Lawmakers are considering requiring social media platforms such as Google, Meta, and YouTube to secure legislative franchises from Congress as a condition for doing business in the Philippines.

The proposal was raised on Tuesday during the second hearing of the House tri-committee on the spread of false information and misleading content, as part of efforts to regulate online platforms more strictly.

“We are contemplating on maybe, perhaps, asking all the social media platforms to secure a franchise in this Congress because we want to make sure that it’s not just the platforms who make money, but also the Philippine government,” Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said.

He explained that requiring social media platforms to obtain congressional franchises would impose stricter regulations on vloggers and content creators who spread misinformation.

“If you are under the franchise, then you will be subject to the regulations, and then the rules that will be enforced under this law,” he added.

However, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) lawyer Kathlyn Jaylou Egipto pointed out that these platforms do not have physical offices in the country and are not classified as public utilities, meaning they cannot be subjected to a congressional franchise requirement.

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) lawyer Tobias Arcilla echoed this, emphasizing that without a “physical presence” in the country, these companies would not fall under existing franchise laws.

Abang Lingkod Rep. Stephen Paduano suggested amending Republic Act 11659, or the Public Service Act, to classify social media platforms as public utilities, which would then require them to obtain a legislative franchise.

“I think we should amend our Public Service Act and include this in the list of public utilities. As far as I’m concerned, all the more that we have to do that,” Paduano said.

Meanwhile, Agusan del Norte Rep. Jose “Joboy” Aquino II, a co-chair of the committee, proposed that the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP) and the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) update their mandates to regulate social media amid the spread of disinformation and the rise of unregulated content creators.

“I think the KBP and MTRCB should update and upgrade so that they can help the government. I just don’t think we should just sit here idly by and allow these abuses to happen,” Aquino said.