TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
of t •"* it
)
SENATE
524
25 JUL 14 A11 SO
RECEIVED BY:
S. No.
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION AS A LEGALLY VALID 
MODE OF OFFICIAL PUBLICATION FOR LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND 
GOVERNMENT ISSUANCES, PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL 
SUSTAINABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND DIGITAL INCLUSION, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In a digital world facing both climate crisis and information inequality, the way 
we publish our laws must evolve.
The Green Publication Act, or the Luntian na Pagpapahayag Act, recognizes the 
legitimacy of electronic publication as a valid and sustainable mode of official 
publication for laws, regulations, and other government issuances. By institutionalizing 
digital publication, this bill provides legal certainty that online access to government 
documents constitutes constructive notice, in the same way traditional printed 
publication once did.
This measure offers a strategic convergence of three national goals:
1. Environmental Sustainability - By reducing the need for printed copies, 
physical distribution, and ink-based archiving, this law supports the 
government's climate commitments under the Philippine Green Jobs Act, 
the Climate Change Act, and our Nationally Determined Contributions under 
the Paris Agreement.


2. Inclusive Governance - By making all publications open, free, and 
digitally accessible, the bill promotes transparency, accountability, and the 
right of every citizen—especially those in remote, underserved, and 
vulnerable communities—to participate meaningfully in public life. The 
system will include features for low-bandwidth access, multilingual formats, 
and accessibility for persons with disabilities (PWDs), Indigenous Peoples 
(IPs), and senior citizens.
3. Efficient and Transparent Institutions - The bill reduces government 
spending on publication fees and enables agencies to deliver faster, 
verifiable, and more searchable public notices. It is aligned with the 
principles of open data. Freedom of Information, and digital transformation, 
without compromising integrity and archival reliability.
The bill also ensures a just transition: traditional or community-based 
publications that rely on legal notices for livelihood will be given space through 
transitional arrangements and potential integration into recognized digital systems.
Finally, this measure mandates an impact evaluation on its fifth year of 
implementation, to assess access outcomes, institutional adoption, and potential areas 
for further legal support.
We must no longer be content with systems that are expensive, exclusive, and 
ecologically wasteful. Let the Luntian na Pagpapahayag Act be our jump-off point 
towards ensuring that the law is known, accessible, and environmentally just.
In view of the foregoing, the urgent passage of this bill is sought.
-^tOREN LEGARDA


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of '■
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE 
S. No. 524
25 JUL 14 All 50
RFCElVt.
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION AS A LEGALLY VALID 
MODE OF OFFICIAL PUBLICATION FOR LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND 
GOVERNMENT ISSUANCES, PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL 
SUSTAINABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND DIGITAL INCLUSION, 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 "Luntian na 
Pagpapahayag Act of2025 (Green Publication Act)."
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
promote transparency, accessibility, environmental sustainability, and digital inclusion 
in the publication of laws, regulations, and official acts. The State shall leverage digital 
technologies to ensure timely and equitable public access to legal information, while 
reducing ecological impact and improving efficiency in governance.
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act:
a. Electronic Publication refers to the uploading and public availability of 
laws, rules, decisions, notices, and other official issuances on a 
designated, authenticated government website;
b. Constructive Notice refers to the legal presumption that the public is 
informed of a law, regulation, or official act upon its publication through 
legally prescribed means;


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c. Official Gazette refers to the publication managed by the National
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Printing Office (NPO), serving as the official journal of the Republic of
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the Philippines; and
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d. Authorized Digital Platform refers to any government-managed website
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or platform recognized under the Implementing Rules and Regulations
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(IRR) of this Act as valid for official electronic publication.
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Sec. 4. Legal Recognition of Online Publication. - The publication of laws,
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presidential issuances, rules and regulations, decisions, and other official acts on the
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Official Gazette website or on an authorized digital publication platform managed by
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the government shall be deemed legally sufficient and shall constitute compliance with
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publication requirements under existing laws, rules, or jurisprudence, including the
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requirement for constructive notice.
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The IRR of this Act shall determine and regularly update:
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a. the comprehensive list of government issuances and notices to which
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this mode of publication shall apply, including but not limited to
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procurement-related postings, administrative circulars, notices of public
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hearings, and other mandated notices; and
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b. the list of other authorized government websites or platforms that may
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be recognized for official publication, provided they meet the minimum
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technical, security, and accessibility standards of this Act.
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Sec. 5. Equivalence with Print Publication. - For all legal purposes, publication
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through the Official Gazette website or any authorized digital platform shall have the
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same effect as publication in printed form. Where the law requires publication in the
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Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation, digital publication shall be
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deemed sufficient unless expressly stated otherwise.
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Sec. 6. Digitai Archiving and Integrity. - To ensure the reliability of online
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publication, the Official Gazette website and other authorized platforms shall maintain:
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a. Timestamped digital signatures or verifiable audit logs;
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b. A searchable, indexed, and publicly accessible archive of all issuances;
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c. Compliance with web accessibility standards; and
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d. Secure backup and cybersecurity protocols.


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Sec. 7. Technical Standards and Interoperability. - The Department of
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Information and Communications Technology (DICT), in coordination with the Official
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Gazette Editorial Board and the NPO, shall issue and enforce standards ensuring that
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digital publication platforms are:
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a. Stable and available for continuous public access;
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b. Optimized for mobile and low-bandwidth users;
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c. Compliant with metadata and open-access formatting; and
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d. Interoperable with other government systems.
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Sec. 8. Environmental and Budgetary Efficiency. - Electronic publication shall
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be the primary mode of legal dissemination across government agencies. This shift
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shall contribute to reduced paper use, logistical emissions, and publication costs, and
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shall form part of the State's broader green governance and climate-resilience agenda.
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Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from
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the effectivity of this Act, the Official Gazette, in coordination with DICT, NPO, the
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National Library, and relevant agencies, shall promulgate the rules and regulations for
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the effective implementation of this Act.
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Sec. 10. Transitional Measures and Local Publication Inclusion. - The
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implementation of this Act shall be sensitive to the economic role of community-based
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publications and access challenges in remote areas. During the transition to full
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electronic publication, agencies and local government units may continue to use print
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media where digital access is insufficient or where additional reach is required.
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The IRR shall explore mechanisms to involve local publications, including
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through accreditation or integration into authorized digital platforms, to preserve their
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role and ensure inclusive public notice.
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Sec. 11. Open Access and FOI Integration. - All publications made under this
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Act shall be publicly accessible without fee, registration, or restriction. This system
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shall support the objectives of Freedom of Information (FOI) by enabling timely,
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transparent, and comprehensive access to government information in a manner that
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is consistent with data privacy, security, and archival protocols.
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Sec. 12. Inclusive Digital Access. - All digital publication platforms shall provide
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accessibility features for persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, and


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Indigenous Peoples (IPs), and shall support low-bandwidth and multilingual options
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for use in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
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Sec. 13. Green Digital Infrastructure. - To minimize the environmental footprint
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of digital governance, the DICT shall ensure that platforms used for official publication
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under this Act adopt energy-efficient hosting and green data practices, including cloud
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optimization, renewable-powered servers where available, and climate-resilient
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infrastructure.
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Sec. 14. Annual Publication Transparency Report. - An annual report on the
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implementation of this Act shall be submitted to Congress and made publicly available.
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The report shall include;
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a. the number and types of issuances published online;
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b. access metrics and uptime records;
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c. digital inclusion efforts;
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d. environmental impact indicators; and
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e. any identified challenges or gaps in implementation.
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This reporting requirement shall lapse after five (5) years from the effectivity
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of this Act, Provided, That on the fifth and final year of reporting, the report shall
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include an impact evaluation of the effectiveness of the Act and may contain
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recommendations for supplemental legislation or policy improvements, as necessary.
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Provided, further, That Congress may, through resolution or future legislation,
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extend or terminate the reporting requirement earlier based on the findings or
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performance of the implementing agencies.
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Sec. 15. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
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unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in
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full force and effect.
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Sec. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, and rules
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inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 17. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette, a newspaper of general circulation, or on the Official
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Gazette website, whichever is earlier.
Approved,