FOURTEENTI- - _ _  
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First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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SENATE 
S. B. No. 
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7 CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State subscribes to the view that discrimination against women is incompatible with 
human dignity and constitutes disrespect for human rights. In fact, the Constitution, Article 11, 
Section 14 provides: 
“The State recognizes the role of women in nation building and shall 
ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men.” 
Towards this end, there is a need to review and consequently amend existing laws which 
are contrary to this fmdamental principle to remove unjustified gender discrimination in our 
legal system. 
The Penal Code, Article 202, which penalizes vagrancy and prostitution, is one of these. 
While men also engage in prostitution, it is unfortunate that only women are penalized in this 
article. 
The proposed measure seeks lo address this by engendering the offense so as to allow the 
prosecution of male prostitutes. 
This bill is a consolidation of related bills submitted during the Tenth Congress before the 
coininittee on constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws, of which the 
undersigned chaired.* 
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 1315 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
AMENDING ARTICLE 202, PARAGRAPH 5 OF THE PENAL CODE, 
DEGENDERIZING PROSTITUTION AND PROVIDING PENALTIES 
FOR PERSONS WHO ENGAGE THEIR SERVICES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assem bled: 
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Solicitation Act of 2007.” 
SECTION 2. Paragraph 5, Article 202 of the Penal code is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“5. Prostitutes [.I AND THEIR CLIENTS. 
“For the purposes of this article, PERSONS [women] who, for money or 
profit, habitually indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct are deemed 
to be prostitutes. 
“PERSONS WHO ACTUALLY SOLICIT, ENGAGE OR EMPLOY THE 
SERVICES OF PROSTITUTES, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ARE 
DEEMED CLIENTS OF PROSTITUTES. 
“Any person found guilty of any of the offenses covered by this article 
shall be punished by arvesto menor or a fine not exceeding Two Hundred Pesos 
(P200.00), and in case of recidivism, by arrest0 mayor in its medium period to 
prision correccional in its minimum period or a fine ranging from Two Hundred 
to Two Thousand Pesos (P2,OOO.OO) or both, AT [in] the discretion of the court 
[.I: PROVIDED, THAT IN THE CASE OF A CLIENT AS DEFINED IN THIS 
ARTICLE, HE OR SHE SHALL BE PUNISHED BY ARREST0 MAYOR OR A 
FINE NOT EXCEEDING FIVE HUNDRED PESOS (P500.00) AND nU THE 
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CASE OF RECIDIVISM, BY PNISION CORRECCIONAL IN ITS MEDIUM 
PERIOD TO PRISION CORRECCIONAL IN ITS MAXIMUM PERIOD OR A 
FINE NOT EXCEEDING FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P5,000.00), OR BOTH, 
AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COURT. 
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valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 3. 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 
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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 provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 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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