Solon wants to regulate use of social media

Negros Oriental Rep. Arnulfo Teves wants social media in the Philippine to be regulated, much like the way it is regulated by the state in China.

Teves floated this idea during the House Appropriations Committee hearing on the Department of Information and Communications Technology's (DICT) proposed P3.5-billion budget for 2017.

Teves’ main justification for state control over social media is that it will curb online bashing.

"Sobra na kasi yung paninira ng mga tao through social media. Grabe yung bashing, hindi lang sa akin. Ang daming taong nasisiraan through social media (People's bashings through social media are too much. There's too much bashing, not just against me. People are saying negative things to each other in social media)," Teves told DICT officials headed by Secretary Rodolfo Salalima.

"Ang request ko lang sana, i-regulate natin. Walang puwedeng mag-fake account (My request is to regulate it. Fake accounts are a no-no).

"You can have as many accounts as you want but registered to your name. If you're found with an account not registered to your name, then you will be liable," the Visayan lawmaker said.

Teves added that he intends to file a bill calling for the regulation of social media.

"Nakontrol ng China ‘yung social media nila. Bakit hindi natin kayang gawin? (China managed to control its social media. Why can't we do it?)" the solon asked.

Salalima, however, didn't sound receptive to Teves' proposal. "It is a matter of accountability of those who use social media," he said.

As for National Telecommunications Commission Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, he said that the DICT doesn't exactly deal with matters of online content, like the case with social media.