Today is Wednesday, March 01, 2023

Fourteenth Congress
Third Regular Session

REPUBLIC ACT No. 9775

AN ACT DEFINING THE CRIME OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation building and shall
promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, psychological and social well-being.
Towards this end, the State shall:

(a) Guarantee the fundamental rights of every child from all forms of neglect, cruelty and other conditions
prejudicial to his/her development;

(b) Protect every child from all forms of exploitation and abuse including, but not limited to:

(1) the use of a child in pornographic performances and materials; and

(2) the inducement or coercion of a child to engage or be involved in pornography through whatever
means; and

(c) Comply with international treaties to which the Philippines is a signatory or a State party concerning the
rights of children which include, but not limited to, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution
and Child Pornography, the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No.182 on the Elimination of
the Worst Forms of Child Labor and the Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. -

(a) "Child" refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age or over, but is unable to fully take care of
himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental
disability or condition.

For the purpose of this Act, a child shall also refer to:

(1) a person regardless of age who is presented, depicted or portrayed as a child as defined herein;
and

(2) computer-generated, digitally or manually crafted images or graphics of a person who is

(b) "Child pornography" refers to any representation, whether visual, audio, or written combination thereof, by
electronic, mechanical, digital, optical, magnetic or any other means, of child engaged or involved in real or
simulated explicit sexual activities.
 (c) "Explicit Sexual Activity" includes actual or simulated -

(1) As to form:

(i) sexual intercourse or lascivious act including, but not limited to, contact involving genital to genital,
oral to genital, anal to genital, or oral to anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex;

(2) bestiality;

(3) masturbation;

(4) sadistic or masochistic abuse;

(5) lascivious exhibition of the genitals, buttocks, breasts, pubic area and/or anus; or

(6) use of any object or instrument for lascivious acts

(d) "Internet address" refers to a website, bulletin board service, internet chat room or news group, or any
other internet or shared network protocol address.

(e) "Internet cafe or kiosk" refers to an establishment that offers or proposes to offer services to the public for
the use of its computer/s or computer system for the purpose of accessing the internet, computer games or
related services.

(f) "Internet content host" refers to a person who hosts or who proposes to host internet content in the
Philippines.

(g) "Internet service provider (ISP)" refers to a person or entity that supplies or proposes to supply, an internet
carriage service to the public.

(h) "Grooming" refers to the act of preparing a child or someone who the offender believes to be a child for
sexual activity or sexual relationship by communicating any form of child pornography. It includes online
enticement or enticement through any other means.

(i) "Luring" refers to the act of communicating, by means of a computer system, with a child or someone who
the offender believes to be a child for the purpose of facilitating the commission of sexual activity or
production of any form of child pornography.(2) Bestiality;

(j) "Pandering" refers to the act of offering, advertising, promoting, representing or distributing through any
means any material or purported material that is intended to cause another to believe that the material or
purported material contains any form of child pornography, regardless of the actual content of the material or
purported material.

(k) "Person" refers to any natural or juridical entity.

Section 4. Unlawful or Prohibited Acts. - It shall be unlawful for any person:

(a) To hire, employ, use, persuade, induce or coerce a child to perform in the creation or production of any
form of child pornography;

(b) To produce, direct, manufacture or create any form of child pornography;

(c) To publish offer, transmit, sell, distribute, broadcast, advertise, promote, export or import any form of child
pornography;

(d) To possess any form of child pornography with the intent to sell, distribute, publish, or broadcast:
Provided. That possession of three (3) or more articles of child pornography of the same form shall be prima
facie evidence of the intent to sell, distribute, publish or broadcast;

(e) To knowingly, willfully and intentionally provide a venue for the commission of prohibited acts as, but not
limited to, dens, private rooms, cubicles, cinemas, houses or in establishments purporting to be a legitimate
business;
 (f) For film distributors, theaters and telecommunication companies, by themselves or in cooperation with
other entities, to distribute any form of child pornography;

(g) For a parent, legal guardian or person having custody or control of a child to knowingly permit the child to
engage, participate or assist in any form of child pornography;

(h) To engage in the luring or grooming of a child;

(i) To engage in pandering of any form of child pornography;

(j) To willfully access any form of child pornography;

(k) To conspire to commit any of the prohibited acts stated in this section. Conspiracy to commit any form of
child pornography shall be committed when two (2) or more persons come to an agreement concerning the
commission of any of the said prohibited acts and decide to commit it; and

(l) To possess any form of child pornography.

Section 5. Syndicated Child Pornography - The crime of child pornography is deemed committed by a syndicate if
carried out by a group of three (3) or more persons conspiring or confederating with one another and shall be
punished under Section 15(a) of this Act.

Section 6. Who May File a Complaint. - Complaints on cases of any form of child pornography and other offenses
punishable under this Act may be filed by the following:

(a) Offended party;

(b) Parents or guardians;

(c) Ascendant or collateral relative within the third degree of consanguinity;

(d) Officer, social worker or representative of a licensed child-caring institution;

(e) Officer or social worker of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);

(f) Local social welfare development officer;

(g) Barangay chairman;

(h) Any law enforcement officer;

(i) At least three (3) concerned responsible citizens residing in the place where the violation occurred; or

(j) Any person who has personal knowledge of the circumstances of the commission of any offense under this
Act.

Section 7. Appointment of Special Prosecutors. - The Department of Justice (DOJ) shall appoint or designate
special prosecutors to prosecute cases for the violation of this Act.

Section 8. Jurisdiction. - Jurisdiction over cases for the violation of this Act shall be vested in the Family Court
which has territorial jurisdiction over the place where the offense or any of its essential elements was committed
pursuant to Republic Act No. 8369, otherwise known as "Family Courts Act of 1997".

Section 9. Duties of an Internet Service Provider (ISP). - All internet service providers (ISPs) shall notify the
Philippine National Police (PNP) or the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) within seven (7) days from obtaining
facts and circumstances that any form of child pornography is being committed using its server or facility. Nothing in
this section may be construed to require an ISP to engage in the monitoring of any user, subscriber or customer, or
the content of any communication of any such person: Provided, That no ISP shall be held civilly liable for damages
on account of any notice given in good faith in compliance with this section.

Furthermore, an ISP shall preserve such evidence for purpose of investigation and prosecution by relevant
authorities.

An ISP shall, upon the request of proper authorities, furnish the particulars of users who gained or attempted to gain
access to an internet address which contains any form of child pornography.

All ISPs shall install available technology, program or software to ensure that access to or transmittal of any form of
child pornography will be blocked or filtered.

An ISP who shall knowingly, willfully and intentionally violate this provision shall be subject to the penalty provided
under Section 15(k) of this Act.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shall promulgate within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of
this Act the necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of this provision which shall include, among
others, the installation of filtering software that will block access to or transmission of any form of the child
pornography.

Section 10. Responsibility of Mall Owners/Operators and Owners or Lessors of Other Business Establishments. -
All mall owners/operators and owners or lessors of other business establishments shall notify the PNP or the NBI
within seven (7) days from obtaining facts and circumstances that child pornography is being committed in their
premises. Provided, That public display of any form of child pornography within their premises is a conclusive
presumption of the knowledge of the mall owners/operators and owners or lessors of other business establishments
of the violation of this Act: Provided, further, That a disputable presumption of knowledge by mall owners/operators
and owners or lessors of other business establishments should know or reasonably know that a violation of this Act
is being committed in their premises.

Photo developers, information technology professionals, credit card companies and banks and any person who has
direct knowledge of any form of child pornography activities shall have the duty to report any suspected child
pornography materials or transactions to the proper authorities within seven (7) days from discovery thereof.

Any willful and intentional violation of this provision shall be subject to the penalty provided under Section 15(l) of
this Act.

Section 11. Duties of an Internet Content Host. - An internet content host shall:

(a) Not host any form of child pornography on its internet address;

(b) Within seven (7) days, report the presence of any form of child pornography, as well as the particulars of
the person maintaining, hosting, distributing or in any manner contributing to such internet address, to the
proper authorities; and

(c) Preserve such evidence for purposes of investigation and prosecution by relevant authorities.

An internet content host shall, upon the request of proper authorities, furnish the particulars of users who gained or
attempted to gain access to an internet address that contains any form of child pornography.

An internet content host who shall knowingly, willfully and intentionally violate this provision shall be subject to the
penalty provided under Section 15(j) of this Act: Provided, That the failure of the internet content host to remove any
form of child pornography within forty-eight (48) hours from receiving the notice that any form of child pornography is
hitting its server shall be conclusive evidence of willful and intentional violation thereof.

Section 12. Authority to Regulate Internet Café or Kiosk. - The local government unit (LGU) of the city or
municipality where an internet café or kiosk is located shall have the authority to monitor and regulate the
establishment and operation of the same or similar establishments in order to prevent violation of the provisions of
this Act.

Section 13. Confidentiality. - The right to privacy of the child shall be ensured at any stage of the investigation,
prosecution and trial of an offense under this Act. Towards this end, the following rules shall be observed:

(a) The judge, prosecutor or any officer of the law to whom the complaint has been referred to may, whenever
necessary to ensure a fair and impartial proceeding and after considering all circumstances for the best
interest of the child conduct a closed-door investigation, prosecution or trial;

(b) The name and personal circumstances of the child, including the child's immediate family, or any other
information tending to establish his/her identity shall not be disclosed to the public;
 (c) Any record regarding a child shall be confidential and kept under seal. Except upon written request and
order of the court, a record shall be released only to the following:

(1) Members of the court staff for administrative use;

(2) The prosecuting attorney;

(3) Defense counsel;

(4) The guardian ad litem;

(5) Agents of investigating law enforcement agencies and

(6) Other persons as determined by the court.

(d) Any form of child pornography that is part of the court records shall be subject to a protective order that
provides as follows:

(1) Any form of child pornography may be viewed only by the parties, their counsel, their expert witness
and guardian ad litem;

(2) Neither form of child pornography nor any portion thereof shall be divulged to any other person,
except as necessary for investigation, prosecution or trial; and

(3) No person shall be granted access to any form of child pornography or any part thereof unless
he/she signs a written affirmation that he/she has received and read a copy of the protection order; that
he/she submits to the jurisdiction of the court with respect to the protective order; and that, in case of
violation thereof, he/she will be subject to the contempt power of the court; and

(e) In cases when prosecution or trial is conducted behind closed doors, it shall be unlawful for any editor,
publisher and reporter or columnist in case of printed materials, announcer or producer in case of television
and radio, producer and director of a film in case of the movie industry, or any person utilizing the tri-media
facilities or information technology to publish or broadcast the names of the victims of any case of child
pornography.

Any violation of this provision shall be subject to the penalty provided for under Section 15(m) of this Act.

Section 14. Care, Custody and Treatment of a Child Victim. - The DSWD shall ensure that the child who is a victim
of any form of child pornography is provided appropriate care, custody and support for their recovery and
reintegration in accordance with existing laws.

The child and his family shall be entitled to protection as well as to the rights and benefits of witnesses under
Republic Act No. 6981, otherwise known as "The Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act".

The child shall also be considered as a victim of a violent crime defined under Section 3(d) of Republic Act No.
7309, otherwise known as "An Act Creating a Board of Claims under the Department of Justice for Victims of Unjust
Imprisonment or Detention and Victims of Violent Crimes and for Other Purposes", so that the child may claim
compensation therein.

Section 15. Penalties and Sanctions. - The following penalties and sanctions are hereby established for offenses
enumerated in this Act:

(a) Any person found guilty of syndicated child pornography as defined in Section 5 of this Act shall suffer the
penalty of reclusion perpetua and a fine of not less than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) but not more
than Five million pesos (Php5,000,000.00);

(b) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(a), (b) and (c) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of reclusion
temporal in its maximum period and a fine of not less than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) but not more
than Two million (Php2,000,000.00);

(c) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(d), (e) and (f) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of reclusion
temporal in its medium period and a fine of not less than Seven hundred fifty thousand pesos
(Php750,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00);
 (d) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(g) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal in
its minimum period and a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00) but not more
than Seven hundred thousand pesos (Php700,000.00);

(e) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(h) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its
maximum period and a fine of not less than Three hundred thousand pesos (Php300,000.00) but not more
than Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00);

(f) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(I) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its
minimum period and a fine of not less than Three hundred thousand pesos (php300,000.00) but not more
than Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00);

(g) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(j) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional in
its maximum period and a fine of not less than Two hundred thousand pesos (Php200,000.00) but not more
than Three hundred thousand pesos (Php300,000.00);

(h) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(k) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional
in its medium period and a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (php100,000.00) but not more
than Two hundred fifty thousand pesos (php250,000.00);

(i) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(l) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of arresto mayor in its
minimum period and a fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (Php50,000.00) but not more than One
hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00);

(j) Any person found guilty of violating Section 11 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional in
its medium period and a fine of not less than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) but not more than Two
million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) for the first offense. In the case of a subsequent offense, the penalty shall be
a fine not less than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) but not more than Three million pesos
(Php3,000,000.00) and revocation of its license to operate and immediate closure of the establishment;

(k) Any ISP found guilty of willfully and knowingly failing to comply with the notice and installation
requirements under Section 9 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of a fine of not less than Five hundred
thousand pesos (Php500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) for the first offense.
In case of subsequent offense, the penalty shall be a fine of not less than One million pesos
(Php1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) and revocation of its license to
operate;

(l) Any mall owner-operator and owner or lessor of other business establishments including photo developers,
information technology professionals, credit card companies and banks, found guilty of willfully and knowingly
failing to comply with the notice requirements under Section 10 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of a fine of
not less than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00)
for the first offense. In the case of a subsequent offense, the penalty shall be a fine of not less than Two
million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) but not more than Three million pesos (Php3,000,000.00) and revocation of
its license to operate and immediate closure of the establishment; and

(m) Any person found guilty of violating Section 13 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of arresto mayor in its
minimum period and a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00) but not more than
Three hundred thousand pesos (Php300,000.00).

Section 16. Common Penal Provisions. -

(a) If the offender is a parent, ascendant, guardian, step-parent or collateral relative within the third degree of
consanguinity or affinity or any person having control or moral ascendancy over the child, the penalty
provided herein shall be in its maximum duration; Provided, That this provision shall not apply to Section 4(g)
of this Act;

(b) If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the owner, manager, partner,
member of the board of directors and/or any responsible officer who participated in the commission of the
crime or shall have knowingly permitted or failed to prevent its commissions;

(c) If the offender is a foreigner, he/she shall be immediately deported after the complete service of his/her
sentence and shall forever be barred from entering the country; and
 (d) The penalty provided for in this Act shall be imposed in its maximum duration if the offender is a public
officer or employee.

Section 17. Confiscation and Forfeiture of the Proceeds, Tools and Instruments Used in Child Pornography. - In
addition to the penalty imposed for the violation of this Act, the court shall order the confiscation and forfeiture in
favor of the government of all the proceeds, tools and instruments used in the commission of the crime, unless they
are the property of a third person not liable for the unlawful act; Provided, however, That all awards for damages
shall be taken from the personal and separate properties of the offender; Provided, further, That if such properties
are insufficient, the deficiency shall be taken from the confiscated and forfeited proceeds, tools and instruments.

All proceeds derived from the sale of properties used for the commission of any form of child pornography shall
accrue to the special account of the DSWD which shall be used exclusively for the implementation of this Act.

When the proceeds, tools and instruments used in the commission of the offense have been destroyed diminished
in value or otherwise rendered worthless by any act or omission, directly or indirectly, of the offender, or it has been
concealed, removed, converted or transferred to prevent the same from being found or to avoid forfeiture or
confiscation, the offender shall be ordered to pay the amount equal to the value of the proceeds, tools and
instruments used in the commission of the offense. 1avvphi1

Section 18. Mandatory Services to Victims of Child Pornography. - To ensure recovery, rehabilitation and
reintegration into the mainstream of society concerned government agencies and the LGUs shall make available the
following services to victims of any form of child pornography:

(a) Emergency shelter or appropriate housing;

(b) Counseling;

(c) Free legal services, which shall include information about the victim's rights and the procedure for filing of
complaints, claims for compensation and such other legal remedies available to them in a language
understood by the child;

(d) Medical or psychological services;

(e) Livelihood and skills training; and

(f) Educational assistance.

Sustained supervision and follow through mechanism that will track the progress of recovery, rehabilitation and
reintegration of the child victims shall adopted and carried out.

Section 19. Programs for Victims of Child Pornography. The Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography
created under Section 20 of this Act shall develop and implement the necessary programs that will prevent any form
of child pornography, as well as protect, heal and reintegrate the child into the mainstream of society. Such
programs shall include beat but not limited to the following:

(a) Provision of mandatory services including counseling free legal services, medical or psychological
services, livelihood and skills training and educational assistance to the child pursuant to Section 18 of this
Act;

(b) Sponsorship of a national research program on any form of child pornography and other acts covered by
the law and the establishment of a data collection system for monitoring and evaluation purposes;

(c) Provision of necessary technical and material support services to appropriate government agencies and
nongovernmental organizations:

(d) Sponsorship of conferences and seminars to provide venue for consensus building amongst the public,
the academe , government, nongovernmental and international organizations and

(e) Promotion of information and education campaign.

Section 20. Inter - Agency Council against Child Pornography. - There is hereby established an Inter-Agency
Council against Child Pornography to be composed of the Secretary of the DSWD as chairperson and the following
as members:
 (a) Secretary of the Department of Justice:

(b) Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment

(c) Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology

(d) Chief of the Philippine National Police;

(e) Chairperson of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology;

(g) Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission;

(h) Executive Director of the Council for the Welfare of Children;

(i) Executive Director of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crimes;

(j) Executive Director of the Optical Media Board;

(k) Director of the National Bureau of Investigation; and

(l) Three (3) representatives from children's nongovernmental organizations. These representatives shall be
nominated by the government agency representatives of the Council for appointment by the President for a
term of three (3) years and may be renewed upon renomination and reappointment by the Council and the
President respectively.

The members of the Council mat designate their permanent representatives, who shall have a rank not lower than
assistant secretary or its equivalent, to meetings and shall receive emoluments as may be determined by the
Council in accordance with existing budget and accounting rules and regulations.

The DSWD shall establish the necessary Secretariat for the Council.

Section 21. Functions of the Council. - The Council shall have the following powers and functions:

(a) Formulate comprehensive and integrated plans and programs to prevent and suppress any form of child
pornography;

(b) Promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary for the effective implementation of this Act;

(c) Monitor and oversee the strict implementation of this Act;

(d) Coordinate the programs and projects of the various members agencies effectively address the issues and
problems attendant to child pornography;

(e) Conduct and coordinate massive information disseminations and campaign on the existence of the law
and the various issues and problems attendant to child pornography;

(f) Direct other agencies to immediately respond to the problems brought to their attention and report to the
Council on the action taken;

(g) Assist in the filling of cases against individuals, agencies, institutions or establishments that violate the
provisions of this Act;

(h) Formulate a program for the reintegration of victims of child pornography;

(i) Secure from any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government or from NGOs
and other civic organizations such assistance as may be needed to effectively implement this Act;

(j) Complement the shared government information system relative to child abuse and exploitation and
ensure that the proper agencies conduct a continuing research and study on the patterns and schemes of any
form of child pornography which form basis for policy formulation and program direction;

(k) develop the mechanism to ensure the timely, coordinated and effective response to cases of child
pornography;
 (l) Recommend measures to enhance cooperative efforts and mutual assistance among foreign countries
through bilateral and/or multilateral arrangements to prevent and suppress any form of child pornography;

(m) Adopt measures and policies to protect the rights and needs of the victims of child pornography who are
foreign nationals in the Philippines;

(n) maintain a database of cases of child pornography;

(o) Initiate training programs in identifying and providing the necessary intervention or assistance to victims of
child pornography.

(p) Submit to the President and the Congressional Oversight committee credited herein the annual report on
the policies, plans, programs and activities of the Council relative to the implementation of this Act; and

(q) Exercise all the powers and perform such other functions necessary to attain the purposes and objectives
of this Act.

Section 22. Child Pornography as a Transnational Crime. - Pursuant to the Convention on transnational Organized
Crime, the DOJ may execute the request of a foreign state for assistance in the investigation or prosecution of any
form of child pornography by: (1) conducting a preliminary investigation against the offender and, if appropriate, to
file the necessary charges in court; (2) giving information needed by the foreign state; and (3) to apply for an order
of forfeiture of any proceeds or monetary instrument or properly located in the Philippines used in connection with
child pornography in the court; Provided, That if the DOJ refuses to act on the request of for delaying the execution
thereof: Provided, further, That the principles of mutuality and reciprocity shall, for this purpose, be at all times
recognized.

Section 23. Extradition. - The DOJ, in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), shall endeavor to
include child pornography among extraditable offenses in future treaties.

Section 24. Congressional Oversight Committee. -There is hereby created a Congressional Oversight Committee
composed of five (5) members from the Senate and five (5) members from the House of Representatives. The
members from the Senate shall be appointed by the Senate President based on proportional representation of the
parties or coalition therein with at least one (1) member representing the Minority. The members from the House of
Representative shall be appointed by the Speaker, also based on proportional representation of the parties or
coalitions therein with the Chair of the House of Committee on Welfare of Children and at least one (1) member
representing the Minority

The Committee shall be headed by the respective Chairs of the Senate Committee on Youth, Women and Family
relations and the House of Representatives Committee on Justice. The Secretariat of the Congressional Oversight
Committee shall come from the existing Secretariat personnel of the Committees of the Senate and the House of
Representatives concerned.

The Committee shall monitor and ensure the effective implementation of this Act, determine inherent weakness and
loopholes in the law. Recommend the necessary remedial legislator or administrative measures and perform such
other duties and functions as may be necessary to attain the objectives of this Act.

Section 25. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the provisions of the Anti-Child Pornography Act
and the operationalization of the Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

Section 26. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Inter- Agency Council Against Child pornography shall
promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.

Section 27. Suppletory Application of the Revised Penal Code. - The Revised penal Code shall be suppletorily
applicable to this Act.

Section 28. Separability Clause. - If any part of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions
not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

Section 29. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, administrative orders, rules and
regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed
accordingly.
Section 30. Effectivity. - This Act shall effect after fifteen (15) days following its complete publication in the Official
Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

PROSPERO C. NOGRALES JUAN PONCE ENRILE

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2317 and House Bill No. 6440 was finally passed by the Senate
and the House of Representatives on October 13, 2009.

MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP
EMMA LIRIO-REYES
Secretary General
Secretary of the Senate
House of the Representatives

Approved: November 17, 2009

Sgd. GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation