EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
)
)
S E N A T E
s. 
No. 129
q )
'V-*.-/ (Sffs.;- of ti)c 
,r- r<irj)
’19 
JUL-2 A 9:03
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
iCi.:.
AN ACT
INCORPORATING THE VALUE OF RESPONSIBLE, FAIR AND TRUTHFUL 
USAGE AND ENJOYMENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN SCHOOLS 
AND UNIVERSITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Explanatory Note
According to "Digital 2019", a report from Hootsuite and We are Social 
showing people's online behavior around the world, Filipinos spend an average 
o f 10:02 hours a day on the internet using any device.1
Digital 2019 further revealed the following: (a) social media penetration in the 
country is at 71%, above the worldwide average of 45%; (b) 79 m illion Filipinos 
aged 13 and older are on social media) (c) social media grew in the country by 
13%, with more than 9 million users added since January 2018; and (d) Filipinos 
spent the m ost tim e on social media a t 4 hours and 12 m inutes on average 
pe r day.
The internet penetration in the Philippines, as well as the above-mentioned 
numbers, will surely continue to rise in the next years to come thereby truly making 
the worldwide web and/or social media a bigger, accessible and Influential 
forum/marketplace of ideas leading to a more participative citizenry and/or 
democracy. Simply put, the influence of Social Media and the continuous increase of 
its users/subscribers are unavoidable.
Given the above phenomenon or trend, the "prime duty" of the Government 
"to  serve and protect the people" (Section 4, Article 2 of the Constitution) must 
also cope up. In accordance with the Constitution's mandate that government shall
give p rio rity to  education, among others, to  foster patriotism  and 
nationalism , accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and 
development (Section 17, Article 2), consideration must also be accorded to the rise 
of Social Media as the State also ought to recognize the vital role o f 
com m unication and inform ation in nation-building (Section 24, Article 2).
1 https;//cnnphilippines.com/lifestyle/2019/02/01/2019-digital-hoot5uite-we-are-sodal-internet- 
philippines-facebook.html


In keeping with the above-enumerated constitutionally-enshrined duties of 
the State, this legislative measure seeks the inclusion of the importance of Social 
Media, how it effectively and efficiently disseminates information and shapes public 
discourse and issues, into the curriculum of primary and secondary levels of 
education in the country.
Moreover, as the State ought to maintain its respect for the freedom of 
speech and expression and should never censor or silence the people, this bill, 
instead, seeks to inculcate in our students and/or the youth the virtues of 
discernment and critical thinking in the face of the emergence of what has been 
labeled as "fake news". This bill seeks to insulate the citizenry from attempts to 
unscrupulously utilize Social Media for various kinds of black propaganda and 
misinformation 
which 
are 
detrimental 
to 
transparency, 
accountability 
and 
truthfulness which could frustrate a meaningful, fruitful and intelligent discourse 
towards nation-building.
Aside from the inclusion of Social Media in the curriculum of primary and 
secondary education, this bill has the following highlights:
1. 
Corporations shall be mandated to promote responsible usage of 
Social Media as part of their respective Corporate Social 
Responsibility (CSR) and ensure that the same shall likewise be 
observed and practiced by their officials and employees; and
2. 
Social Media education and/or mentorship shall be made part of 
the National Service Training Program (NSTP).
In view of the foregoing, this legislative measure's immediate enactment into 
a law is hereby earnestly sought.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
S E N A T E
s. No. i2.q
cf t:i 
.n taiji
'19 
JUL-2 
A 9:03
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
AN ACT
INCORPORATING THE VALUE OF RESPONSIBLE, FAIR AND TRUTHFUL 
USAGE 
AND 
ENJOYMENT 
OF 
SOCIAL 
MEDIA 
IN  
SCHOOLS 
AND 
UNIVERSITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Sec. 1. W e. -  This Act shall be known as the "Social Media Awareness in 
Schools and Universities Act o f 2019'.
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  The State has constitutionally-declared policies 
to serve and protect the people, to give priority to education to foster patriotism and 
nationalism and to recognize the vital role of communication and information in 
nation-building. Towards this end, it is the objective of this Act to cope up with the 
mercurial rise of the influence and prevalence of use of Social Media by inculcating 
onto the youth and/or students the virtues of discernment and critical-thinking in 
their unavoidable daily immersion in Social Media.
Sec. 3. Inclusion o f Social Media In the Curricula for Primary and Secondary 
Education. -  Social Media awareness shall be part of the curriculum for both primary 
and secondary education, in public and private schools, with the following 
objectives:
a. Inculcate how various types of Social Media aid in the effective and 
efficient dissemination of information;
b. Inculcate how Social Media helps in shaping public discourse and 
opinion;
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c. Inculcate how Social Media helps in fostering a more participative
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democracy;
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d. Inculcate the importance of upholding truth and the veracity of facts,
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figures and events in Social Media;
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e. Inculcate responsible and fair use of Social Media; and
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f. Inculcate the virtues of discernment and critical-thinking in the use
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and/or enjoyment of Sociai Media.
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The Department of Education (DepEd), in consultation with the Department
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of Information and Communications Technoiogy (DICT), shali immediately formulate
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the necessary steps and measures to achieve the objectives of this Section.
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Sec. 4. Social Media Awareness as part o f the National Service Training
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Program (NSTP). -  Sociai Media awareness must be made part of the National
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Service Training Program (NSTP), particuiarly in the service components pertaining
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to the Literacy Training Service (LTS) and the Civic Weifare Training Service (CWTS).
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The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education
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and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in consuitation with the DICT, shall
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immediately formulate the necessary steps and measures to achieve the objectives
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of this Section.
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Sec. 5. Contribution o f the Private Sector in Social Media Awareness. -  Private
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corporations must formulate and implement effective measures and/or policies in
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relation to the responsible, fair and truthful utilization and/or enjoyment of various
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types of Social Media. Private corporations must likewise promote the foregoing as
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part of their respective Corporate Sociai Responsibility (CSR).
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in consultation with the
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DICT, shail immediately formulate the necessary steps and measures to achieve the
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objectives of this Section.
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Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  The DepEd, CHED, SEC, in
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consuitation with the DICT, shail have the joint responsibility for the adoption of the
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impiementing rules of this Act within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act.
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Sec. 7. Separability Clause. -  If any section or provision of this Act shall be
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declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not affected
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thereby shall remain in full force and effect.


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Sec. 8. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation.
Approved.