Three teams from four schools in Metro Manila and Baguio City won a mock bill drafting competition last month at the House of Representatives, honoring late lawmaker Edcel Lagman. The event featured 13 teams of 89 students from 15 schools nationwide, aiming to nurture critical thinking and legislative skills among young leaders.
Team Frankie, from Baguio’s Saint Louis University School of Law, secured first place with their “Confidential & Intelligence Funds (CIF) Utilization and Accountability Act,” which seeks stronger oversight on CIF spending to combat corruption. They also won the best defense award.
Second place went to Team House of Parliamentarians from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and University of Makati, whose mock bill focuses on holding social media companies accountable for disinformation. They emphasized the need for platforms to bear responsibility rather than targeting ordinary users.
Third place went to Team BHH of the University of the Philippines, with their “Magna Carta of Alternatively-Employed Workers Act,” advocating for the rights of gig and contract workers amid changing labor dynamics.
The teams highlighted the importance of youth involvement in policymaking to address issues that affect them directly, emphasizing education’s role in understanding societal challenges.
