Press Release
August 7, 2013

SEN. GUINGONA LIKENS CROWDSOURCING
TO "VIRTUAL PLAZA MIRANDA"

The Guingona Project formally launched to enhance democracy in lawmaking

Senator Teofisto "TG" Guingona III on Wednesday formally launched the Philippine Crowdsourcing Bill with a virtual platform in theguingonaproject.com website.

"Senate Bill No. 73 seeks to bring the principles of empowerment and people's participation to a higher level. It's more than just getting a sense of public sentiment, more than just scanning the public opinion environment; it's directly asking the Filipino to make his voice heard and be an active participant in the process of legislation," he said.

Public comments on the virtual platform will be accepted until noon of August 21.

Sen. Guingona noted that crowdsourcing is not a modern concept. He likens crowdsourcing's internet platforms to that of Plaza Miranda, where earlier generations of local leaders would be provided a litmus test of their advocacy, principle or policy.

"There was a time when Plaza Miranda was an arena of ideas where politicians and ordinary people alike would say their piece and they would be applauded by believers and booed and challenged by their adversaries. The internet will be the 'new' Plaza Miranda. The arena may be new, but the principle remains the same. Any legislative initiative that is to affect the life of our people must be able to withstand the most intense, even the worst scrutiny, by those for whom we perform our legislative tasks," he explained.

The good governance advocate added that the intent of the Crowdsourcing bill is not so much to compel our countrymen to unleash the power of their collective voice through the use of information technology.

"That comes naturally to the Filipino. Rather, the intent here is to compel the drivers of the legislative processes to listen to that voice and listen well," he said.

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