EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
Second Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No, _365

Introduced by Representative Victor A. Yap

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Today's technological advancements have made people more vulnerable and susceptible to the
spread of fake news. The power of social media to reach a wide range of audience has made it easier
for nefarious individuals to manipulate social media platforms to influence and sway public opinion.

The rise of the internet has definitely presented new challenges on laws regulating and
penalizing disinformation to the public. As legislators, we must find ways to guide the public on the
responsible use of social media. This bill seeks to include social media education in the K-12
curriculum as well as the National Service Training Program. We hope that through this measure, the
youth would lear the virtues of discernment and critical thinking in their everyday use of social media.

Furthermore, this bill mandates all government agencies, including local government units and
non-government organizations, to formulate policies for the responsible, transparent and fair utilization
of social media in their respective offices. The Philippine Communications Operations Office, in
coordination with the Department of Information and Communication Technology, will be tasked to
conduct training programs and strategy development seminars to enhance social media use and counter
the spread of misinformation.

As the intemet becomes a major part of our daily lives, it is high time that we enact social
media literacy

In view of the foregoing, support for the approval of this legislation is earnestly sought.

Vii A. YAP
Representative, 2nd District of Tarlac


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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Section )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Victor A. Yap

AN ACT
INCORPORATING THE VALUE OF RESPONSIBLE, FAIR AND TRUTHFUL
UTILIZATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES, NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION, PRIVATE CORPORATIONS,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Social Media Awareness Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of 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 incuicating onto the youth and/or students the virtues of
discernment and critical-thinking in their unavoidable daily immersion in Social Media, Further,
government agencies as well as private institutions shall contribute to ensuring social media

literacy in the nation.

SECTION 3. Inclusion of Social Media in the Curricula for Primary and Secondary
Education. — Social Media awareness shall be part of the K-12 curriculum, 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;

¢. Inculcate how Social Media helps in fostering a more participative democracy;

4. Inculcate the importance of upholding truth and the veracity of facts, figures and
events in Social Media;

e. Inculcate responsible and fair use of Social Media; and


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£. Inculcate the virtues of discernment and critical-thinking in the use and/or enjoyment

of Social Media.

The Department of Education (DepEd), in consultation with the Department of
Information and Communications Technology (DICT), shall immediately formulate the

necessary steps and measures to achieve the objectives of this Section.

SECTION 4. Social Media Awareness as part of the National Service Training
Program (NSTP) ~ Social Media awareness must be made part of the National Service Training
Program (NSTP), particularly in the service components pertaining to the Literacy Training
Service (LTS) and the Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS).

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), in consultation with the DICT, shall immediately formulate
the necessary steps and measures to achieve the objectives of this Section

SECTION 5. Social Media Literacy. - All government agencies, including local
government units and non-government organizations must formulate policies for the

responsible, transparent and fair utilization of social media in their respective offices.

SECTION 6. Training Programs and Strategy Development Seminars. ~ The
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), in coordination with the DICT shall
be tasked to conduct training programs and strategy development seminars to enhance social

media use and counter the spread of misinformation.

SECTION 7. Contribution of the Private Sector in Social Media Awareness. -
Private corporations must formulate and implement effective measures and/or policies in
relation to the responsible, fair and truthful utilization and/or enjoyment of various types of
Social Media. Private corporations must likewise promote the foregoing as part of their
respective Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in consultation with the DICT, shall
immediately formulate the necessary steps and measures to achieve the objectives of this
Section.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DepEd, CHED, SEC,
PCOO in consultation with the DICT, shall have the joint responsibility for the adoption of the
implementing rules of this Act.


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SECTION 9. Separability Clause — If any section or provision of this Act shall be
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the sections or provisions not affected thereby shall remain

in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Effectivity — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,