During its sixth special session on September 7, the Legislative Assembly (LA) unanimously approved the Anti-Disinformation Act of 2022 and the DLSU University Student Government (USG) Martial Law Commemoration Commission Act. FAST2018 Batch Legislator Jericho Jude Quiro, a key proponent of these two acts, believes that these legislations are a part of USG’s vow to become more involved in national issues.
“We cannot legislate on a national level, but what we can do is to legislate in [the] USG [to tackle issues such as disinformation],” Quiro explains.
Penalizing disinformation in the USG
The Anti-Disinformation Act of 2022 seeks to penalize USG officers that become instruments and contributors to disinformation.
The Office of the Executive Secretary and its new autonomous Fact Checking Board will monitor social media content posted and shared by each officer. Undergraduate students will also be allowed to file complaints to the Office of the Ombudsman or the Counsel Officers’ Committee of the Judiciary.
Violating officers will be asked to take down reported posts and shall either be suspended or permanently barred from office.
Preserving the truths of Martial Law
The Martial Law Commemoration Commission Act establishes a DLSU USG Martial Law Commemoration and Human Rights Commission that will honor Filipinos, especially Lasallians, who suffered during the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
It aims to encourage the Lasallian community to conduct extensive research on the atrocities of the period. To that effect, the USG will establish a Martial Law Commemoration Space to publicize information and materials relating to the era.
The laws shall be effective starting Term 2, AY 2022-2023.
