Anti-Planking Act of 2011 filed by QC congressman

Anti-Planking Act of 2011 proposed in the Philippines

House Bill 5316 otherwise known as the Anti-Planking Act of 2011, which will prohibit student groups to perform planking (the act of lying face down publicly on any surface which became an internet craze) during street rallies, has been filed by Congressman Winston Castelo of Quezon City in the House of Representatives after a group of student protesters caused traffic disruptions when they did the act in Manila last Monday.

In the bill's explanatory note, Cong. Castello said, “Parents and teachers have reason to be alarmed if these similar protest actions will have as a scheme and scene otherwise warm and living bodies laid down across street highways as though they were offerings to the gods.”

“The parent in me tells me that this precedent in the case of the this massive transport strike where militant street protesters who are students of various schools have to lie down or serve as ‘planks’ across the road to disrupt what should be normal traffic could just be very dangerous in the future. Life and limb are pretty much at risks here were unbelieving bus drivers or law enforcement authorities might just ram through these warm and living bodies rolled out on highways,” Castelo added.

"The bill would not criminalized planking." Cong. Castello said. "There is no penalty clause. Only administrative sanction from their school. I was a UP student joining rallies then. I respect the rights of students to express grievances. I learn from them. I recognize the constitutional guarantee to freedom of expression. However, as a parent I can not compromise the safety of rallyist and general public. As a lawmaker we are mandated by our sworn duty to protect everyone's welfare."

Check out below the body of the proposed Anti-Planking Act of 2011:

AN ACT PRESCRIBING A UNIVERSAL CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT WHEREBY PLANKING BY A STUDENT OR GROUP OF STUDENTS DURING STREET RALLIES OR SIMILAR PROTEST ACTIONS AS A FORM OF REDRESS OF GRIEVANCE BE STRICTLY PROHIBITED AND APPLYING APPROPRIATE SANCTIONS THEREOF

September 20th, 2011

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Planking Act of 2011”.

SEC. 2. A universal Code of Student Conduct is hereby prescribed where planking as a form of redress of grievance be strictly prohibited and appropriate sanctions be applied for violations thereof.

SEC. 3. Under this Act, planking is when a student or group of students lies face down in unusual locations especially in streets or other public places, keeping the hands along the body and the feet outstretched and especially where such act is meant as a form of redress of grievance against government. noypistuff

SEC. 4 Every bonafide student from any school, college or university shall conduct himself with high degree of discipline and propriety.

SEC. 5. The Department of Education in the case of elementary and high school students and the Commission on Higher Education in the case of college students shall draft a universal Code of Student Conduct to carry out the provisions of this Act.

Further, DepEd and CHED, respectively shall issue appropriate rules and regulations to effectively carry out intent and purpose of this Act.

SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect ninety (90) days after its publication in the Official Gazette and in at least three (3) newspapers of general circulation.