THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
-04 JJL 22 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
::: :33 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
There is no law which prohibits government surveys from obtaining incriminatory 
information from minors on matters concerning the minor's family. 
This bill protects family privacy on matters such as political affiliations or beliefs, 
psychological 
problems, 
sexual 
behavior, 
religious 
beliefs, 
and 
privileged 
conlmunications. However, it does not prevent the investigations pursuant to law or 
applicatkns for membership or eligibility in organizations or programs. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
5 
"04 ~IiJ!.' 
22 ;+:;;:&p 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
I '  
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR PROTECTION OF FAMILY PRIVACY 
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 "Family Privacy 
Protection Act." 
SECTION 2. DeBnifion ofMinor. - A  child less than eighteen (1 8) years of age. 
SECTION 3. Family Privacy Protection. - 
(1) Restriction on Seeking Information from Minors - Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law and subject to section 6, in conducting a program or 
activity funded by the government, a person may not, without the prior written 
consent of at least one parent or guardian of a minor or, in the case of an 
emancipated minor, the prior consent of the minor, require or otherwise seek the 
response of the minor to a survey questionnaire which is intended to elicit, or has 
- 
.- . 
- 
- 
the effect of eliciting, information about the minor' family concerning a 
following: 
(a) Parental political affiliations or beliefs; 
(b) Mental or psychological problems; 
(c) Sexual Behavior or attitudes; 
(d) Illegal, antisocial, or self-incriminating behavior; 
iy of the 
.
.
 
(e) Appraisals of other individuals with whom the minor has a 
familial relationship; 


- 
.- . 
(f) Relationships that are legally recognized as privileged, 
- -  
including those with lawyers, physicians and members of the clergy; 
(g) Religious affiliations or beliefs. 
@) General Exceptions - Subsection (1) shall not apply to any of the following: 
(a) Information for the purpose of a criminal investigation or 
(b) Inquiry made pursuant to a good faith concern for the ealth, 
.
.
 
1 
adjudication; 
safety, or welfare of an individual minor; 
(c) Administration of the immigration, internal revenue, or customs 
laws of the Philippines; 
(d) Information required by the law to determine eligibility for 
participation in an organization, program or for receiving financial 
assistance; 
(e) Academic performance tests except to the extent that questions 
in such tests would require a minor to reveal information listed under 
subsection (a) hereof. 
SECTION 4. Notijkation Procedures. - The head of any department or agency of 
the government which provides funds for any program or activity involving the gathering 
of infomation f r o m  minor to any survey or questionnaire shall establish procedures by 
which the department or agency shall notify minors and their parents of protections 
provided under this Act. 
The procedures shall also provide for advance public 
availability of each questionnaire or survey to which a response from a minor is sought. 
SECTION 5. Compliance. - The head of each government 
shall establish such procedure necessary to ensure compliance with 
this Act shall be construed to foreclose any individual from 


SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected 
shall remain valid and subsisting. 
- ~- 
. 
- -  
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
or inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
I 
SECTION 8. Effectivity, Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (1 ) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. i 
Approved. 
FN: 313