DICT presses Facebook to sign safety deal, set up PHL office

Facebook is coming under heavier regulatory pressure in the Philippines as the government pushes the social media giant to sign a safety deal, establish a local subsidiary, and potentially secure a congressional franchise to continue operating in the country.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda said Monday that Facebook has yet to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) covering safety measures already discussed with the government in Singapore.

“We already agreed on the safety features that Facebook needs to implement, and these are included in an MOU. Facebook just needs to sign it,” Aguda said.

Facebook has yet to indicate when it will sign the agreement, according to Aguda, who said the government is waiting for the company to act.

The proposed MOU also includes the establishment of a local Facebook subsidiary, giving the platform a corporate presence as regulators push for greater accountability.

The government is also weighing a potentially broader requirement of making Facebook and other online platforms secure congressional franchises similar to traditional broadcasters.

Aguda said the DICT supports initiatives in Congress pursuing such a requirement, while the National Telecommunications Commission is studying whether digital platforms could be treated as broadcasters even if they do not use traditional broadcast frequencies.

“We fully support the initiatives of Congress… If you are a broadcaster, whether you use a frequency or not, you are a broadcaster. So, in essence, those platforms are broadcasters,” he said.

“For me, they should be required to secure a franchise. That is my position. That’s my simple analogy. If radio and television need a franchise, why shouldn’t they?” he added.

Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is separately facing pressure over compliance with Philippine data privacy rules.

Aguda said the National Privacy Commission (NPC) issued Meta a compliance order in August, with further action possible if the company fails to meet local privacy requirements.

“If they don't comply, then they'll take it to another level where the NPC might go there and inspect and check how Filipinos’ data is being protected,” Aguda said.

He said platforms must comply with Philippine data privacy laws even without a local office, given the volume of Filipino personal information they handle.

The DICT is also pushing digital platforms to strengthen safeguards against online sexual abuse and exploitation, illegal gambling, bullying, harassment, and violent extremist content.

Aguda said platforms already have AI and targeting tools capable of identifying users and content, and should use those same capabilities to detect and curb illegal activity.