPO industry as a pillar of the 
Philippine economy. 
HON. BRIAN DANIEL POE LLAMANZARES, PhD, MNSA 
Representative 
FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-List 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 2077 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by Representative 
BRIAN DANIEL POE LLAMANZARES, PhD, MNSA 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT RESTRICTING THE USE OF BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING OR 
CALL CENTER OPERATIONS FOR POLITICAL PROPAGANDA AND 
CAMPAIGNING, PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY IN POLITICAL ADVERTISING, 
AND IMPOSING PENALTIES FOR TROLL FARM OPERATIONS 
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 "Anti-Troll Farm Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to safeguard the integrity of 
public discourse, protect free and fair elections, and promote transparency and accountability in 
the use of digital platforms. The State condemns the use of organized online 
operations—including Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and call center facilities—for the 
production and dissemination of political propaganda and disinformation. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
1. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Operations – Refers to third-party service providers
engaged in handling customer support, data processing, or digital services, including call


centers and back-office support operations.​
 
2.​ Troll Farm Operations – Organized efforts, whether coordinated by individuals or groups, 
to manipulate public opinion by producing, disseminating, or amplifying political 
propaganda or disinformation through digital platforms.​
 
3.​ Political Propaganda – Any communication intended to influence public opinion, election 
outcomes, or political decisions through false, misleading, or biased information.​
 
4.​ Online Political Advertising – Paid content on digital platforms that advocates for or 
against a candidate, party, or political issue.​
 
SECTION 4. Prohibition on BPOs and Call Centers for Political Propaganda. – No BPO or 
call center, whether operating within the Philippines or serving foreign clients from the 
Philippines, shall engage in the production, dissemination, or amplification of political 
propaganda or disinformation for political campaigns, elections, or related purposes. 
 
SECTION 5. Transparency in Political Advertising. – Any political advertisement or 
campaign content posted online must clearly disclose the source of funding, including the name 
of the individual or organization responsible, and the amount spent on the advertisement. The 
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) shall maintain a public database of such disclosures. 
 
SECTION 6. Penalties. – Any person, corporation, or entity found violating this Act shall be 
subject to the following penalties: 
a. For Individuals: A fine of not less than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (₱500,000) but 
not more than Two Million Pesos (₱2,000,000), or imprisonment of up to five (5) years, 
or both, at the discretion of the court. 
b. For BPOs and Call Centers: A fine of not less than Five Million Pesos (₱5,000,000), 
revocation of business registration, and prohibition from operating within the Philippines 
for a period of five (5) years. 
c. For Political Campaigns/Parties Benefiting from Violations: Disqualification from 
holding public office or participating in elections for a period of five (5) years, subject to 
due process by the COMELEC. 
SECTION 7. Regulatory Oversight and Monitoring. – A Special Regulatory Unit on Digital 
Disinformation shall be created under the Department of Information and Communications 
Technology (DICT) to: 


1.​ Monitor compliance with this Act;​
 
2.​ Conduct regular audits of BPO operations and digital campaigns;​
 
3.​ Investigate reports of troll farm operations; and​
 
4.​ Coordinate with COMELEC, the National Privacy Commission (NPC), and other 
relevant agencies.​
 
SECTION 8. Obligations of Social Media Platforms. – Social media platforms operating 
within the Philippines shall adopt measures to prevent the use of their services for coordinated 
disinformation campaigns, including: 
1.​ Implementing robust detection and removal systems for inauthentic accounts and 
coordinated inauthentic behavior;​
 
2.​ Complying with requests for data access and investigation by the DICT Regulatory Unit; 
and​
 
3.​ Submitting quarterly transparency reports on political advertisements, disinformation 
takedowns, and coordinated activity detected.​
 
SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – Within ninety (90) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the DICT, in coordination with COMELEC, NPC, DTI, and relevant 
stakeholders, shall issue the necessary IRR for the implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 10. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA). 
 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause – All laws, executive orders, rules, and regulations 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
 
SECTION 13. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 


Approved, 
 
 
 
HON. BRIAN DANIEL POE LLAMANZARES, PhD, MNSA 
Representative 
FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-List