Crowdsourcing bill: Focus on citizens

MANILA, Philippines – Aiming to “expand the avenues of participation to the online community,” Sen Teofisto “TG” Guingona III has filed the “Crowdsourcing Act” at the Senate on Tuesday, October 9.

Filed as Senate Bill No. 3300, the Crowdsourcing Act of 2012 aims to harness information and communications technology to “allow the people to participate in the legislative process.”

“Crowdsourcing is an expression of the belief that despite out geographical separation, people can still participate in national affairs through the borderless world of the Internet,” the bill states.

The bill would seek to allow citizen participation in the lawmaking process, from the filing of the bill, through the initial public consultations, the debates, up to prior to the bill’s approval.

With the bill now filed at the Senate, Guingona is now calling on citizens to help improve the bill – through crowdsourcing.

“I know that this first version of the bill is not yet perfect — and YOU can help improve it,” Guingona said in a post on his official page on Facebook.

He is asking Filipinos to give suggestions, comments, and position papers on the bill, through email and social media.

On Rappler’s #TalkThursday episode last October 4, the senator also disclosed his plan for the bill.

The full text of the bill can be seen below.

SB 3300: Crowdsourcing Act of 2012, filed by Sen. TG Guingona III

– Rappler.com