Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
With the mobility restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, use of the Internet has 
surged among Filipino, especially children. According to Kaspersky, today’s children 
started interacting with technology at an early age and it is imperative to provide a safe 
space for learning and growth while ensuring adequate protection from vulnerability to 
negative content and vices on the web.1 
Research links playing video games to negative effects on children’s physical functioning 
and behavior. It then becomes an imperative for the State to empower parents who, in 
accordance with Section 12, Article II of the 1987 Constitution, have the natural and 
primary right and duty in rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and their development of 
moral character.  
This bill aims to provide parents with useful information about the nature of video games 
to effectively manage their child’s recreational privileges through the creation of the 
Interactive Entertainment Rating Board (IERB). The IERB shall provide parents with 
necessary information on video games including arcades of family entertainment centers. 
The Board shall also promulgate regulations requiring manufacturers and sellers of video 
games to provide purchasers and users adequate information relating to violence or 
sexually explicit content of their video games. 
Further, this bill seeks to regulate the industry by securing registration and prior 
permission of the Board before the importation, exportation, production, reproduction, 
exhibition, showing, sale, lease, or disposition of video games by concerned 
stakeholders. The said permit issued by the Board will also be a requirement before 
1
https://manilastandard.net/tech/tech-news/351435/filipino-parents-urged-to-keep-an-eye-on-children-s-int
ernet-habits.html 
August 23, 2022
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securing a business permit or license from the appropriate authorities. In addition, the 
Board may also solicit the direct assistance of other agencies and units of the 
government and may deputize to perform the enforcement function of the Board. The bill 
also proposes a set of penalties for violators.  
 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.  
 
 
 
 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 
 
MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE   
 
 
 
 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA  
 
 
 
 
NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT 
OF THE INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT RATING BOARD 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be cited as “Interactive Entertainment Rating 
Act”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is a policy of the State to protect and promote 
the right of the people on matters of public concern. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(A) “Video games” and “video devices” mean any interactive computer game, including 
all software, framework and hardware necessary to operate a game available 
commercially; and 
(B) “Video game industry” means all manufacturers of video games and related 
products.
SECTION 4. The Interactive Entertainment Rating Board. 
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(A) Establishment. – There is established the Interactive Entertainment Rating Board, 
hereafter in this Act referred to as the “Board”, which shall be an independent 
establishment in the executive branch.  It shall have its principal office in Metro Manila 
and shall be under the Office of the President of the Philippines.   
 
The Board shall provide parents with information about the nature of video games which 
are used in homes or public areas, including arcades of family entertainment centers in 
accordance with such rules and regulations to be adopted by the Board.  
 
(B) Members of the Board. – The Board shall be composed of ten (10) members. No 
more than three (3) members shall be affiliated with any one (1) political party. The 
members shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines, and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate.  
 
All members shall be appointed within 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Each member shall serve until the termination of the Board. A vacancy on the Board shall 
be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.   
 
The President shall designate one (1) member as the Chairman of the Board.  He or 
she shall serve for a term of two (2) years, unless sooner removed by the President for 
any cause: Provided, That he or she shall be eligible for reappointment after the 
expiration of his or her term. If the chairman or any of the members fails to complete his 
or her term, any person appointed to fill the vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired 
portion of the term of the Board member whom he/she succeeds. 
 
(C) Qualifications. – No person shall be appointed to the Board, unless he is a 
natural-born citizen of the Philippines, not less than twenty-five (25) years of age, and of 
good moral character and standing in the community; Provided, That in the selection of 
the members of the Board due consideration shall be given to such qualifications as 
would produce a multi-sectoral combination of expertise in the various areas of the video 
game industry; Provided, further, That at least (2) members must be members of the 


 
 
Philippine Bar. 
 
(D) Allowances. – The Chairman, and members of the Board, shall be entitled to 
transportation, representation, and other allowances which shall in no case exceed 
Fifteen Thousand Pesos (P15,000.00) per month. 
 
The Board shall determine its organizational structure and its staffing pattern.  It shall 
have the power to suspend or dismiss for cause any employee and/or approve or 
disapprove the appointment, transfer or detail of employees.  It shall appoint the 
Secretary of the Board who shall be the official custodian of the records of the meetings 
of the Board and who shall perform such other duties and functions as directed by the 
Board. 
 
The Board may procure by contract, to the extent funds are available, the temporary or 
intermittent services of experts or consultants.  The Board shall give public notice of any 
such contract before entering into such contract. 
 
SECTION 5. Authority and Functions of the Board. – 
(A) Voluntary Standards.  – The Commission shall –  
(1) During the one-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and to the greatest extent practicable, coordinate with the video game 
industry in the development of a voluntary system of providing information 
concerning the contents of video games to purchasers and users; and  
(2) One (1) year after the date of enactment of this Act – 
(a)  Evaluate whether any voluntary standards proposed by the video game 
industry are adequate to warn purchasers and users about the violence or 
sexually explicit content of video games; and 
(b)  Determine whether the voluntary industry response is sufficient to 
adequately warn parents and users of the violence or sex content of video 
games. 
 


 
 
If before the end of the 1-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act 
the Board makes a determination of adequate industry response under paragraph 
(A)(2)(a) and a determination that sufficient voluntary standards are established, the 
Commission shall submit a report of such determinations and the reasons therefore to 
the President and the Congress; and terminate in accordance with Section 11. 
 
(B) Regulatory Authority. – Effective on and after the date occurring one (1) year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Board may promulgate regulations requiring 
manufacturers and sellers of video games to provide adequate information relating to 
violence or sexually explicit content of such video games to purchasers and users. 
 
SECTION 6. Applicability of Civil Service Law. – The Board and its officers and 
employees shall be subject to the Civil Service Law, rules and regulations; Provided, 
That technical personnel shall be selected on the basis of merit and fitness to be 
determined in accordance with such policies and guidelines as may be approved by the 
Board. 
 
SECTION 7. Auditor. – The Chairman of the Commission on Audit shall be the ex officio 
Auditor of the Board.  For this purpose, he may appoint a representative who shall be 
the auditor of the Board, together with the necessary personnel to assist said 
representative in the performance of his duties.  The number and salaries of the auditor 
and said personnel shall be determined by the Chairman of the Commission on Audit, 
subject to the rules and regulations of the Commission on Audit.  Said salaries and all 
other expenses of maintaining the auditor’s office shall be paid by the Board. 
 
The Auditor shall, as soon as practicable, but not later than three (3) months after the 
accounts have been submitted to audit, send an annual report to the Board. The Auditor 
shall also submit such periodic or special reports as the Board may deem necessary or 
proper. 
 
SECTION 8. Registration. – No person, whether natural or juridical, may engage in the 


 
 
importation, exportation, production, reproduction, exhibition, showing, sale, lease or 
disposition of video games unless such person is first registered with and permitted by 
the Board to operate as such. The registration with and permit issued by the Board is a 
condition precedent for securing a business permit or license from the appropriate 
authorities. 
 
SECTION 9. Assistance in the Enforcement Functions of the Board. – The Board 
may solicit the direct assistance of other agencies and units of the government, and may 
deputize, for a fixed and limited period, the heads or personnel of such agencies and 
units to perform enforcement function of the Board.  The government agencies and 
units exercising the enforcement functions for the Board shall, insofar as such functions 
are concerned, be subject to the direction and control of the Board. 
 
SECTION 10. Penalty. – Any person who violates any of the provisions of this Act or 
rules and regulations to be promulgated pursuant thereto, either as principal, accomplice 
or accessory, shall, upon conviction, suffer a mandatory penalty of three (3) months and 
one (1) day to one (1) year imprisonment plus a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand 
Pesos (P50,000.00) but not more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00).  
Should the offense be committed by a juridical person, the chairman, the president, 
secretary, treasurer, or the partner responsible therefore, shall be the person penalized. 
 
SECTION 11. Termination. – The Board shall terminate ninety (90) days after the Board 
submits a written determination to the President that voluntary standards are established 
that are adequate to warn purchasers of the violent or sexually explicit content of video 
games. The Board shall not be in existence for more than five (5) years. 
 
SECTION 12. Appropriations. – The sum of Three Million Pesos (P3,000,000.00) out of 
any available funds from the National Treasury is hereby appropriated and authorized to 
be released for the organization of the Board and its initial operations.  Henceforth, 
funds sufficient to fully carry out the functions and objectives of the Board shall be 
appropriated every fiscal year in the General Appropriations Act. 


 
 
 
All fees, revenues, and receipts of the Board from any and all sources shall be used to 
augment the funds to support the expenditures needed by the Board in the pursuit of its 
purposes and objectives and the exercise of its powers and functions, and for such other 
purposes as may hereafter be directed by the President of the Philippines. 
 
SECTION 13. Annual Reports. – The Board, in addition to the other reports required in 
this Act shall, within three months after the end of every fiscal year, submit its annual 
report to the President.  The annual report shall include, among others, a statement of 
the Board’s accomplishments together with its plans and recommendations to improve 
and develop its operations and the supervision and regulation of the video game 
industry. 
 
SECTION 14. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
 
SECTION 15. Repealing 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 16. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,