In the News: Anti-Planking Act of 2011

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Planking is considered only a game and a fun activity in different countries around the world - except in the Philippines. A couple of days ago, planking has become a big news in local news programs and newspapers as student activists used this supposed to be fun activity into an act of protest; doing planking in the streets that causes heavy traffic and eventually made lots of passengers late from their respective appointments. It happened during the Nationwide Transport Strike happened last September 19, 2011.

In response to this "creative" act of protest against the rapid increase in oil prices, an overacting congressman named Rep. Winston "Winnie" Castelo of the 2nd district of Quezon City filed a bill in the House of Representatives known as the Anti-Planking Act of 2011.

Here's the details of the bill filed by Congressman Castelo.

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.

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.

Approved,

The bill have received lots of criticisms (both positive and negative) hours after the bill was announced in a press conference. In fact, it became a trending topic and the cause of debate in different social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. 

Rep. Castelo in a press conference said that this bill was created and filed to protect the students from possible injuries caused by planking in dangerous areas such as in streets, top of a building, etc. Student activists on the other hand remarked that Anti-Planking Act of 2011 was just nonsense and Castelo's way to get the attention of the public and the news. Student activists also promised that more street planking will be performed if no solutions will be made to their grievances such as rapid oil price increase, budget cut on State Universities and Colleges, etc.

Author's Remark:

A completely nonsense bill. I don't understand the reason why this fun activity has caused a ruckus in this country? There are more urgent bill and laws that should be made and discussed, more corrupt officials and anomalies should be investigated, more age-old problems should be solved such as poverty, overpopulation, unemployment. It is a total waste of time, money and resources.