FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
8 JUN -2 1'2 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 24 states that the State recognizes the vital role of 
cominunication and information in nation-building. As we move further into the Information 
Age, more and more people are logging in to the information superhighway, more commonly 
known as the Internet. In a recent survey taken by Synovate' on urban areas across the 
Philippines: it was shown that about 36% of Filipinos from these areas have Internet access 
while 41% have mobile phones with Internet access. 
As Internet usage increases, the perils likewise increase. Viruses, scam sites and sites 
with undesirable contents proliferate on a daily basis. To protect our people, our government 
must do what it can to aim our Internet users with useful information to combat the dangers that 
are spread across the world wide web. 
This bill seeks to establish an office that will spearhead the information campaign that 
will keep our Internet users abreast with the latest online technologies and arm them with the 
luiowledge against the perils of the Internet. 
Market research arm of Aegis Group Plc., a marketing services firin based in London 
Synovate's Nationwide Urban Media Atlas Survey 2007-2008 Wave 1 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHrLrPpmEs 
1 
8 JUN -2 i“Z:39 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO IMPROVE PUBLIC AWARENESS REGARDING SAFE USE OF THE INTERNET 
THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OFFICE OF INTERNET SAFETY AND 
PUBLIC AWARENESS WITHIN THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
COMMISSION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be h o &  as the “Safeguarding Filipinos by 
Enhancing and Reorganizing New and Efficient Technologies Act of 2008” or the “SAFER NET 
Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The Constitution, Article 2, Section 24 states that 
the State recognizes the vital role of communication and information in nation-building. The 
Slate shall promote the safe and effective ways of using the internet as we head fiuther into the 
information age. 
SECTION 3. Dejnition of Terms. -For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(A) “Commission” means the National Telecommunications Commission; 
(B) “Internet” ineans collectively the myriad of computer and telecommunications 
facilities, including equipment and operating software, which comprise the 
interconnected world-wide network of networks that employ the Transmission 
Control Protocolihtemet Protocol, or any predecessor or successor protocols to such 
protocol, to communicate information of all kinds by wire or radio; 
(C) “Office” means the Office of Internet Safety and Public Awareness of the Federal 
Trade Commission, established by section 3. 


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SECTION 4. Establishment of 
the Ofice. - The National Telecommunications 
Commission shall establish an Office of Internet Safety and Public Awareness, which shall have 
responsibility for programs and activities relating to increasing public awareness and providing 
education regarding Internet safety. 
SECTION 5. Director. - The Office shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed 
by the Commission. 
SECTION 6. Internet Safety. - For purposes of this Act, the issue of Internet safety 
includes issues regarding use of the Internet in a manner that promotes safe online activity, 
including safe transactions involved in online commerce, and protects against threats to financial 
information and privacy, threats from cyber-crime, and threats to juveniles, including cyber- 
predators and material that is inappropriate for minors. 
SECTION 7. Duties. - 
(A) Activities- The Commission, acting through the Office, shall carry out a nationwide 
program to increase public awareness and education regarding Internet safety, for families, 
businesses, organizations, and other users, that utilizes existing resources and efforts of the 
national and local governments, nonprofit organizations, private technology and financial 
companies, Internet service providers, World Wide Web-based resources, and other appropriate 
entities, that includes- 
(1) evaluating Internet safety efforts and activities provided at various levels of 
government and by other entities; 
(2) improving efficiency of Internet safety efforts and activities, by eliminating 
redundancy of efforts at various levels of government and other entities, 
identifying, promoting, and expanding effective such efforts and activities and 
coordinating among such e€forts and activities; 
(3) identifying, promoting, and encouraging best practices for Internet safety; 
(4) establishing and carrying out a national outreach and education campaign 
regarding Internet safety utilizing various media and Internet-based resources; 
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(5) serving as the primary contact in the national government, and as a national 
clearinghouse, for information and public awareness efforts regarding Internet 
safety; 
(6) facilitating access to, and the exchange of, information regarding Internet 
safety to promote up-to-date knowledge regarding current issues; 
(7) providing expert advice and consultation to the Commission regarding Internet 
safety issues; and 
(8) providing assistance, including technical assistance and financial assistance 
under subsection (B), units of local government, schools, police departments, non- 
profit organizations, and such other entities as the Office considers appropriate to 
promote Internet safety education and public awareness. 
(B) Grants and Contracts- 
(1) In carrying out this subsection, the Commission, acting through the Office, 
may make grants, to the extent amounts are provided in advance in appropriation 
Acts for such grants, to, and enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, and 
interagency agreements with units of local government, schools, police 
departments, non-profit organizations, and such other public and private agencies, 
entities, and organizations as the Office considers appropriate. 
(2) The Commission, acting through the Office, shall provide for evaluations of 
projects and activities carried out with financial assistance provided under 
paragraph (1) of this subsection and for the dissemination of information 
developed as a result of such projects. 
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under Section (7)(B)(1); 
SECTION 8. Annual Reports. -The Commission, acting through the Office, shall submit 
a report not later than March 31 of each year that- 
(A) describes the activities of the Office during the preceding calendar year; 
(B) contains any evaluations performed pursuant to Section (7)(B)(2) for any 
projects and activities carried out during the preceding calendar with assistance 
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(C) describes and analyzes the current state, as of the preparation of such report, 
of Internet safety, existing and emerging threats to Internet safety, and costs to the 
Philippine economy resulting from preventing, responding to, eliminating, and 
otherwise dealing with threats to Internet safety. 
SECTION 9. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
hereby necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. 
SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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