BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance requiring all establishments offering internet services to the public to provide an appropriate computer program, software filters and such other implements, gadgets or measures to prevent access to pornographic websites and creating a Local Internet Regulatory Committee and for other purposes.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Elaine D. Sembrano stated that it will be a declared policy of the local government to promote and protect the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being of its constituents by protecting them from indecent, lewd, and inappropriate publications in the internet that may cause damage to their moral and social values, especially the youth.
The ordinance will cover all internet service businesses or cafes, establishments and offices offering free wifi services to the public, including government agencies and offices in the different parts of the city.
The ordinance will create a Local Internet Regulatory Committee to monitor the implementation and compliance to the provisions of the local legislative measure.
The committee shall be chaired by the City Mayor and co-chaired by the Chairperson of the City Council Committee on Public Protection and Safety, Peace and Order with its action officer coming from the City Budget-Management Information and Technology Division. The members of the committee will be the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, City Planning and Development Officer, City Treasury Office-Business Permits and Licensing Division, representative from the Baguio City Police Office and representative from the Baguio Character Council, representative from the youth sector, representative from the academe, representative from the local internet business sector, representative from the accredited non-government organization engaged in children, youth or young adult development while the Social Welfare and Development Office shall serve as the secretariat.
The Committee shall be formulate and implement a local anti-internet pornography advocacy plan of action and adopt appropriate strategies and measures to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the ordinance; to coordinate with appropriate authorities or officers of the local government and national line agencies, particularly in information and education campaign against pornographic websites, including the inspection of internet establishments to determine compliance with the provisions of the measure: receive, cause, direct, and monitor the immediate investigation of complaints involving violation of the ordinance and refer or endorse to the appropriate agency, incidental discoveries of possible violations of the law; invite any person to testify before the committee in connection with the complaint for violation of any provisions of the ordinance and recommend to the City Mayor appropriate actions relative to the implementation of the ordinance or to the City Council measures to enhance the effectivity of the measure. Internet café owners shall fined P1,000 for the first offense, P3,000 and suspension of business operations for three months for the second offense, and P5,000 and cancellation or non-renewal of business permit for the third offense for those found violating the provisions of the measure. Minors will be taken into custody by the city. By Dexter A. See
