FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 
1745 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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Using cell phones near hospital beds or important equipment is dangerous and could 
switch off ventilators or disrupt pacemakers. 
The University of Amsterdam researchers recorded nearly 50 
incidents of 
electromagnetic interference fi'om cell phone use in hospitals and classified 75 percent of them as 
significant or hazardous. 
Because of this cell phones should come no closer than one meter to hospital beds and 
equipment, said the researchers who published their study in BioMed Central's online open 
access journal Critical Care. 
"Critical care equipment is vulnerable to electromagnetic interference by new-generation 
wireless telecommunication technologies with median distances of about 3 centimeters," they 
wrote. 
The study contradicts a study earlier this year from researchers at the Mayo Clinic who 
found that 300 tests over a five-month period turned up no noticeable interference with important 
hospital equipment due to regular cell phone use. 
The Dutch team -- which tested 61 different medical devices -- found that most of the 
incidents stemmed from the latest General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) signal, a new-
generation technology that allows things such as wireless Internet access. 
Other malfunctions they attributed to electromagnetic interference included complete 
stops with no alarms in syringe pumps and incorrect pulsing by an external pacemaker.' 
Cellphones cause radio frequency interference not only with pacemakers but also other medical 
devices such as ventilators, patient monitors, neonatal infant watmers, motorized wheelchairs, 
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and anesthesia delivery equipment: Because of the possible RF interference of cellphones with 
the proper operation of medical devices and the consequent injury to the patients who rely on 
these, this bill seeks to prohibit the use of cellular or mobile telephones in certain public areas of 
hospitals, medical centers, or any other treatment center.3 
, Reuters: Cell Phone Use In Hosoitals Poses Danger: Studv: 7 Sevtember 2007, 
http://www.canada.comitopics/(echnology/news/gizmos/story.htm!?id-81 b07 66b-7 Oee-4b27-
9dOaadI6d2822372&k~45833 
, http://www.cellbusters.comiemit_emi.html 
'This bill was originally filed during the 14th Congress I" Regular Session 


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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
• 
S. No. 1745 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING THE USE OF CELLULAR OR MOBILE TELEPHONES 
IN CERTAIN PUBLIC AREAS OF HOSPITALS, MEDICAL CENTERS, 
OR ANY OTHER TREATMENT CENTER 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "Anti-Disruptive Cellphone Use 
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Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the 'policy of the State to ·promote the general 
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welfare of the people. Pursuant to this policy, this Act seeks to ensure that the use of cellular or 
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mobile phones is prohibited in certain public places such as hospitals and residential health care 
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facilities where, for health reasons or as required by certain circumstances, such use would be 
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detrimental to the patients or the health care workers therein. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. -For the purposes of this Act, the term: 
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(A) "Hospital" means a facility or institution engaged principally in providing services by 
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or under the supervision of a physician or, in the case of a dental clinic or dental dispensary, of a 
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dentist, for the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of human disease, pain, injury, deformity or 
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physical condition, including, but not limited to, a general hospital, public health center, 
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diagnostic center, treatment center, dental clinic, dental dispensary, rehabilitation center other 
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than a facility used solely for vocational rehabilitation, nursing home, tuberculosis hospital, 
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chronic disease hospital, maternity hospital, lying-in-asylum, outpatient department, out-patient 
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lodge, dispensary and a laboratory or central service facility serving one or more such 
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institutions, but the tern? hospital shall not include an institution, sanitarium or other facility 
, 
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engaged principally in providing services for the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of mental 
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disability and which is subject to the powers of visitation, examination, inspection and 
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investigation of the department of mental hygiene except for those distinct parts of such a facility 
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which provide hospital service. 
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The term shall not apply to a facility or institution engaged principally in providing services by 
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or under the supervision of the bona fide members and adherents of a recognized religious 
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organization whose teachings include reliance on spiritual means through prayer alone for 
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healing in the practice of the religion of such organization and where services are provided in 
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accordance with those teachings. 
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(B) "Residential health care facility" means a facility providing therein nursing care to 
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sick, invalid, infirm, disabled or convalescent persons in addition to lodging and board or health-
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related service, or any combination of the foregoing, and in addition thereto, providing nursing 
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care and health-related service, or either, of them, to, persons who are. not occupants of the 
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facility. 
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The term likewise means a facility providing health-related service. 
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(C) "Mobile telephone" means a cellular, analog, wireless, digital or other similar 
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telephone or communications device, which can be used to access two-way real time voice 
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telecommunications service that is intercol1l1ected to a public switched telephone network and is 
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provided by ~. commercial mobile radio service; 
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(D),'Use" shall mean to receive a mobile telephone call signaled by an audible sound, dial 
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a mobile telephone, talk or listen on a mobile telephone; and 
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(E) "Public indoor areas" shall include, but not be limited to, waiting areas, hallways, and 
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treatment rooms. 
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SECTION 4. Mobile Telephone Use Restrictions. - Mobile telephone use shall be 
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prohibited in certain designated public indoor areas of the following: 
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(A) Hospitals as defined in this Act; 
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(B) Residential health care facilities as defined in this Act, and other licensed health care 
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facilities in which persons reside; Provided, however, that the provisions ofthis section shall not 
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prohibit cellular or mobile telephone use by patients in separate enclosed rooms of hospitals, 
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residential health care facilities, adult care facilities, .community mental health residences, or 
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facilities where day treatment programs are provided, which are not designated as cellular and 
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mobile telephone free zones for patients of such facilities or programs. 
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SECTION 5. Posting of Signs. - "No mobile telephone use" or signs with the 
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international "no mobile telephone use" symbol, which consists of a pictorial representation of a 
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telephone enclosed in a circle with a bar across it, shall be prominently posted and properly 
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maintained, where the public use of mobile telephones is prohibited by this Act, by the person or 
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persons having control over such public indoor area. 
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SECTION 6. General Provisions. - (A) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to deny the 
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facility covered by this Act the right to further regulate the use of such mobile telephones by its 
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employees. 
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(B) Nothing herein shall be construed to restrict the power of any municipality, city, or 
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province to adopt and enforce additional local law, ordinances, or regulations which comply with 
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at least the minimum applicable standards set forth in this Act. 
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SECTION 7. Disruptive Use of a Mobile Telephone. - A person is guilty of disruptive use 
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of a mobile telephone, when he or she knowingly uses a mobile telephone in a public place 
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where such telephone usage is prohibited and such prohibition is clearly posted. 
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SECTION 8. Violations and Penalties. -Every person convicted for disruptive use of a 
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mobile phone under the preceding section shall, for a first conviction thereof, be punished by a 
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fine of not less than Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00) nor more than One Thousand Pesos 
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(Pl,OOO.OO); and for a conviction of a second violation, both of which were committed within the 
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same calendar year, such person shall be punished by a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos 
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(PI ,000.00) nor more than Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000.00). 
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SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SEG:TION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
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with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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