We warmly welcome the introduction of Senate Bill No. 73, otherwise known as the Philippine Crowdsourcing Act of 2013, introduced by our colleague Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III.

We recognize that rapid shifts in information and communications technology have opened up new ways of communicating and processing information, and that the cost-effectiveness of ICT tools has made it easier and more accessible for the country’s citizens to participate in ICT-enabled activities. Mass media, for instance, have forever been transformed by the fact that its audiences are now part of both the medium itself and the message. Citizen journalism has revolutionized the way ordinary people engage with media channels and with the news itself.

In the same way that the mass media have opened themselves up to the citizenry, so must Government, being the voice and the representative of the people. In a democratic state such as ours, we must ensure that any and all means of enabling people’s participation are used to further transparency, accountability, and good governance.Crowdsourcing ensures that the wisdom of the people is tapped in policy-making; it also helps develop co-ownership of national policy and strengthens a more collaborative form of nation-building.

Sa pamamagitan po ng crowdsourcing, maaari nang makibahagi ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino sa paggawa ng mga batas, sa pamamagitan ng Internet, mobile phones, at iba pang mga panibagong paraan. Sabik po tayo na makita at marinig ang tunay na boses ng taumbayan sa bagong pamamaraang ito, at handa tayong suportahan si Sen. TG Guingona sa pagpasa ng panukalang ito.

Photo source: http://theguingonaproject.com