FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
First Regular Session 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The advancements in technology have made access to information a cinch with the 
mere touch of a button. Indeed, one can learn what is happening on the other side of the 
globe by accessing the Internet, perhaps man’s most important communication tool ever. 
Vital information can be accessed, exchanged and viewed through this sophisticated 
technology. 
Unfortunately, what good intentions the inventors had in mind, and good uses and 
purposes that internet offers can also be distorted for their own ends by unscrupulous 
elements that lurk in society. 
What used to be mail-order bride schemes have become more sophisticated and 
accessible e-mail order bride schemes. The Philippines, unfortunately, has not been spared 
from this plague that has been touted as another version of human trafficking. Filipino 
women, hoping to escape the clutches of poverty, have been easy prey to syndicates offering 
these services, like one sells a piece of meat. 
At the height of the mail order bride fever, Republic Act 6955 was enacted in 1990 to 
declare unlawful, and thus provide for penalties for, the practice of matching Filipino women 
for marriage to foreign nationals on a mail-order basis and similar practices. Philippines law 
classifies this scheme as illegal and not only a form of human smuggling but also as a ploy 
for sex trafficking. R.A. 6955 however has not anticipated its evolution into the e-mail bride 
scheme. 
Gabriela, a left-leaning women’s group has said in its online primer on sex 
trafficking: “These international prostitution syndicates capitalize on the internet and the e- 


mail to advertise Filipinas as ‘pen pals’ to circumvent the law banning the system of mail- 
order-bride . ” 
This piece of legislation aims to broaden the scope of unlawful and punishable 
schemes of matching Filipino women to foreign nationals. It does not condone cross-cultural 
marriages because such are not the problem. The problem is that there are syndicates that use 
these schemes to recruit women into prostitution. 
This bill also charges the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Department of 
Transportation and Communication (DOTC), and the National Commission on the Role of 
Women (NCRFW) with the implementation of the provisions of this measure. 
This is a Senate counterpart bill to one filed in the House of Representatives by Rep. 
Rozzano Rufino B. Biazon. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
BROADENING THE SCOPE OF UNLAWFUL PRACTICES OF MATCHING FILIPINO 
WOMEN FOR MARRIAGE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS TO INCLUDE VARIOUS 
SCHEMES MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE INTERNET, AMENDING FOR THIS 
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6955 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 6955 is amended to read as follows: 
SEC. 2. Pursuant thereto, it is hereby declared unlawful: 
(a) For a person, natural or juridical, association, club or any other 
entity to commit, directly or indirectly, any of the following acts: 
(1) To establish or carry on a business which has for its 
purpose the matching of Filipino women for marriage to 
foreign nationals (either) on a mail-order basis (or) through 
personal introduction OR THROUGH E-MAILS OR 
WEBSITES IN THE INTERNET; 
(2) To advertise, publish, print or distribute, or cause the 
advertisement, publication, printing or distribution of any 
brochure, flier or any propaganda material, INCLUDING 
THOSE DISTRLBUTED AND MADE AVAILABLE 
THROUGH THE INTERNET WHICH ARE calculated to 
promote the prohibited acts in the preceding subparagraph; 
(3) To solicit, enlist or in any manner attract or induce any 
Filipino woman to become a member in any club or 
association whose objective is to match women for marriage 
to foreign nationals (either) on mail-order basis (or) through 
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personal introduction OR THROUGH E-MAILS OR 
WEBSITES IN THE INTERNET for a fee; 
(4) To use the postal service AND THE INTERNET to 
promote the prohibited acts in subparagraph 1 hereof. 
(b) For the manager or officer-in-charge or advertising manager of 
any newspaper, magazine, television of any newspaper, magazine, 
television or radio station, or other media INCLUDING INTERNET 
WEBSITES 
AND 
OTHER 
SCHEMES 
MADE 
AVAILABLE 
THROUGH THE WORLDWIDE WEB, or of an advertising agency, 
printing company or other similar entities, to knowingly allow or consent 
to, the acts prohibited in the preceding paragraph.” 
SECTION 2. A new section is hereby added after Section 4 of R.A. No. 6955 as follows: 
“SEC. 5.A. 1MF’LEMENTlNG RULES AND REGULATIONS. - THE 
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA), THE DEPARTMENT OF 
TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION (DOTC), THE NATIONAL 
COMMISSION ON THE ROLE OF FILIPINO WOMEN (NCRFW), AND AT 
LEAST THREE (3) REPRESENTATIVES FROM NON-GOVERNMENT 
ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs), WHICH ARE ENGAGED IN ASSISTING 
VICTIMS OF MAIL-ORDER BRIDE AM) OTHER SCHEMES, SHALL BE 
CAHRGED WITH CARRYING OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT AND 
SHALL FORMULATE ITS IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS 
WITHIN NINETY (90) DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT.” 
SECTION 3. Separability Clause. - If any part hereof, is held invalid or unconstitutional, 
the remainder of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or ahended accordingly. 
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SECTION 5. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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