Amend the Philippines' Internet Transactions Act - RA 11967

23/04/2026

We really need to amend the Internet Transactions Act of 2023 to improve its implementation.

Right now, the ITA doesn't require social media platforms to have a physical office or legal representative in the country. That is needed for social media platforms to be more accountable to Filipinos.

Help us in our petition to amend this law: www.change.org/amendra11967

21/04/2026

I run a PH lawyer's opinion against ChatGPT on my current issue at the DTI regarding the Internet Transaction Act of 2023:

1. “DTI is not the proper forum” — Half-true, not absolute

He’s correct that the Department of Trade and Industry is not a general regulator of all internet platforms.

But your key counterpoint is this:

👉 The Internet Transactions Act of 2023 explicitly gives DTI regulatory authority over e-commerce and digital platforms engaged in trade.

So the real issue becomes:

Is Reddit engaging in “e-commerce” under the ITA?
(Premium subscriptions, awards, monetization → arguably YES)

If yes, then:

👉 DTI cannot simply disclaim jurisdiction outright
👉 They are mandated to implement mechanisms to regulate such platforms

Your counter-argument:

DTI’s refusal is not just a jurisdictional issue—it is a failure to interpret and apply the ITA’s expanded scope, which includes digital platforms offering services to Philippine consumers.

2. “DTI is not bound by the Rules of Court” — Correct, but irrelevant to your core issue

Yes, administrative agencies like DTI are not strictly bound by the Rules of Court.

But that actually helps your argument.

👉 Administrative bodies are expected to be more flexible, not more rigid.

So if they insist on:

snail mail
courier
physical filing

instead of accepting:

email
electronic submissions

then you can argue:

They are applying outdated procedural rigidity, contrary to:

the spirit of the ITA (digital commerce law)
and even broader policies like the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018

Your counter-argument:

DTI cannot hide behind “we are not bound by Rules of Court” while simultaneously enforcing more restrictive, outdated procedures than courts themselves (which already allow electronic filing in many cases).

3. “Follow the process (snail mail etc.)” — This is your strongest point to challenge

This is where your argument has real weight.

You’re not just complaining about inconvenience—you’re pointing out a regulatory mismatch:

Law (ITA 2023) → designed for borderless digital commerce
DTI procedure (DAO 2020) → designed for physical, local disputes

That’s a structural failure, not just a procedural one.

Your strongest framing:

The DTI’s reliance on Department Administrative Order No. 20-02 (2020) undermines the ITA’s purpose because it imposes territorial and physical requirements on inherently non-territorial digital transactions.

You can push further:

The ITA envisions cross-border enforcement
Yet DTI requires physical service to a foreign entity with no local office

👉 That’s not just inefficient—it makes enforcement impossible in practice

4. “DTI has no jurisdiction over Reddit” — This is where you push hardest

Instead of arguing emotionally, anchor it legally:

ITA applies to digital platforms offering goods/services to PH consumers
Reddit offers:
Premium subscriptions
Paid awards
Monetization features

👉 That fits the definition of “digital service provider”

So your argument becomes:

Even if Reddit has no physical office, the ITA was precisely enacted to address that gap.
Therefore, DTI’s refusal to act due to lack of local presence defeats the law’s purpose.

5. “Reddit can terminate accounts freely (EULA)” — Legally true, but not absolute

Yes, terms of service matter.

But they are not above Philippine law.

You can counter with:

👉 Consumer protection laws still apply if:

there is unfair practice
deceptive conduct
or abuse affecting Philippine users

So your response:

While platforms have contractual discretion, such discretion is not unlimited, especially when operating in a jurisdiction that has enacted consumer protection laws for digital transactions.

6. Where the lawyer is actually right (and you should adjust)

You’ll strengthen your case if you acknowledge these:

Your pleading must be technically correct and clean
DTI may not be the only or best forum
(you can also involve the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center or DICT-related bodies)

👉 Ignoring this weakens your credibility

7. Your strongest overall argument (clean version you can reuse)

If you want a solid core position:

The Internet Transactions Act of 2023 expanded the regulatory authority of the DTI to cover digital platforms engaged in e-commerce involving Philippine consumers. However, the DTI continues to rely on pre-ITA procedures under DAO 20-02 (2020), which require physical modes of filing and service.

This reliance creates a regulatory gap where foreign digital platforms without a physical presence cannot be effectively reached, thereby frustrating the enforcement of the law.

As a result, the DTI is not merely applying procedure—it is effectively rendering the ITA inoperable in cross-border digital transactions, contrary to the law’s intent.

Bottom line
The lawyer is procedurally conservative
You are arguing a policy + legal evolution issue

👉 He’s arguing: “Follow existing rules”
👉 You’re arguing: “The rules are obsolete under a new law”

Both are valid—but your argument only works if you frame it as:

“failure to implement legislative intent”, not just inconvenience.

21/04/2026

21/04/2026

First and last Reddit Moderator Masterclass na na-attend-an ko. Last year pa 'to. A few months after the event, na-permaban yung account ko for allege "affiliate linking" na hindi naman na-tackle during the workshop. Sayang tuloy yung 1-year premium subscription from Reddit na napanalunan ko. Bigla na lang naglaho, and Reddit refused to do any form of refund.

The amount is small to some kasi P3,000 lang yun for a year. But for me, violation pa rin ito ng Consumer Rights kasi pinipilit ng Reddit na MAS MATAAS yung TOS nila kesa sa Consumer Rights ng Pinas. Eh sila yung nagko-conduct ng business dito sa PInas tapos pinangangalandakan nila na ABSOLUTE yung TOS nila, na kahit gobyerno ng Pinas hindi ito pwede ma-kwestyon.

Sana suportahan n'yo yung pinaglalaban ko, kasi kung kayang gawin ito ng malaking social medai company sa 'kin as a Philippine consumer, eh 'di kaya din gawin ito sa inyo -- at nagawa na nga sa iba -- like unfair banning sa mga Facebook and Instagram accounts.

So guys, speak up!

20/04/2026

Share ko lang yung video ko on why I need a lawyer to represent me sa Court of Appeals, at bakit dapat itigil na natin yung kaka-boto ng mga "dinosaurs" at mga fake news victims na tulad ni Robin Padilla.

https://youtu.be/wMIELJjFL7s

Also, pitch naman po sa GoGetFunding for this cause. Thank you. https://gogetfunding.com/amendra11967/

I’m trying to take a case against Reddit (as a platform) to the Court of Appeals in the Philippines—but I’m running against a strict deadline and financial barrier. My complaint was dismissed by the DTI because their procedure requires physical service (personal delivery or courier

19/04/2026

Good morning Facebook pips.

I have never done this in my life, but here’s my shot. I am struggling to finance my advocacy on amending the ITA of 2023 requiring ALL social media platforms accessible in the country to have either a physical office OR a legal representative, for better social media accountability.

The past year, I have been dealing with my complaint versus Reddit on their injustice towards my 5 year old (na sanang) account with 70k+ (or more) na karma. Allegedly, as per Reddit ADMIN (yes, employee s’ya ng Reddit na working remotely here sa PH) yung spamming na sinasabi sa “breaking the rules” reason ng PERMABAN ko sa isang account u/marianoponceiii (sana marevive ko using Ygg Leaf) ay affiliate link.

Suddenly, I was flooded by comments and questions asking me, ano ba talaga pinaggagagawa ko with my account. It’s water under the bridge, at tulad nung conspiracy theorist nung Siargao group, you can post my Reddit profile whatever you want and accuse me of everything from being an Israeli bot to being pabibo, pa-smart ass. I don’t care. So long as yung ginagawa n’yo is within the bounds of PH Law, I don’t give a poo-poo hat.

My blogs are there, my Pexel and Wikimedia Commons are there, all my socials are there. Tutal naman mahilig kayo mag-dig ng past, eh ‘di go all the way and dig everything about me.

It won’t hinder me from filing a Motion for Reconsideration at the DTI Secretary as suggested by a Reddit user, kasabay ng pagpa-file ng complain sa ARTA versus DTI na ayaw ipatupad ng maayos yung ITA of 2023. And what’s wrong with using ChatGPT, really?

The poor guy got downvoted massively, just for mentioning AI. Sa opisina nga namin, ine-encourage kami to maximize the use of AI. We’re doing LinkedIn just to use AI to our advantage. So bukod sa mga TH, mga conspiracy theorists, mga ad hominem, ano pa meron dito sa Reddit? Anti-AI pero akusa naman ng akusa ng pagiging bot. Ako pa talaga ang bot. Really.

In short, gusto kong i-file sa Court of Appeals yung magiging decision ng DTI sa Motion for Reconsideration na ipa-file ko bukas. My early s**t ako today eh. And I have to consult the lawyer dun sa Guadalupe Nuevo, who’s very kind in charging me an affordable fee of P200 in contrast sa mga katabi n’ya na P1,000 ang singil sa Affidavit. And people here on Reddit are clueless why ordinary people like me are non-fond of lawyers.

Sa BPO industry kasi, where most of my career is spent, we are always thought to avoid jargons, to speak plain English na kahit mga elementary lang na US, UK, Australia Clients ang kausap namin, maiintindihan kami. Hindi katulad ng batas sa Pilipinas na puro legalese language ang gamit, tapos nagtataka tayo bakit walang nagkakaso sa mga government agencies?

Anyway, ang dami ko nang hanash. Ang buod ng post na ito ay pengeng pera, pambayad ng abogado. Eto po yung account ko sa Go Get Funding (thank you dun sa nag-suggest). Nasa yellow basket, este comment section, yung link (korny ko).
(Maybe I should translate this in gay lingo para sa mga kabaro ko sa LGBTQIAA++ at i-translate into English and Hebrew para sa mga “sponsors” ko sa Mossad)

https://gogetfunding.com/amendra11967/ Go Get Funding

https://www.reddit.com/r/PHGov/comments/1spi3v4/sharing_the_incompetence_of_the_dti_in_my_case/ My Reddit Issue and decision of DTI FTEB

https://www.reddit.com/r/LegalPh/comments/1spobe6/heres_the_decision_of_the_dti_secretary_on_my/ DTI Secretary decision na I will file for Motion for Reconsideration and eventually, SC

https://linkedIn.com/in/elmerbdomingo
www.change.org/amendra11967
https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587701061437 FB Fan Page

The Philippines’ Internet Transactions Act (RA 11967) needs to be amended to demand greater accountability from social media companies operating in the Philippines, such as Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

19/04/2026

Sharing the incompetence of the DTI in my case versus Reddit

SKL. Long post ahead

Over a year ago, um-attend ako ng Reddit moderator workshop sa isang gallery sa Makati. Na-meet ko yung dalawang mods dun ng Reddit na associated sa Reddit Philippines. Yung isa, according sa LinkedIn employed by Reddit mismo but working remotely (sa Pinas most likely).

So workshop, workshop… games, activities, snack and giving of certificate of attendance. Ang highlight is yung paggawa ng bagong sub na unique – so our group came up with sub Paano Ba To. Apat kami sa small group namin – so tinuruan kami mag-setup ng new sub, rules, mod tools etc. So parang kumuha lang ng idea si Reddit sa min for a new sub that will attract new visitors. Ka-wave namin yung mga mods ng sub San May Bidet

I learned na Reddit is actively doing these workshops for 1 reason – to increase viewership, user engagement on Reddit, by creating new subs and assigning new mods to not-so-regulated subs. Syempre nga naman, more activities on Reddit means more revenue for them… sa ads placement na lang paldo na sila. They can even afford to employ a Filipino locally to handle Reddit PH. So may pera talaga sa PH community ng Reddit. Sa event na ‘to napanalunan ko yung 1-year subscription ko sa Reddit roughly P3,000 a year.

A few weeks later, na-permaban yung account kong nabigyan ng premium subscription – 4 years old account with 70k+ na walang history ng warning man lang. Banned, across Reddit platform, permanently. “Breaking the rules”, “Spamming” ang sinabing reasons ng Mod. So since kilala ko na nga yung PH Mod ng Reddit PH, nag-message ako sa kanya regarding my account. Sinabi n’ya na yung violation ko raw was “affiliate linking” which is NOT clearly defined by Reddit rules. It was a gray area daw. So ia-appeal daw n’ya sa Reddit pero wala ding nangyari. The permaban is still there.

So nag-file ako sa Consumer Welfare ng DTI at sa DICT, CICC, asking for unbanning my account dahil nga, hindi clear yung violation and sanction ko. Nothing they can do about it since internal process. But they did agree na it’s a violation of the Consumer Law since I’m not enjoying my subscription due to the ban. The TOS of Reddit says no refund whatsoever, but Consumer Welfare said, PH Consumer Law is above ALL TOS of ALL COMPANIES operating in the PH, Reddit included.

So natuloy sa mediation meeting via Teams yung kaso, no show si Reddit, hanggang sa DTI Adjudication Division, who dismissed the case due to lack of jurisdiction. May merit ang case, kahit na 1) hindi daw ako subscriber dahil hindi ako mismo ang bumili ng subscription (yung mod ng Reddit ang bumili for me) at 2) walang opisina ang Reddit na pagdadalhan ng sulat from DTI.

This was affirmed by the DTI Secretary nung naglabas ng decision on my appeal against DTI-FTEB. They cited Department Administrative Order No. 20-02, Series of 2020 (DAO 20-02), saying it is required to be done by physical means, either through personal service or registered mail/accredited courier.

Aminado si DTI Secretary na yes, may communication from Reddit to CICC who messaged them on my behalf, but electronic communications is not enough. Physically, dapat matanggap ni Reddit yung sulat.

Same lang din sa issue ng Facebook regarding fake news. Nag-send ng Snail Mail ang PH Government sa Meta, posted online yung copy, at binigyan sila ng 48 hours to acknowledge yung complaint letter and up to 7 days to reply. Hindi nag-acknowledge si Meta na natanggap nila yung complaint ng gobyerno at hindi sila nag-reply sa complaint within 7 days.

Gobyerno na yun ha. Balak ko sana i-akyat sa Court of Appeals ang kaso, pero P5,000 ang filing fee which is malaking pera sa panahon ngayon. Tapos ako pa gagawa ng Notice of Appeal and being non-lawyer, mahihirapan ako. Mas mahal pa kung magha-hire ako ng lawyer to draft it. Not economically feasible. Manalo man ako, need pa rin ng amendment sa batas para i-require ang mga social media platforms na magkaroon ng physical office or legal representative sa Pinas.

So dun na lang ako mag-focus at least libre lang mangulit ng mga senador to amend the Internet Transactions Act of 2023 to include such section. Hopefully mangyari ito sa future dahil ang dami kong nagbabasa, sa GC namin, sa FB na mga naba-ban ni Meta for no reasons at all.

Dito nga sa Reddit, ang daming nagsasabing ipa-ban na lang ang Meta dahil nga sa issue ng fake news, ban waves, among others, hangga’t hindi nagi-improve. Pag may nakita akong petition na ganito or group na naga-advocate nito, definitely sasali ako, at ia-advocate ko na Syempre all social media companies should be held accountable.

Nakakalungkot lang na sa Pinas, ‘pag ang reklamo mo ay hindi against sa corruption sa gobyerno, parang sobrang trivial para sa kanila. Eh considering na ang dami nang Pinoys ang sumisigaw versus corruption. Tsaka sabi nga ng isang tao sa gobyerno, multi-tasking sila, so go lang kung gaano man kaliit complaints natin.

Sa India, sa EU, sa Australia, yung mga social media platforms ang nag-adjust para sa kanila, dahil their people and their government demanded change. Dito sa atin, parang sinasabi na lang na “libre naman ang Reddit, Facebook ano pang nire-reklamo mo?” Hangga’t ganito ang mentality ng karamihan, eh we truly deserve the government we have right now.

Reddit and Facebook are sampling ng ugali ng mga Filipino – and it’s toxic talaga. I use to think na Redditors are somehow, more intelligent when it comes to discussion but sadly, same lang din sa FB. Dismissing any posts by ad hominem, insults, name-calling and dismissing your post as mema lang, pasikat, pabibo. I’ve been insulted to the roof, the same way “intellectuals” insulted DDS, and DDS “smart-shaming” others. It’s a vicious cycle here and the healthy discussion that Reddit was supposed to champion, I don’t know what sub has it.

So yeah, we really deserve the s**t that we’re in right now. Thanks for reading.

05/02/2026

Right now, the Internet Transaction Act (ITA) is weak against abuses by social media companies operating in the Philippines because most of these companies have no physical office or legal representatives in the Philippines.

If you have complaints against FB, Reddit, IG, X or YT, most likely it will be dismissed by DTI due to lack of jurisdiction. That's what we are trying to change about the law.

Call now to connect with business.

05/02/2026

Sharing the story of India's Information Technology (IT) Act of 2000 which aims to protect their citizens against abuses of social media companies.

The rules increase pressure on U.S. tech companies including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp

05/02/2026

This page is for each and every Filipino who got banned or treated unfairly by any of the social media companies operating in the Philippines.

Please share your story so that we could collate it and forward to our senators in the hope that they'll require these social media companies to have either 1) a physical office 2) a legal representative in the country or 3) a resident grievance officer.

We really should demand the government to protect our rights as Internet users against abuses from these companies.

Call now to connect with business.