SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBL~ 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.No. 
2455 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
'14 
NOV 18 Pl :44 
STRENGTHENING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7610, ALSO KNOWN AS THE SPECIAL 
PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AGAINST ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND 
DISCRIMINATION ACT 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 15, Section 3, paragraph 2, provides: 
Section 3. The State shall defend: 
2. The right of children to assistance, including proper care and 
nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, 
exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development; 
I, 
Republic Act No. 7610, also known as the .special Protection of Children Against 
Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, defines and penalizes child prostitution and 
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other sexual abuse. However, according to M~ette Rimando, a spokeswoman for the 
U.No'S International Labour Organization'S Manila office, an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 
children in the Philippines were involved in prostitution rings in 2010.1 This shows that 
despite the law, there is still a large number of prostituted children in the country. 
It should be noted that R.A. No. 7610 does not specifically provide for the 
indemnification of child victims, instead, it leaves the determination of the fine to the 
court. The fine is then imposed and administered as a cash fund by the Department of 
I http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/19/angeles.philippines/index.html 
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Social Welfare and Development and disbursed for the rehabilitation of each child 
victim. 
To serve as a deterrent to the proliferation of child prostitution in the Philippines, 
it is imperative for the State to impose stiffer penalties against those involved or engaged 
in child prostitution and child abuse. This bill therefore proposes to strengthen R.A. No. 
7610 by providing a specific range for the fines to be imposed against the perpetrator of 
the crime, in addition to the penalty of incarceration. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLI~ 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENA\rE 
S.No. 2ls5 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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{t9th~r t1~ tilt, "~I'(rvhn ~ 
'14 
NOV 18 P 1 :43 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
STRENGTHENING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7610, ALSO KNOWN AS THE SPECIAL 
3 
PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AGAINST ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND 
4 
DISCRIMINATION ACT 
5 
SECTION 1. A new paragraph Section 5-A is hereby inserted after Section 5(c) of 
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,Republic Act No. 7610, also known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, 
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Exploitation and Discrimination Act, to read as follows: 
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"Section 5-A. Additional penalties. - Those found guilty of violating 
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any of the enumerated acts under the immediately preceding section, shall, 
lOin addition to suffering incarceration, indemnify the victim with a fine of 
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not less than I!500,000 and not more that I!2,OOO,OOO, at the discretion of 
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the court. Provided, that those found guilty of lascivious conduct shall 
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indemnify the victim with a fine of not ~e~s than I!300,OOO and not more 
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than I!SOO,OOO, at the discretion of the court." 
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SECTION 2. A new paragraph Section 6-A is hereby inserted after Section 6 of 
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Republic Act No. 7610, to read as follows: 
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"Section 6-A. Additional penalty. - Those found guilty of attempting 
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to commit child prostitution, as defined in the immediately preceding 
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section, shall, in addition to suffering incarceration, indemnify the victim 
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with a fine of not less than 11125,000 imd not more that 11 300,000, at the 
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discretion of the court." 
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SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
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or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
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accordingly. 
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SECTION 3. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
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its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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Imamt12nov 14 
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