The 29-year-old Campus Journalism Act is due for a major revision, as far as Agusan del Norte 1st district Rep. Lawrence Fortun is concerned.

Fortun filed on Monday House Bill (HB) No.7780, or the proposed Act promoting and protecting the rights of student journalists and student publications, repealing for this purpose Republic Act (RA) No.7079, otherwise known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991.

As per the Mindanaoan, the existing law is composed of “mostly general and generic statements and lacked enforceable provisions needed to protect the guaranteed constitutional rights of student journalists.”

The Minority solon further said that he filed HB No.7780 in a bid to "fill the gaping holes” in the Act.

The measure requires funds of student publications in public schools to be sourced from maintenance and operating expenses of the school, whereas in RA No.7079, the funding source is savings.

"It...ensures that school journalists will have the funding and financial means to support a publication,” Fortun said, adding that the provision also "safeguard(s) editorial independence."

The bill also recognizes the varying platforms of expression via multimedia and the Internet which RA No.7079 “did not contemplate," according to Fortun.

He said the bill "recognizes the paramount right of the freedom of expression of our youth by mandating that all educational institutions guarantee the existence of a student publication in their respective schools."

"It seeks to protect student journalists from the curtailment of their right to expression and of publication within the parameters of the law," he added.

The bill also provides that student journalists establish a self-regulation book which will act as their manual and guide in the exercise of ethical and responsible student journalism.

"Our students and youth form a vital role in the tapestry of our democratic society.  They have every right to express themselves and to be heard. This bill seeks to foster and protect this right," Fortun said.