SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the vital role of information and communications industries such as content production, telecommunications, broadcasting, electronic commerce, and data processing, in the nation’s overall social and economic development. The State also recognizes the importance of providing an environment conducive to the development, acceleration, and rational application and exploitation of information and communications technology (ICT) to attain free, easy, and intelligible access to exchange and/or delivery of information; and the need to protect and safeguard the integrity of computer, computer and communications systems, networks, and databases, and the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and data stored therein, from all forms of misuse, abuse, and illegal access by making punishable under the law such conduct or conducts. ln this light, the State shall adopt sufficient powers to effectively prevent and combat such offenses by facilitating the detection, investigation, and prosecution at both the domestic and international levels, and by providing arrangements for fast and reliable international cooperation.
The Cybercrime Prevention Act contains 8 Chapters and 31 Sections. The Chapters cover:
- Preliminary Provisions
- Punishable Acts
- Penalties
- Enforcement and Interpretation
- Jurisdiction
- International Cooperation
- Competent Authorities
- Final Provisions
A Supreme Court decision of 21 February 2014 declared certain provisions in this Act for null and void – see Supreme Court Decision re. Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012
Philippines_Cybercrime Prevention Act 2012 (full text in English, PDF)