PRES
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 352 g

Introduced by HON. MUJIV S. HATAMAN of the Lone District of Basilan

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The general principle of equality and non-discrimination is a fundamental element of the
1987 Constitution and various international human rights instruments.

Section 11, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that “(t)he State values
the dignity of every person and guarantees full respect for human rights.” Section I, Article III of
the Constitution also provides that “(n)o person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without
due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.”

‘The Philippines is recognized as among the first signatories to the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone document in the history of human rights. The
Preamble of the UDHR provides that “the recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and
inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and
peace in the world.” Section 2 of the UDHR specifically states that, “Everyone is entitled to all the

rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race,


color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth
or other status.”

The Philippines is also a signatory to important human rights treaties including the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The country is thus obliged to recognize and

apply appropriate laws to ensure each right’s fulfillment.

dis

Despi s a substan ction between and among the

these guarantees, there rem

major classes of people, especially in Mindanao — the Christian settlers (and their descendants),
the Muslims or Moro people, and the Indigenous Peoples. Oftentimes, their relationships have
been characterized by historical and current minoritization, marginalization and discrimination,
Just how pervasive is discrimination in our society? Case in point: In 2020, a memorandum
from the Philippine National Police (PNP) reportedly required the identification of Muslim
students in high schools, colleges, and universities in the National Capital Region for “close
monitoring, networking and liaising activities with Muslim communities in addressing terrorism
and lawless violence, and to ensure respect of cultural diversity and cooperation.” This
representation immediately denounced this proposal, and called it a “discriminatory measure” and

a “dangerous precedent.”

The challenge facing the government in stemming the tide of discrimination requires

concerted efforts at the national level. During the 18" Congress, the House of Representatives

passed on third and final reading House Bill No. 8243, the proposed Equality and Non-

Discrimination on Race, Ethnicity, and Religion Act, which penalizes anyone who would commit

* hutps://www.rappler.convnation/252313-metro-manila-police-profile-muslim-students-anti-extremism-campaign/
2 https:/www.crnphilippines.com/news/2017/07/08/Muslim-only-1D-discrimination.html


discriminatory acts based on race, ethnicity and religion in the Philippines. Unfortunately, the
Senate failed to approve its final version of the measure.

This representation therefore refiles this measure as a holistic response on the fight against
discrimination. The bill prohibits the discriminatory portrayal of groups as religiously, racially or
ethnically inferior in learning institutions, books, learning materials and teaching devices. It
particularly stipulates penalties on acts of racial discrimination in employment, political
participation, education, delivery of goods, facilities and services, among others.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought.

HON. MUJIV S. HATAMAN
Lone District of Basilan



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3526

AN ACT PROTECTING AND PROMOTING THE RIGHTS TO EQUALITY AND N
DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF RACE, ETHNICITY AND RELIGION

Introduced by HON. MUJIV S. HATAMAN of the Lone District of Basilan

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 “Equality and Non-Discrimination on

Race, Ethni

and Religion Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ As enshrined in the Constitution, it is the policy of the State to:

a.

Maintain peace and order, protect life, liberty and property, and to promote the general
welfare for the enjoyment of the blessings of democracy by all people;

Promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence
of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social
services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living and an improved quality of
lifes

Recognize and promote the rights of indigenous cultural communities within the
framework of national unity and development; and

Give the highest priority to the enactment of measures that shall protect and enhance the
right of all people to human dignity; reduce social, economic and political inequalities; and
remove cultural inequities by equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the
common good.

It is also the policy of the State to uphold human dignity and equality of all persons,
regardless of race, age, gender, ethnicity or religion, consistent with its obligations as State


Party to various international human rights instruments, particularly the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International
Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Rights
Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women. As such the state shall not allow the commission of acts which directly or
indirectly derogate these fundamental human rights.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. ~ As used in this Act:

a. Discrimination refers to any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference made on the basis
of race color, descent, national or ethnic origin, religion, or religious affiliation or beliefs which
has the effect or purpose of impairing or millifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise on
an equal footing, of the human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political economic
social cultural, civil or any other field of public life of a person. Discrimination includes
incitement to discrimination and harassment.

b. Education and Training refers to all types and levels of education and training, and shall
include access, standard and quality of education and training, and the conditions under which
these are given.

©. Employment refers to the condition where an employer-employee relationship exists as
determined by existing law and jurisprudence, including those pertaining to terms, conditions
and privileges relating to work in public and private institutions, such as recruitment policies,
application procedures, training, incentives, compensation, determination of benefits or
allowances, promotion, advancement opportunities, transfer and dismissal.

d. Ethnic Origin refers to the classification of people based on common color, racial, national,
tribal, religious, ethno-linguistic or cultural origin or background.

¢. Ethno-Enguistic Group refers to a group of people that shares a distinct language, cultural
inheritance and history that give them a unique identify and which has racial, ethnic and
religious bases.

f. Goods and Services refers to the material and non-material products or things of value offered
for sale to satisfy needs and wants for survival, comfort, or pleasure such as those provided by
restaurants, resorts, hotels, clubs, stores and shopping malls; or acts or services provided by
credit or financial establishments, public utilities and services, professionals, maintenance and
repair workers, laborers and similar workers.

g. Housing and other accommodation refer to a house, apartment, condominium, townhouse,
flat, motel, boarding house, hotel, dormitory, shelter, elderly home, rehabilitation facility,
orphanage, health facility including a mental health facility, detention center, camping ground
and other analogues places.

h. Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous peoples refer to a group of people or
homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, who have
continuously lived as an organized community on communally bounded and defined territory
and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed and
utilized such territories, sharing common bonds of language, customs, tradition and other
distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural
inroads of colonization, non-indi jous and culture, become historically
differentiated from the majority of Filipinos, Indigenous cultural communities and indigenous



peoples shall likewise include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their
descent from the populations which inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or
colonization, or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the
establishment of present state boundaries, who retain some or all of their own social, economic,
cultural and political institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional
domains or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains.

i. Religious Affiliation or Belief refers to the profession or non-profession of religion or beliefs
of one’s choice that may be publicly manifested in worship, practice and teaching.

J. Stereotype refers to a thought adopted about specific kinds of religions or ethnicities or persons
who practice a specific religion or who belong to a specific ethnic background, specifically
with reference to their beliefs and ways of doing things, which are based upon oversimplified
opinions or intolerant attitudes, regardless of whether such thoughts or beliefs accurately
reflect reality.

k. Stereotyping refers to any act or combination of acts which result in the singling out or
profiling of a person or class of persons based on a stereotype as defined in the immediately
preceding paragraph, which results in a derogatory attitude towards any person or any
derogatory treatment against such person or class of persons.

1. Vehicle refers to a train, ship, bus, taxi, car, or aircraft, and such other forms of public
conveyance and transport.

SEC. 4. Acts of Discrimination. — It is unlawful for any person, natural or juridical, to perform
any act involving a distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color, descent or
national or ethnic origin, religion, or religious affiliation or beliefs which has the purpose or effect
of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise on an equal footing of any human
right or fundamental freedom in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field of
public life.

An act is deemed discriminatory when a person requires another person to comply with a
term, condition or requirement which are not reasonable, having regard to the
circumstances of the case; or the other person does not or cannot comply with the term,
condition or requirement; and the requirement to comply has the purpose or effect of
nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise on an equal footing by
persons of the same race, color, descent or national or ethnic origin, religion, or religious
affiliation or beliefs.

SEC. 5. Prohibited Acts. ~The following acts of n, when committed on the basis of
race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin, religion, or religious affiliation or beliefs against a
person or any of one’s relative, representative or assignee of that person, are deemed
discriminatory, and shall be prohibited:

a. Discrimination in Political Participation. — A person acting as principal or as an agent
shall be held liable for the commission of any of the following acts:

1) Preventing, impeding, prohibiting, obstructing, or intervening in the exercise of
political rights by another, including the right to vote and be voted upon in a national
or local election, both regular or special, or in a plebiscite, both initiative or referendum;


2) Imposing onerous terms before these political rights are granted, preserved or
protected; or

3) Subjecting another person who wants to exercise a political right to any act of
dis ic

nation in Employment. —

‘An employer or head of a firm, company or organization shall be held liable for any of the
following discriminatory acts:

a. Refusing or failing to employ another for work of any type or kind which is
available and for which the person is qualified, or by imposing on the person onerous
terms or conditions:

b. Denying or limiting access of an employee to the same terms and conditions of
work, opportunities for training, transfer or promotion, or to other benefits connected
with the employment as are made available for other employees having the same
qualifications and employed in the same circumstances or work of the same kind or
type, or by imposing on the person onerous terms and conditions; or

c. Dismissing an employee, or subjecting an applicant for employment or an
employee to any act of discrimination on account of one’s employment.

2) A person acting as principal or agent in procuring employment for other persons or
procuring employees for an employer shall be held liable for treating an applicant
seeking employment less favorably than another person in the same circumstances who
is likewise seeking employment.

3) A person acting as principal or agent of any organization of employers or employees,
or any person acting or purporting to act on behalf of such organization, shall be liable
for preventing or seeking to prevent a person from offering employment to another or
for preventing the continued employment of a person; and

ible for providing the proper facilities mandated by law to those whose
ies reduce their range of mobility who fails to make reasonable efforts
to make these facilities available or accessible.

4) A person respo

Discrimination in Education and Training. — A person who heads or owns an educational
or training institution, including any officer, employee or person acting on behalf of the
head or owner of such institution shall be liable for any of the following discriminatory
acts:

1) Refusing or failing to admit a student, or expelling a student from an educational or
training institution on the basis of religious affiliation or belief, without prejudice to
the right of educational institutions to determine the academic qualifications and non-
academic training requirements of their students;

2) Denying or limiting access of a student to any benefit or privilege provided by the
institution;



3) Failing to make reasonable efforts to make facilities accessible to people whose
disabilities reduce their range of mobility; and

4) Subjecting the student to any other act discrimination against one’s right to relevant
education and training,

. Discrimination in the Delivery of Goods and Services. — A person acting as principal or
agent who supplies goods or services to the public or to any section of the public shall be
liable for any of the following discriminatory acts:

1) Refusing or failing on demand to supply those goods or services to a person;

2) Refusing or failing on demand to supply those goods or services to another person
except on less favorable terms or conditions than those upon whom they would
otherwise supply those goods or services; or

3) Subjecting another person to any other act of discrimination in connection with the
provision of goods or services.

4) Denying access to medical or health services open to the general public, and denying
application for a license, clearance, certification or any other document issued by
government authorities or other entities, with no lawful, valid or reasonable grounds.

Discrimination in the Acquisition, Possession, Utilization, Lease or Disposal of Lands,
including Housing and other Accommodations. -

A person acting as principal or agent in the acquisition, possession, utilization, leasing or
disposal of lands or interest thereof, including housing and other accommodations, shall be
liable for any of the following discriminatory acts:

a. Refusing or failing to accept or process the application for any land or interest thereof:
including housing and other accommodations;

b. Disposing of such land or interest, or housing and other accommodations to another
person on less favorable terms or conditions than those which are or would otherwise
be offered;

c. Treating another person who is seeking to acquire or has acquired an estate, land or

interest thereof, housing and other accommodations less favorably than to others in
the same circumstances;

d. Refusing to permit another person to occupy any estate, land, housing and other
accommodations;

e. Excluding any estate, land or interest thereof of another person or rejecting the right
of another person to occupy any estate, land or housing and other accommodations;

f.  Subjecting an applicant to any other act of discrimination in the acquisition,
possession, utilization, lease or disposal od estate, land or interest thereof, housing
and other accommodations; and

g. Imposing or seeking to impose on another person any term or condition that limits
the persons or class of persons who may be the clients, visitors or guests of any land
or residential or business accommodation, on the basis of any grounds that would
constitute discrimination.



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3)

4)

5)
6)

Discrimination in Access to Public Places, Facilities and Public Meetings. — A. person
acting as principal or agent shall be liable for any of the following discriminatory acts:

Refusing to allow another person access to or use of any place, vehicle or facilities that the
general public or section thereof is entitled or allowed to enter or use;

Refusing to allow another person access to or use of any such place, vehicle or facilities by
providing onerous terms of conditions not similar to others who are allowed access to or
use of the place, vehicle, or facilities;

Refusing to allow another person access to a meeting or assembly open to the general
public or to a section thereof, or refusing to allow another access to a meeting or assembly
by providing onerous terms or conditions not similar to others to which they would
otherwise allow access to a meeting or assembly;

Requiring another person to leave or to stop the use of any public place, vehicle or any
such facilities;

Subjecting a person to a denial of access to public places, facilities or public meetings; or
Failing to make reasonable efforts to make facilities accessible to people whose disabilities
reduce their range of mobility.

Discrimination in Advertisements/Mass Media ~ It shall be unlawful for a person to
publish or display, or cause or permit to be published or displayed, an advertisement or
notice that indicates or could reasonably be understood as an act of discrimination. Any
person acting as principal or agents shall be liable for discrimination for:

Portraying certain persons in movies, films, and advertisements on television and other
audio-visual forms and other publicity accessible documents as stupid, barbaric, savage,
y, wild, ignorant, stupid and similar degrading or unrealistic portrayals; or

Publishing, displaying, or causing or permitting to be published or displayed an
advertisement or notice that indicates or could reasonably be understood as an act of
discrimination.

Discrimination by Wrongful Portrayal. — A person acting as principal or agent shall be
held liable for portraying, imitating, depicting or describing in learning. institutions,
instructional materials, teaching devices, books and reference materials, especially in
Civics and History, certain individuals and/or group’s as inferior religiously, racially or
ethnically.

Discrimination through Speech, Utterances, Acts of Hatred and Similar Acts. — Any
person shall be held liable for delivering speechless or making utterances, performing acts

S
of hatred or violence against another person, or mocking or ridiculing another person on
account of one’s ethnicity, race, or religious affiliation or belief.

Discrimination through Analogous Acts that Result in Impairment of the Enjoyment of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. — A person acting as principal or agent shall
be liable for analogous acts which have the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the
recognition, enjoyment or exercise of the person’s human rights and fundamental freedoms
in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil spheres or any other field of public life,



and where such rights and freedoms are guaranteed and consistent with relevant
intemational human rights instruments to which the Philippines is a State Party thereof,
and where such analogous acts are committed on the basis of race, color, descent, national
or ethnic origin, religion, or religious affiliation or beliefs.

k. Discrimination by Engaging in Profiting. — A person acting as principal or agent,
including any member of the military or law enforcement agencies, shall be held liable for
subjecting a person or a group or groups of persons to investigatory activities, such as
unnecessary, unjustified, illegal and degrading searches and similar acts, which are
unlawful, immoral or socially unacceptable.

|. Discrimination through Abuses of State and Non-State Actors. — A government official
or employee of any government official or employee of any government agency or
corporation, local government unit, police, military, or any law enforcement agency,
including non-estate actors, shall be liable if that official or employee commits acts of
harassment, verbally or physically, to curtail freedom of movement of any person or group
of persons, or to extort a favor from the latter, whether financial or not. These shall include
acts of involuntary detaining or confining a person or group of persons. These shall not
include legitimate orders issued by persons in authority or courts of justice.

SEC. 6. Person/s Liable. - Any person, natural or juridical, including a government agency or a
private corporation, institution or company, who performs a discriminatory act as described in the
proceeding section shall be liable under this Act.

SEC. 7. Inciting Others to Commit Acts of Discrimination, — Any person acting principal or agent
shall be liable for:
a. Inciting the performance of an act that is unlawful by reason of an act that is unlawful by
reason of a provision of this Act; or
b. Assisting or promoting, whether by financial assistance or otherwise, the performance or
perpetration of such an act.

SEC. 8. Creation of a Non-discrimination and Equal Opportunity Committee. - In order to
ensure compliance with this Act, all agencies, corporations, companies, organizations, and
educational and/or training institutions, whether private or public, as well as any person providing
employment, housing, education and the delivery of basic goods and services shall create a Non-
Discrimination and equal Opportunity Committee, hereinafter referred to as the Non-
Discrimination Committee, hereinafter referred to as the Non-Discrimination Committee, which
shall exercise administrative jurisdiction to investigate acts and practices of discrimination under
this Act.

‘The Non-Diserimination Committee shall conduct the initial investigation of ca
discrimination on the basis of race, ethnic background, religion, religious affiliation or beliefs.
‘The result and findings of such investigation shall be referred to the appropriate government
agencies for resolution, settlement or prosecution.



Any administrative sanction on the perpetrator of discrimination shall not be a bar to any
prosecution in the proper courts on any act of discrimination committed on the basis of race,
ethnic background, religion, religious, affiliation, religious beliefs, or to any civil claims for
damages suffered by the victims of discrimination.

The failure of any juridical entity, whether public or private, to ensure effective implementation
of this provision shall be deemed refusal to address discrimination and shall be considered as
an act of discrimination, subject to the penalty provided for in Section || hereof.

SEC. 9. Duty of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). ~ \t shall be the duty of the
Commission on Human Rights (CHR), in coordination with the National Commission on
Indigenous People (NCIP), the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), the Civil
Service Commission and other relevant government agencies, to protect and promote the right of
all persons against discrimination. Towards this end, the CHR shall:

a. Assist government agencies in the development and review of procedures for the
investigation, resolution, settlement, or prosecution of acts of discrimination;

b. Monitor the implementation of this Act by agencies, corporations, companies,
organizations and educational and/or training institutions, whether private or public;

c. Promulgate appropriate rules and regulations for the investigation of discrimination
cases and the administrative sanctions therefor;

. Establish guidelines and mechanisms that will facilitate access of discriminated persons
to legal remedies under the Act and related laws, and enhance the protection and
promotion of the rights of the Filipino people against discrimination;

e. Coordinate with the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED), state universities and colleges, public or private, and technical
education and skills development authority (TESDA) for the promotion of
understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity in schools and other learning
modalities, and ensuring that books, reference materials, and other learning resources
used in education programs are free from discriminatory content;

£ Conduct consultations with indigenous peoples, ethno-linguistic groups and religious

ions or religious commu s; and

g. Assist in the filing of cases against individuals, agencies, institutions, or
establishments, whether public or private, that violate the provision of this Act. For this
purpose, the CHR shall:

1) Provide legal assistance to victims of discrimination such as through the
preparation of necessary pleadings, referral letters, and counseling,

2) Forge Memoranda of Agreement with lawyers’ associations, non-
governmental organizations, law firms and organizations that provide legal aid
to vic of discrimination to ensure adequate and competent legal
representation for the complainants;

3) Accredit lawyers who will accept cases under this Act, pro bono; and

4) Create an efficient system of case referrals to appropriate government
department agencies.



SEC. 10. Responsibility to promote a Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Environment.
= It shall be the duty of every person, natural or juridical, public or private, to ensure non-
discrimination and equal opportunity to all persons when relating to actual or prospective
employees, students, tenants, customers, or clients and that no discriminatory acts, as defined
herein, are committed by them or their agents.

All government officers and workers are likewise obliged to promote and observe equality and
non-discrimination in the discharge of their duties and respor

SEC. 11. Common Penal Provisions. — Any person found liable for violating any provision of this
Act shalll penalized by arresto mayor or imprisonment for a period of not less than thirty (30) days
or not more than six (6) months and/or a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos (10,000) nor
more than one hundred thousand pesos (100,000), taking into consideration the circumstances and
gravity of the offense, and the following conditions:

a. The penalty provided under this Act shall be imposed in its maximum period if the offender
has been previously convicted under this Act;

b. When the offender is a corporation, partnership or association, the officer, agent or
employee thereof who is responsible for the violation of this Act shall suffer the penalty
imposed in its maximum period;

c. The penalty provided herein shall be imposed in its maximum period when the perpetrator
is an ascendant, parent, guardian, stepparent, or collateral relative within the second degree
of consanguinity or affinity of the victim, or is the manager or owner of an establishment
which has no license to operate or whose license has expired or has been previously
revoked:

d. The offender who is a foreigner shall be deported immediately after service of sentence
and shall be perpetually barred entry into the country;

e. The penalty provided for in this act shall be imposed in its maximum period if the offender
isa public official, officer or employee provided, that the penalty of suspension shall also
be imposed.

SEC. 12. Administrative Proceedings and Sanctions. — Upon finding by the Non-Discrimination
Committee that a department, agency, or instrumentality of government, government-owned and
controlled corporation, or local government unit has violated any provision of this Act and its
implementing rules and regulations, the sanctions under administrative law, civil service law, rules
and regulations, or other appropriate laws shall be recommended to the Civil Service Commission,
or the Department of Interior and Local Government, in the case government officials or
employees, or to the Department of Labor, in the case of officers and employees of private
corporations or entities. The person directly responsible for the violation as well as the head of the
agency ot local chief executive shall be held liable under this Act.

The failure of a head of agency, government official or employee whose duty is to prosecute or
otherwise act on a complaint for a violation of this Act shall constitute neglect of duty on the part
of such official or employee.


SEC. 13. Reparation to Victims. - In addition to existing laws and procedural rules or reparation
to victims, the following measures shall be undertaken:

a. The court, administrative agency, or quasi-judicial body shall follow the principles relating
to the reparations to, or in respect of, victims, including restitution, compensation and
rehabilitation. In their decisions, the court, administrative agency, or quasi-judicial body
may, cither upon request or on their own violation, in exceptional circumstances,
determine the scope and extent of any damage, loss or injury to the victims, stating therein
the principles on which they are acting:

b. The court administrative agency, or quasi-judicial body may make an order directly
against a person convicted by a judgement that has become final and executory, specifying
appropriate reparation to, or in respect of victims, including restitution, compensation and
rehabilitation; and

¢. Before making an order under this section, the court, administrative agency, or quasi-
judicial body shall invite and shall consider representation from or on behalf of the
convicted person, victims or other interested persons.

Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as prejudicing the rights of victims under
national or international law.

SEC. 14. Appropriations. - The Chairperson of the CHR shall include in the CHR’s program the
implementation of this Act, the initial funding of which shall be charged against the current
appropriation of the Commission. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued
implementation of this Act, shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).

SEC. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). — The CHR, in consultation with the NCIP,
CME, and other stakeholders shall, within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.
Promulgate the rules and regulations to implement it.

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. ~ Any provision of law or regulation inconsistent herewith is hereby
repealed, revoked or modified accordingly

SEC. 17. Separability Clause —\f any portion of this Act is declared as unconstitutional or invalid,
the remaining portions not affected thereby shall continue to have force and effect.

SEC. 18. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.