Between the Web We Have and the Web We Have

RECOLLECT, RENEW, REBOOT:

25 YEARS OF THE PHILIPPINE INTERNET

A Concept Note/Proposal for an

Anniversary Commemoration & One-Year Celebration

Developed by Foundation for Media Alternatives*

I. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

On 29 March 1994 in Cebu, in a relatively quiet e-mail conference, the Philippines dialed into
history when it connected to the global internet. This day finally happened after tireless efforts
of many actors and stakeholders—many of them from the research and academic community—
opening the door to the country’s foray into one of the most important technological
innovations of humankind.

Since then—as with almost 200 countries, countless communities, and 3 billion citizens now
reached by the Internet—there is hardly any area of Philippine life which has not been touched
by the digital revolution. What we referred to then as the “world wide web”, with all of its
enabled applications, platforms and tools—coupled with non-stop technological advancement
that leverage and extend the basic networking protocols and possibilities of the internet--

As has been almost an annual tradition, at least for a small community within the country’s
vibrant Internet population, which now counts about 50 Million users, has been celebrating
each year as a milestone for the country’s. Some have been more public and formal
commemorations (as with the 10th, 15th, and 20th anniversaries), but some also have been more
quiet celebrations. It seems appropriate that with this 25-year milestone, the Philippines marks
this auspicious date (29 March 2019) more auspiciously.

This concept note is one effort towards a converged celebration—led by a core group of
stakeholder individuals and organizations who have always been involved in past
commemorations of this anniversary, always with a growing set of partners in the public and
private sector. It will highlight the anniversary itself but will also signal a one-year celebration.

II. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

For the purpose of this project, which is merely one of many probable celebrations and
commemorations, the following objectives are presented:

*Proposed by the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) in cooperation with DICT, DOST, CHR…
and ISOC PH Chapter, PISO, CD&D… PLDT/Smart, Facebook PH…

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A. General Objective:

To mark the 25th-year anniversary of the PH Internet through an appropriate national

commemoration as well as a series of coordinated multi-stakeholder events.

B. Specific Objectives:

1. Internet History Research Project. To initiate a research project that will document and
codify the 25-year history (i.e., The Social History of the Philippine Internet) through key
data-gathering activities (desk/documentary research, oral history/key informant
interviews, compilation of artifacts/documents, etc.), which can be a key reference
document for public various information dissemination and awareness-raising activities
(e.g., publications, documentaries, exhibits, roadshows, public archive/museum, etc.)

2. National Conference. To organize a two-day national conference that will be a venue for
a stocktaking of stakeholders of the Philippine internet landscape; such a conference
will be organized as a platform for having a strategic discussion by key PH Internet
stakeholders on the state of the PH Internet and its desired future. (Please refer to
Annex below.)

3. Pioneers and Icons Event. To organize a reunion/recognition event to acknowledge and

honor the pioneers of the Philippine Internet. (It is envisioned that important
personalities of the global internet may be able to grace this event.)

4. Materials Development. To develop appropriate anniversary print/AV materials and

collateral that may provide a unified branding/imaging for the celebration.

Organizing/Coordinating Committee. To organize a multi-stakeholder PH Internet @ 25

Organizing/Coordinating Committee that can be a center of coordination and cooperation
which can provide platforms for the year-long celebration (national and local), and lead
networking and resourcing activities for planned and potential activities.

PHInternet@25: “BIG TENT, MANY SMALL TENTS”

The aim is to have a key national event(s) that can be a “big tent” that can be joined by as
many groups who agree with the concept of the Project and its key activity (Commemorative
Conference), and where we can converge. Between now and the 2019 anniversary, various
groups, organizations and agencies can also organize their own activities, hopefully without
too much overlap and “competition”, but more collaborative and coordinative (“small tents”).
Then, through the Multistakeholder Coordinating/Organizing Committee, we can space out
the events throughout the year, effectively extending our celebration until 29 March 2020.

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 Between the Web We Have and the Web We Have
RECOLLECT, RENEW, REBOOT:
25 YEARS OF THE PHILIPPINE INTERNET

“NATIONAL COMMEMORATIVE (MULTISTAKEHOLDER) CONFERENCE”

DAY ONE (Thursday, 28 March 2019)

- Will be based on a slightly reimagined “Philippine Internet Governance Workshop”

Metro Manila leg.
- Peg: National IGF > Convenors: DICT, ISOC PH, FMA (+ DOST?, telcos?)
- Platform for the more celebratory side of the conference
- Possible Focus: Filipinos and their Rights TO the Internet
- Conference Format (Plenaries) with Thematic Streams

Possible Themes and Content Flow

1. Day One Keynote Address (National / International personality)

2. State of the Philippine Internet: DICT & FMA speakers

3. Thematic Streams
a. Digital Inclusion/Divides: Access and Connectivity
b. Digital Literacy & Human Capacity Development
c. New and Emerging Technologies
d. Regulatory Challenges and Emerging Models

4. Special Topics?:
a. PH as Social Media Nation
b. State of the ICT Sector
c. ICT and the May 2019 Election
d.

5. Plus: demos, learning sessions, AV presentations, booths?

+ Socials & Networking

+ International Solidarity

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DAY TWO (Friday, 29 March 2019)

- Will be based on a planned “Philippine Internet Rights Festival”.

- Peg: PH RightsCon
- Possible Focus: Filipinos and their Rights ON the Internet
- Conference Format (Plenaries) with Thematic Streams

- Platform for the more critical side of the conference:

This will be the platform for a more critical discussion of the PH (and global intenet) and
its effect/unintended consequences, as well as how malevolent forces are dominating it,
affecting the exercise or people’s human and communication rights

Possible Themes and Content Flow

1. Day Two Keynote Address (National / International personality)

2. Thematic Streams
a. Privacy and Surveillance: Big Data, Big Brother
b. Information Warfare: Post-Truth & Networked Disinformation; CyberWar &
Weaponization of the Internet; Cybercrime
c. Gender Lens: Discrimination, Harassment and Violence
d.

3. Special Topics?:
a. New Frameworks for Data Democracy:
b. Algorithms of Deception and Personal Surveillance
c. Un-Social (or Anti-Social) Media
d.

4. Relaunching the Philippine Declaration on Internet Rights

5. Plus: demos, learning sessions, AV presentations, booths?

+ COMMEMORATIVE DINNER.
+ COMMUNITY FILM SHOWING