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House Assistant Majority Leader Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong says the Philippines should be more like Singapore when it comes to the regulation of social media. 

Adiong made this assertion over the weekend amid the persistent spread of fake news and disinformation online. 

According to the House "Young Guns" bloc member, the issue is global and the Philippines should follow the lead of other countries. 

Adiong specifically pointed to Singapore’s Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act as an example. 

“In fact, in Singapore, the government has already adopted and approved the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act. Singapore is one of the most progressive countries in Southeast Asia. So if they can do it, why can’t we?” Adiong asked. 

The Mindanao solon called for legislation that not only targets fake content but also controls how it spreads online. 

“Ako ang paniniwala ko, dapat kung nais nating magkaroon talaga ng mas magandang panukalang batas na magre-regulate sa traffic sa online and online spaces ng discourse, hindi lang natin ire-regulate at mag-set ng standard kung ano dapat ang nababasa, naririnig ng ating publiko, but ‘yung paraan kung paano nila ito ma-upload,” Adiong said. 

(In my opinion, if we truly wish to have a better proposed law that regulates traffic in online discourse spaces, we should not only regulate and set standards for what our public reads and hears, but also for the way in which they upload it) 

Adiong stressed that social media platforms must be held accountable if needed. But for them to become part of the solution, he said the government must take the lead. 

“So it’s very important that the operators of this platform, social media platforms also needs to be part of this solution. And by becoming part of the solution, the government really has to step in and probably the Congress needs to pass a bill in regulating this fake news,” he said.