Competing Values Regarding Internet Use in “Free” Philippine Social Institutions
117
However, there are mixed sentiments regarding its utility in government service. A
newly elected congressman, Federico Quimbo, through House Resolution 184, claims
that “ unabated and unregulated use of the Internet by government offi cials and
employees during offi ce hours adversely affects their productivity and the quality of
service they provide. ” He estimates that all 900,000 state workers use government
computers for at least two hours every day for unauthorized online social networking
activities, and that the government stands to lose an estimated PHP 103,158,000
(approximately USD 2.3 million) every month from electricity expenses alone. He also
claims that the Home Development Mutual Fund, where he previously served as
president and chief executive offi cer, gained a signifi cant increase in profi t from PHP
2.7 billion (just over USD 61 million) in 2001 to PHP 9.8 billion (USD 221 million)
in 2009 when it regulated the use of the Internet.
5 While this purported gain is diffi cult to prove as due solely to well-regulated Internet use, such sentiments on better
organizational regulation are not unique to government institutions. In an OpenNet
Asia survey of Philippines organizations in 2008, 77 percent of respondents said they
had some restrictions in Internet access, of which more than half (51 percent) reported
blocking social networking sites.
The Aquino administration, however, has a different perspective. It believes that
Congress does not have to pass a law regulating the use of social networking sites like
Facebook and Twitter in government offi ces. The heads of government departments
and agencies are left to “ state their policies on social media if the productivity of the
employees is affected by their use of social networking sites. ”
6 In fact OpenNet Asia ’ s
organizational survey found that almost two-thirds of government agencies already
had a form of Internet use policy in place. This includes policies on permissible sites
to visit, use of Yahoo! Messenger, and access to social networking sites. About half of
all government agencies restrict use of Yahoo! Messenger, while a third do not allow
Skype, and 8 percent prohibited use of e-mail. Overall, use of social networking applications in the offi ce or workplace was the third most common application blocked
after pornography and gaming.
7
Upon assuming offi ce the new administration created a group specifi cally tasked
with managing new media.
8 Their motivation in doing this was to be more transparent, obtain feedback, and get the sentiments of the public. However, because using
new media for governance is relatively uncharted in the Philippines, the hard lessons
of how to actually make them work as an instrument for state and civil society
exchanges and discussion are just becoming evident.
The following is among the fi rst cases of how the new administration used online
social networks in a very prominent national issue. The case involves the events and
investigation surrounding an ill-fated rescue of 25 tourists held hostage in a bus in
Manila that led to the death of eight Hong Kong nationals.
117
However, there are mixed sentiments regarding its utility in government service. A
newly elected congressman, Federico Quimbo, through House Resolution 184, claims
that “ unabated and unregulated use of the Internet by government offi cials and
employees during offi ce hours adversely affects their productivity and the quality of
service they provide. ” He estimates that all 900,000 state workers use government
computers for at least two hours every day for unauthorized online social networking
activities, and that the government stands to lose an estimated PHP 103,158,000
(approximately USD 2.3 million) every month from electricity expenses alone. He also
claims that the Home Development Mutual Fund, where he previously served as
president and chief executive offi cer, gained a signifi cant increase in profi t from PHP
2.7 billion (just over USD 61 million) in 2001 to PHP 9.8 billion (USD 221 million)
in 2009 when it regulated the use of the Internet.
5 While this purported gain is diffi cult to prove as due solely to well-regulated Internet use, such sentiments on better
organizational regulation are not unique to government institutions. In an OpenNet
Asia survey of Philippines organizations in 2008, 77 percent of respondents said they
had some restrictions in Internet access, of which more than half (51 percent) reported
blocking social networking sites.
The Aquino administration, however, has a different perspective. It believes that
Congress does not have to pass a law regulating the use of social networking sites like
Facebook and Twitter in government offi ces. The heads of government departments
and agencies are left to “ state their policies on social media if the productivity of the
employees is affected by their use of social networking sites. ”
6 In fact OpenNet Asia ’ s
organizational survey found that almost two-thirds of government agencies already
had a form of Internet use policy in place. This includes policies on permissible sites
to visit, use of Yahoo! Messenger, and access to social networking sites. About half of
all government agencies restrict use of Yahoo! Messenger, while a third do not allow
Skype, and 8 percent prohibited use of e-mail. Overall, use of social networking applications in the offi ce or workplace was the third most common application blocked
after pornography and gaming.
7
Upon assuming offi ce the new administration created a group specifi cally tasked
with managing new media.
8 Their motivation in doing this was to be more transparent, obtain feedback, and get the sentiments of the public. However, because using
new media for governance is relatively uncharted in the Philippines, the hard lessons
of how to actually make them work as an instrument for state and civil society
exchanges and discussion are just becoming evident.
The following is among the fi rst cases of how the new administration used online
social networks in a very prominent national issue. The case involves the events and
investigation surrounding an ill-fated rescue of 25 tourists held hostage in a bus in
Manila that led to the death of eight Hong Kong nationals.