AS EXPECTED, the 17th City Council approved Tuesday on third reading the amended internet cafe ordinance.
Among the important amendments are: the number of hours that a minor be allowed access to internet; accreditation fee worth P10 per computer unit; weekly monitoring in all internet cafes; participation of barangay captains in the implementation of the policy.
Councilor Joanne Bonguyan, committee on information and communication technology chair, said the amendments will be effective after its publication in a local daily.
As provided for in the existing ordinance, a minor is only allowed to access the internet from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. But Bonguyan said they wanted to adjust this to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to consider the child's unfinished assignments in the early hours.
She said that they proposed to set accreditation fee worth P10 for the internet cafe and coin-operated internet machine (Coim) per computer unit, and a minimum of P100 accreditation fee with less than 10 computer units.
Bonguyan said a weekly monitoring in all internet cafes in Davao City will be implemented. She said village chiefs will be part of the monitoring team.
"The barangay captain of the barangay concerned is the most qualified person to take on the task as he/she is more familiar with the place and he/she can certify as to whether or not the internet cafe establishment and/or coin-operated machine establishment has been complying with the ordinance," Bonguyan said in her privilege speech.
Bonguyan said the amendments promote internet security and discipline among internet users, especially the minors.