FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The United States' National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health warns that 
exposure to noise at 100 decibels is safe for only 15 minutes. The federal agency cautions that 
permanent hearing loss can result from eight hours of exposure to any noise measuring 85 
decibels or above. In a test of 33 motorcycles, audiologists at Florida's College of Public Health 
and Health Professions determined that nearly half produced sounds above 100 decibels when 
throttled up. That is equal to a chainsaw or loud music. 
In addition to the obvious unwanted effect of hearing loss, noise can cause other health 
issues as well. It increases blood pressure, has negative cardiovascular effects such as changing 
the way the heart beats, increases breathing rate, disturbs digestion, can cause an upset stomach 
or ulcer, can negatively impact a developing fetus, perhaps contributing to premature birth, and 
makes it difficult to sleep, even after the noise stops. 
These are preventable health risks which this legislation seeks to address. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
8 ,I& 
29 
7 
1.1 ; 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
%No. ; 2 4 c  
_1 '~I, 
I ~
~
€
~
~
IJ'L . .k..
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT TO REGULATE THE NOISE EMISSION OF MOTORCYCLES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. DeBnitions. As used in this Act; 
a. A-weighted sound level shall mean the sound pressure level measured by the use of 
an instrument with metering characteristics and A-weighting frequency response prescribed for 
sound level meters. 
b. Sound pressure level shall mean twenty times the algorithm to the base ten of the 
ratio of the root mean squared pressure of a sound to a reference pressure of twenty 
10 
micropascals. The unit applied to this measure shall be the decibel (dB). 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
SECTION 2. Noise Limit. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be 
operated on any road, lane, or highway any motorcycle, at any time, under any condition of 
grade, load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner as to exceed the applicable A-weighted 
sound level set forth in Table I. The maximum allowable sound levels in Table I are based on a 
sound level measured at, or adjusted to, a distance of fifty feet from the center of the lane in 
which the motorcycle is traveling. 
1 


1 
TABLE I 
60 kilometers per hour or less 
Over 60 Kilometers per hour 
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE 
Maximum Speed Limit 
A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS 
82 dB(A) 
86 &(A) 
I 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
SECTION 3. Other Noise Related Prohibitions. No person shall operate a motorcycle 
which is: 
a) Not equipped with a muffler to prevent excessive or unusual noise; 
b) Equipped with a muffler from which the baffle plates, screens or other original 
internal parts have been removed or altered; 
c) Equipped with an exhaust device without internal baffles, known as “straight pipes”; 
d) Equipped with an exhaust system that has been modified in a manner that will 
amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of such vehicle above that emitted 
by the exhaust system originally installed on the vehicle; 
e) Equipped with an exhaust device that is intentionally designed to allow for the 
internal baffling to be fully or partially removed or interchangeable. 
SECTION 4. Penalty - Any violation of section 2 and 3 of this Act ~ ~ 1 1 1  
be punishable 
by a penalty of Five Thousand Pesos (P5, 000.00) for the first offense, Ten Thousand Pesos 
(P10, 000.00) for the second offense, and confiscation of the offending vehicle upon the third 
and final offense. 
SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts 
thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
accordingly. 
2 


1 
2 
3 
SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
4 
5 
SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
6 
Approved, 
3