SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session
of fl;r ^F frftorjr
'17 
FEB 21 
P2-D4
S E N A T E  
S. B. No. 1340
RacrvfDB-.':
Intro d u ce d  by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZU BIR I
AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE IMPOSITION OF EXPIRY DATES ON 
GIFT CHECKS BY ISSUERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
It is a great loss and disadvantage to the bearer or owner of gift certificate, check, 
card or voucher if such has an expiry date and not used-up before the expiration date
especially if such gift certificate, check, card or voucher has been obtained in exchange 
for cash.
In a general sense, a gift certificate, check, card or voucher is, for all intents and 
purposes, good as cash. It is purchased with money and money having no expiry date, 
it follows that gift certificate, check, card or voucher must bear no expiry date.
It is a well-accepted view that since gift certificate, check, card or voucher is 
bought with money, it must also be redeemable until used-up by the holder or owner. 
Money does not expire unless it is already demonetized which rarely happens. So the 
same must apply to gift certificate, check, card or voucher.
Though the Department of Trade and Industry has already issued Department 
Administrative Order No. 10-04, S. 2010, which prohibits the issuance of gift certificate, 
check or card with expiry date by a supplier, it warrants that such policy be 
institutionalized through an enactment of Congress. Also, the Administrative Order does 
not clearly impose penalties for violators while this bill imposes hefty fines and other 
penalties for violators of the law. It begs to give teeth to the law through this bill so that 
violations will be minimized if not eliminated.
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is sought.
N MIGUEL F. ZUBIR I


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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session
of t!)» f r i a i f r i r ^
'17 
FEB 21 
P 2 fl4
RECEi\T.D BV;
S E N A T E
S. B. No. 13 4 0
Intro d u ce d  by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZU BIR I
AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE IMPOSITION OF EXPIRY DATES ON 
GIFT CHECKS BY ISSUERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
SECTON 1. S hort Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Gift Check Act o f 2017".
SEC. 2. Expiry Date Prohibition. -  The imposition of expiry date on gift certificate, 
check, card, voucher or other similar instrument is hereby prohibited. Gift certificate, 
check, card, voucher or other similar instrument shall be redeemable until all the 
monetary value or equivalent goods or services has been used up by the bearer.
SEC. 3. Coverage. -  This Act shall cover all types of gift certif cate, check, card, voucher 
or other similar instrument issued by an Issuer and obtained by the bearer in exchange 
for cash or won through a contest, raffe or lottery.
SEC. 4. 
Issuer. -  A commercial establishment or business entity which issues gift 
certifcate, check, card, voucher or other similar instruments.
SEC. 5. Exemptions. -  Exempted from the coverage of this Act are the following:
a) when the gift certifcate, check, card, voucher or other similar instrument issued 
is for a specifc event or activity with a def nite date/s such as but not limited to concert, 
movie, shows, special occasion and festival;
b) when the gift certifcate, check, card, voucher and other similar instrument is 
lost due to no fault to the issuer; and
c) when the gift certifcate, check, card, voucher and other similar instrument is 
mutilated or defaced due to no fault of the supplier and such damage prevents the 
supplier from identifying the security and authenticity features thereof.


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SEC. 6. Penalty. -  An Issuer who violates the provisions of this Act shall be fined the 
amount of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.) to Five Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(P500,000.) on the first offense and Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.) to One 
Million Pesos (P1,000,000.) on the second offense. 
A penalty of One Million Pesos 
(P I,000,000.) and revocation of business registration/permit shall be imposed to the 
Issuer on the third offense.
SEC. 7. Im plem enting Rules and Regulations. -  The Department of Trade and 
Industry shall issue the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act within ninety (90) 
days from the effectivity of this Act.
SEC. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,