Plenary deliberations on the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) proposed ₱10.6-billion budget for 2027 were put on hold late Wednesday, September 16, as lawmakers voiced strong frustration over Meta’s failure to address scams, harmful content, and regulatory compliance on Facebook.
The motion to defer the proceedings was raised by Philreca Party-list Representative Presley de Jesus shortly before midnight, citing inadequate measures from major social media networks to protect local users. The motion quickly gained approval from the House majority.
During interpellations, FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Representative Brian Poe, who sponsored the DICT budget, revealed that officials from the agency and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) had traveled to Singapore to negotiate directly with Meta executives.
“If I’m not mistaken, members of the DICT and CICC (Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center) flew to Singapore to consult and explain the situation here in the Philippines to Meta and I believe they are working towards an MOA (memorandum of agreement) with Meta to be able to address the growing concerns of influence on minors here in the Philippines among other concerns that are happening within the Meta platform,” Poe said.
De Jesus raised additional concerns regarding Meta’s operational structure in the country, questioning why the platform lacks a fully functional Philippine headquarters despite boasting the world’s fifth-largest Facebook user base by nationality.
Calling the arrangement “ridiculous,” he argued that the tech giant must be held accountable and abide by local laws.
“Ito po yung sinasabi natin we keep on making their businesses big but in return hindi man lang tayo mapansin, even an office here in the Philippines hindi maibigay sa atin. And they have to follow the Philippine law,,” De Jesus said.
Responding to the point, Poe clarified that Meta maintains only a minimal footprint locally.
“Madam Speaker I would like to confirm that Facebook does have a physical office here in the Philippines however we don’t have jurisdiction over them Madam Speaker dahil marketing office lamang ito,” Poe said.
Poe further confirmed that the facility operates without a country manager and relies on a tiny staff, agreeing with De Jesus that establishing a stronger corporate presence in the Philippines is a necessary priority.
“I agree with my colleague its really ridiculous…but Meta does not have an actual country manager and a real office here in the Philippines considering the amount of capital that this country provides Meta through its engagement in the platform. I agree with my colleague here this is a priority for us,” Poe said.
Poe also disclosed that ongoing talks with Meta include a proposal that would require users to link a National ID when setting up or maintaining accounts.
The postponement ties the passage of the DICT’s funding to resolution on corporate accountability, platform safety, and statutory compliance from tech platforms operating in the country.