THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T  
S. B. No. 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 14 recognizes the role of women in nation 
building. This mandate requires the State to give women opportunities that will enhance 
their welfare and realize their full potential in the service of the nation. 
The active participation and involvement of women in the field of 
business must be enhanced especially at this time when the country is 
economic setbacks. 
The bill, thus, seeks to empower women in the business enterprise by developing 
a national program and creating an interagency committee on women's business 
enterprise. 


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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
’C./! 
,.iiJ!- 2-j ‘s’j Tj4 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
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S. B. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
CREATING A NATIONAL WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE POLICY AND 
PRESCRIBING ARRANGMENTS FOR DEVELOPING, COORDINATING AND 
IMPLEMENTING A NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR WOMEN’S ENTERPRISE. 
Beit-enacted Z$ the Senate and the House of Representatives ofthe Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title.- This Act may be cited as “Women’s Business 
Enterprise Act”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared to be the policy of the 
state to advance the interest of Filipino women by providing avenues to enhanc their 
entrepreneurial skills and to facilitate, preserve and strengthen women’s b siness 
enterprise and to ensure full participation by women in the free enterprise system. I 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(1) “Women-owned business” means a business that is at least fifty one percent 
(510/) owned by a woman or women who also control and operate it. “Control” in this 
context means exercising the power to make policy decisions. “Operate” in this context 
means being actively involved in the day-to-day management. 
(2) “Women’s business enterprise” means any women-owned business or 
businesses or the efforts of a woman or women to establish, maintain or develop such a 
business or businesses. 
SECTION 4. Interagency Committee on Women’s Business Enterprise. - There is 
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hereby estzblished aninteragency Committee on Women’s Business Enterprise. 


(1) The Chairperson of the Committee shall be appointed by the President of the 
Philippines. The Chairperson shall be the presiding officer of the Committee and shall 
have such duties as prescribed in this Act or by the Committee in its rules of procedure. 
The Chairperson may also represent his or her department, agency or office on the 
committee. 
(2) The Committee shall be composed of the Chairperson and other members 
appointed by the heads of departments and agencies from among high level policymaking 
officials. In making these appointments, the recommendations of the Chairperson shall be 
taken into consideration. The following departments and agencies and such other 
departments and agencies as the Chairperson shall select shall be members of the 
committee: the Departments of Agriculture; Trade and Industry; Defense; Energy; Health, 
Interior and Local Government; 
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Justice; and Labor and Employment. These members 
shall have a vote. Non-voting members shall include the Executive Director of the 
Committee and at least one but no more than three representatives from the Office of the 
President appointed by the President. 
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(3) The Committee shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the Chairperson, and 
at such other times as may be determined to be useful according to the rules of pro edure 
adopted by the Committee. 
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SECTION 5. Functions of the Commiftee. - The Committee shall in a manner 
consistent with law: 
(1) Promote, coordinate and monitor the plans, programs and operations of the 
departments and agencies o f  the Executive Branch which may contribute to the 
establishment, preservation and strengthening of women’s business enterprise with the 
cooperation of the departments and agencies. 
(2) Establish such policies, definitions, procedures and guidelines to govern the 
implementation, interpretation and applications of this Act, and generally perform such 
functions and take such steps as the Committee may deem to be necessary or appropriate 
to achieve the purposes and carry out the provision hereof. 


(3) Promote the mobilization of activities and resources of the State 
governments, business and trade and associations, private industry, 
universities, foundations, professional organizations and volunteer and other 
toward the growth of women’s business and enterprise, and facilitate the coordination of 
the efforts of these groups with those of the departments and agencies. 
(4) Make an annual assessment of the progress made in the government toward 
assisting women’s business enterprise to enter the mainstream of business ownership and 
to provide recommendations for further actions to the President. 
(5) Convene and consult as necessary with persons inside and outside the 
government and private sector investigations and studies of the problems of women 
entrepreneurs, and promote further research into such problems. 
(6) Consider the findings and recommendations of government and private sector 
investigations and studies of the problem of women entrepreneurs, and promote further 
research into such problems. 
(7) Design a comprehensive and innovative plan for a joint government and 
private sztor effort g-develop increased numbers of new women-owned businesses. The 
plan should set specific, reasonable and identifiable costs, and should provide for the 
measurement of progress towards these targets at the end of two to five (2-5) years. 
Related outcomes such as income and tax revenues generated, jobs created, new products 
and services introduced or new domestic or foreign markets created should also be 
projected and measured in relation to costs wherever possible. The 
submit the plan to the President for approval within six months of the 
this Order. 
SECTION 6. Responsibilities of Executive Departments and Agencies. - Within 
the constraints of statutory authority and as otherwise permitted by law: 
(1) Each department and agency of the Executive branch shall take appropriate 
action to facilitate, preserve and strengthen women’s business enterprise and to ensure 
full participation by women in the free enterprise system. 


(2) 
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depament and agency shall take affirmative action in support of 
women’s business enterprise in appropriate programs and activities including but not 
limited to: 
a. management, technical, financial and procurement assistance; 
b. business-related education, training, counseling and information dissemination; 
and 
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c. procurement. 
(3) Each department of ‘agency empowered to extend government fi &cia1 
assistance to any program and activity shall issue regulations requiring the recipient of 
such assistance to take appropriate affirmative action in support of women’s business 
enterprise on the ground o f  sex. For purposes of this Section, financial assistance means 
assistance extended by way of grant cooperative agreement, loan and guaranty. These 
regulations shall prescribe sanctions for non-compliance. Unless athenvise specified by 
law, no agency sanctions shall be applied until the agency or department concerned has 
advised the appropriated person or persons of the failure to comply with its regulations 
and has determined that compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means. 
(4) For purposes of this Act, affirmative action may include, but is not limited to 
creating or supporting new programs responsive to the special needs of women’s bbsiness 
enterprise, collecting and disseminating information in support of women’s business 
enterprise, and insuring to women’s business enterprise knowledge of and ready access to 
business related services and resources. If in implementing this Act, an agency 
undertakes to use or to require compliance with numerical set-asides, or similar measures, 
it shall state the purpose of such measure, and the measure shall be designed on the basis 
of pertinent factual findings of discrimination against women’s business enterprise and 
the need for such measure. 
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SECTION 7. Legal Guidance. - In carrying out their responsibilities under 


SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION. 9%q~ealing 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 amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION. 10. Eflectivity Clnuse. - This Act shall take effect fifteen 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circuIation. 
Approved 
Fn: 705