Bill allowing netizens to participate in lawmaking process filed in Senate

A proposed measure allowing netizens to participate in the legislative process has been filed in the Senate. 

Under proposed Senate Bill (SB) No. 2344 or the “Crowdsourcing in Legislative Policy Making Act,” Senator Jinggoy Estrada said Filipinos may submit input, suggestions, recommendations, and objections on certain laws through crowdsourcing. 

Crowdsourcing is defined as the “practice of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people and especially from the online community rather than from traditional employees or suppliers.” 

“Sa ilalim ng panukalang ito, maaari silang lumahok sa legislative process—mula sa First Reading, Second Reading at Third Reading—sa pamamagitan ng crowdsourcing,” the senator said in a press statement. 

(Under this bill, the public may participate in the legislative process through crowdsourcing.)

If enacted, the public can post  inputs or comments to the committee deliberating on a bill through social media or online portals of the Senate and the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO).

After the filing of a bill in the Senate or after the First Reading stage, the public can submit their comments within 15 working days, which shall be part of the inputs to be discussed during the committee deliberations. 

Once the bill is reported on the floor during the Second Reading of the measure, the public is given three working days to submit their comments, and in the Third Reading, another three working days are allotted to the public for their inputs.

Exempted from public comments are measures tagged as “urgent” by the president. 

An online platform where the public can start a campaign or petition to review, amend, or repeal a law or create a bill will be created by the PLLO.

The PLLO will likewise be tasked to provide an online crowdsourcing feedback report to inform the proponents of the actions taken. — BM, GMA Integrated News