MANILA, Philippines—Senator Erwin Tulfo is seeking to increase the compensation granted to victims of wrongful detention and imprisonment, filing a bill that raises the Department of Justice’s Board of Claims (BOC) payout from the current P1,000 to P10,000.

Under the proposed measure, the BOC may also approve a higher compensation of up to P50,000 in special cases, or an amount equal to the expenses incurred for hospitalization, medical treatment, loss of wage, loss of support, or other related injuries—whichever is higher.

“While no amount of money can repay the time lost from these victims of wrongful detention, we are pushing for a more humane process to make justice more accessible, compassionate, and equitable,” Tulfo said.

The bill, which amends Republic Act 7309 enacted 33 years ago, is part of Tulfo’s third batch of legislative proposals for the 20th Congress. Aside from increasing compensation, the measure expands coverage by distinguishing between persons who were “detained” and those “imprisoned” but later acquitted of the charges.

It also extends the period for filing claims from six months to one year after release and allows the submission of claims through representatives.

If passed, the bill is expected to benefit individuals such as 81-year-old Prudencio Calubid Jr., who was recently released from the Manila City Jail after being wrongly identified as a New People’s Army leader.

The measure complements another Tulfo bill that seeks to grant medical parole to elderly and terminally ill persons deprived of liberty. He has also proposed the creation of geriatric specialty centers within Department of Health hospitals, aimed at preventing and treating age-related diseases.

Tulfo is also pushing for the modernization and rehabilitation of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, including an increase in its bed capacity from 700 to 1,000 beds.

Addressing digital safety concerns, Tulfo filed a bill that aims to protect minors from online harm and addiction. It proposes to ban social media use for children under 13, except for supervised educational purposes authorized by the Department of Education (DepEd). For those aged 13 to 17, access will require verified parental or guardian consent and must be limited to age-appropriate platforms with enhanced privacy and restricted interaction.

The bill also mandates the Department of Information and Communications Technology, together with DepEd, the Department of Health, and the National Youth Commission, to roll out a National Anti-Digital Addiction Campaign, including school-based education programs for youth and parents.

In the education sector, Tulfo filed the proposed Bawas Bigat sa Guro Act, aimed at reducing the workload of public school teachers. The bill seeks to minimize clerical tasks by mandating a centralized system for rationalized documentation. It also calls for fair compensation—through pay or service credits—for teaching overload and after-hours duties.

Moreover, it prohibits mandatory training and seminars on weekends or holidays unless necessary, and mandates the hiring of enough non-teaching staff to ease administrative burdens on educators.

The bill comes after a report from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) revealed that two out of three teachers are working beyond the 40-hour work week due to redundant paperwork, which the commission said “not only disrupts instructional time but also adds unnecessary stress to teachers.”