Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
House Bill No. ____

Introduced by Hon. ROSANNA RIA V. VERGARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE
1
2 Among the multitude of technological innovations the
3world has seen so far, none has powerfully gripped the world
4as much as the internet has (Billions of people access the
5internet everyday!). The internet has opened a whole new
6dimension of accessing information, of connecting and
7interacting with other people, and of expressing and
8entertaining oneself, unbound by the limitations of space and
9time.
10
11 In as much as the internet offers novel advantages, it also
12inadvertently brings with it the customary evils of fraud,
13pornography, bullying, gambling and addiction. Most often, it
14is the youth that succumb to its seemingly innocuous yet
15pernicious magnetism resulting in dire personal, social, and
16economic consequences to the victims and their families.
17
18 Of the emerging problems, online gaming addiction has
19been identified as the biggest source of concern among
20parents. Millions of young people around the world spend
21several hours a day in front of computers enthralled by the
22games they play to the serious detriment of their studies,
23health, family finances and relationships. And worse, internet
24gaming has recently become a platform for gambling. The
25players in the internet gaming industry is now taking
26advantage of the innocence of our youth to reap income from
27internet gaming to the tune of billions of dollars by designing
28the games to be addictive. Through the use of electronic
29cash, these games encourage minor children to spend money.
30

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 1 In order to avert an impending crisis and to assist and
2support parents efforts in rearing their children for civic
3efficiency and in the development of their intellectual,
4spiritual, and moral character, this Bill seeks to integrate
5Internet and Social Media Education in the curriculum of
6primary and secondary schools.
7
8 The Bill aims to instruct and educate school-age children
9to the proper and prudent use of the internet so that they may
10properly benefit from it and avoid the dangers and risks
11arising from uninformed and unregulated use, for studies have
12shown that, on their own, children and teenagers are not
13prepared to balance emotion and logic to make healthy
14choices.1
15
16 While the internet brings enormous benefits, it also
17brings problems that may harm its users, especially the youth.
18The task of addressing and preventing these problems is an
19exigency that needs the comprehensive and concerted efforts
20of the State and of all concerned sectors. Systematic education
21of the youth while they are young and receptive to adult inputs
22is a proper first step.
23
The early adoption of this measure is thus earnestly
requested.

ROSANNA RIA V. VERGARA

Representative, 3rd District of
Nueva Ecija

11 As presented by New York Council on Problem Gambling.

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 Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
House Bill No. ____

Introduced by Hon. ROSANNA RIA V. VERGARA

1 AN ACT TO INTEGRATE
2 INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA EDUCATION
3 AS PART OF THE CURRICULUM OF ALL
4 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS,
5 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
6
7Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
8the Philippines in Congress assembled:
9
10Section 1. Title. This act shall be known as the INTERNET

11AND SOCIAL MEDIA EDUCATION ACT OF 2017

12

13Section 2.Declaration of Policy.

14

15a. It is the policy of the State to promote and protect the

16physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being of

17the youth in recognition of the vital role they play in nation-

18building.
19
20b. It is the policy of the State to support the primary right
21and duty of parents in rearing the youth for civic efficiency and

22the development of their moral character through education.

23

24c. It is the policy of the State to give priority to education,

25science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster

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1patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and

2promote total human liberation and development.

3d. It is also the policy of the State to support and strengthen
4communication and information recognizing their vital role in

5nation-building.

7e. It is, therefore, the policy of the State to instruct and

8educate the youth in the proper and prudent use of the

9internet in order to emotionally and intellectually empower

10them to maximize the opportunities and benefits they may

11derived from it, as well as to counter the various dangers and

12risks arising from its uninformed and unregulated use.

13

14Section 3. Mandatory Internet and Social Media Education

15Coverage. All primary and secondary schools, public or

16private, shall be required to integrate in their school

17curriculum Internet and Social Media Education specifically

18on the proper use of the internet and social media, the benefits

19of prudent use, and the harmful effects of unregulated access

20and use.

21

22Section 4. Course Design. The Department of Education

23(DepEd) shall integrate Internet and Social Media Education

24in the primary and secondary schools curriculum framework

25(learning area standard, key stage standards, grade level

26standards) and develop appropriate grade-level-specific

27content matrix (content, content standards, performance
28standards, learning competency, and learning materials).

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1Online gaming and gambling addiction specific lessons shall be

2introduced and discussed from Grade three (3) to Senior High

3School.

5Section 5. Teacher Training. DepEd shall train and equip

6public school teachers with the necessary information, skills,

7and competency in delivering effective Internet and Social

8Media Education. DepEd formulated training modules and

9DepEd sponsored training sessions shall be made available to

10private school teachers free of charge.

11

12Section 6. Capacity Building for Parents.

13DepEd, as the primary partner, shall endeavor to empower

14parents in the formation of their children by making available

15information, resources, or trainings as to the proper and

16prudent use of the internet and social media. For this purpose,

17DepEd shall take full advantage of the Patent Teacher

18Association (PTA) as venue for parents capacity building.

19

20Section 7. Transitory Provisions. The course shall be

21integrated in the primary and secondary school curriculum in

22the next academic year following the approval of this Act. In

23the interim, DepEd shall commence the development of the

24course modules and the training of teaching personnel

25responsible for its execution.

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1Section 8.Appropriations. The amount necessary for the

2implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the yearly

3funds appropriated for the Department of Education.

5Section 9.Seperability Clause. If any provision of this act is

6held invalid, the other provisions not affected shall remain in

7full force and effect.

9Section 10.Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees or rules

10inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified

11accordingly.

12

13Section 11.Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)

14days after completion of its publication in the Official Gazette

15or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

16

17

18Approved.

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