EdAngara.com - The Official Website of Senator Edgardo J. Angara

As the 15th Congress winds to a close, graduating Senator Edgardo J. Angara ends his term with a rousing "valedictory" speech, thanking everyone who took part in his projects and initiatives in his 24 years in the Senate.

Two major sectoral groups have recognized Senator Edgardo J. Angara for his unparalleled contributions toward promoting science and technology as a major component of the country's national agenda.

In separate occasions, the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (CanCham) accorded Angara with the highest individual honor.

During a press briefing earlier today, Senator Edgardo J. Angara said that welcomed any changes to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 that will be enforced by the Supreme Court as it hears the final arguments today.

As the primary author of the measure, Angara said explained that this kind of contention is to be expected when dealing with new, landmark pieces of legislation.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara called on the government to intensify its programs and reforms in social protection by creating more quality jobs and revenue-generating sources of employment for the Filipino youth.

Angara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, made the call following a report from the International Labor Organization (ILO) that many Asians continue to work in vulnerable and precarious forms of work, where incomes are low or unstable and access to rights and benefits is restricted.

On TRO filed by SC

You know the purpose of a TRO is to enable the court to study the merits. Since the law will become effective unless they do that, they have to issue a stop order. I’m not disappointed. I welcome the pause that this TRO creates because it will give time to the SC to study the merits and give also the critics time to reexamine their position because I think that they’re just contemplating on a few provisions of the law that they think are harmful to them. But overall, I think the purpose of the law is given to expand their right to use online communication. And you must read the law, Cybercrime Prevention Act together with the Data Privacy Act because the Data Privacy Act is the one that positively protects the confidentiality and security of one’s personal communication.

What the Cybercrime Prevention Act does is only to regulate socially destructive acts because you cannot enjoy your right fully and confidently if others have an equal right to interfere with your right. That’s the balancing act that you’ve got to do because this is a new frontier. This is an area that is unregulated but if you read both the Data Privacy and the Cybercrime, you will come to the conclusion that, in fact, it expands the right of the user and protects the communication that he or she transmits.

On the Cybercrime Law

Senator Edgardo J. Angara emphasized that with the Cybercrime Prevention Act (RA 10175) in operation, usage of the Internet and of other Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) will expand and develop in the Philippines.

Angara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, said in a recent interview that the Anti-Cybercrime Law is a first attempt at creating a rules-based framework for the detection, investigation, apprehension, prosecution and prevention of Internet-driven crimes.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara has called for a nationwide Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training for teachers to make the country more globally competitive and make the teaching profession more attractive to the youth.

"Clearly, there is a need for ICT teacher training and faculty development especially in far flung provinces like Aurora," Angara said after a three-day crash course for teachers in Aurora organized by IBM and the Asia Pacific College Center this week.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara underscored that the Cybercrime Prevention Act provides the legal framework for safeguarding basic freedoms, such as freedom of expression, and for protecting Filipino Internet users from abuse.

Angara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, noted that around 30 million Filipinos—roughly 30 percent of the population—access the Internet, with this number growing exponentially.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara called on government to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to the arrest the escalating rate of underemployment in the country.

According to the figures released by the National Statistics Office (NSO), the number of underemployed persons in July 2012 was estimated at 8.5 million, the highest since 2006.

The data further revealed that a large percentage of the underemployed were working in the services sector at 42.5% and agriculture sector at 41.5%. The underemployed in the industry sector accounted for 16%.