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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 5 5 S 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
RepUbliC ACt No. 6713 constitutes the Code of Conduct and Ethical 
Standards for Public Officials and Employees. 
Similarly, this bill seeks to set professional standards for the practice of 
political public relations. More specifically, it seeks to achieve the following goals: 
(1) To discourage and expose to public censure the persons who corrupt the 
integrity of channels of communication or the processes of governrent; 
. 
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(2) To ensure that those engaged in political public relations Iconduct 
themselves professionally, with truth, accuracy, fairness and responsibility 
to the public; and 
(3) To encourage such practitioners to improve their individual competence 
and advance the knowledge and proficiency of their profession through 
continuing research and education. 
This bill is based on the Code of Professional Standards for the Practice of 
Public Relations adopted in 1988 by the Public Relations Society of America. 
Immediate approval of this bill is urgently recommended. 
GOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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teHI;t uf Hl£ i'fl'HhH'JJ 
First Regular Session 
'1~ JUl -8 A 9 :02 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 556 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
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AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR AND ESTABLISHING THE CODE OF PROFESSIONAL 
STANDARDS FOR THE PRACTICE OF POLITICAL PUBLIC RELATIONS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Definition of Political Public Relations • Political Public 
Relations is defined as those areas of public relations that relate to: 
(a) the counseling of political organizations, committees, candidates or 
potential candidates for public office and groups constituted for the 
purpose of influencing the vote on any ballot issue; 
(b) the counseling of holders of public office; 
(c) the management or direction of a political campaign for or against a 
candidate for public office, or for or against a ballot issue to be determined 
by voter approval or rejection; 
(d) the practice of public relations on behalf of a client or a_n employer in 
connection with that client's or employer's relationships with any 
candidates or holders of public office, with the purpose of influencing 
legislation or government regulation or treatment of a client or employer, 
regardless of whether the public relations practitioner is a recognized 
lobbyist; 
(e) the counseling of government bodies, or segments 
domestic or foreign. 
either 
SEC. 2. Public Interest. - A practitioner in political public relations shall 
conduct his or her professional life in accord with public interest. 
SEC. 3. Honesty and Integrity. • A practitioner shall exemplify high 
standards of honesty and integrity while carrying out dual obligations to a client 
or employer and to the democratic process. 
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SEC. 4. Fair Dealing. - A practitioner shall deal fairly with the public, with 
past or present clients or employers, and with fellow practitioners, giving due 
respect to the ideal of free inquiry and to the opinions of others. 
SEC. 5. Accuracy and Truth. - A practitioner shall adhere to the highest 
standards of accuracy and truth, avoiding extravagant claims or unfair 
comparisons and giving credit for ideas and words borrowed from others. 
SEC. 6. False Information. -
A practitioner shall not knowingly 
disseminate false or misleading information and shall act promptly to correct 
erroneous communications for which he or she is responsible. 
SEC. 7. Corruption. - A practitioner shall not engage in any practice 
which has the purpose of corrupting the integrity of channels of communications 
or the processes of government. 
Among the practices prohibited by this paragraph are those that tend ~o place 
representatives of 'media or government under any obligation to the practitioner 
or the practitioner's employer or client, which is in conflict with their obligations to 
media or government such as: 
(a) the giving of gifts of more than nominal value; 
(b) any form of payment or compensation to a member of the media in order 
to obtain preferential or guaranteed news or editorial coverage in the 
medium; 
(c) any retainer or fee to a media employee or use of such employee if 
retained by a client or employer, where the circumstances are not fully 
disclosed to and accepted by the media employer; 
(d) providing trips, for media representatives, that are unrelated to legitimate 
news interest; 
(e) the use by a practitioner of an investment or loan or advertising 
commitment made by the practitioner or the practitioner's client or 
employer, to obtain preferential or guaranteed coverage in the medium; 
This Code does not prohibit hosting media or government representatives at 
meals, cocktails or news functions and special events that are occasions for the 
exchange of news information or views, or the furtherance of understanding, 
which is part of the public relations func:tions. Nor does it prohibit the bona fide 
press event or tour when media or government representatives are given the 
opportunity for an on-the-spot viewing of a newsworthy product, process or event 
in which the media or government representatives have a legitimate interest. 
Customary or reasonable hospitality has to be a matter of particular judgment in 
specific situations. In all of these cases, however, it is or should be, understood 
that no preferential treatment or guarantees are expected or implied and that 
complete independence always is left to the media or government representative. 
SEC. 8. Public Identification. -
A practitioner shall be prepared to 
identify publicly the name of the client or employer on whose behalf any public 
communication is made. 


SEC. 9. Undisclosed Interest. - A practitioner shall not use any individual 
or organization professing to serve.01 represent an announced cause, or 
professing to be independent or unbiased, but actually serving another 
undisclosed interest. 
SEC. 10. Guarantee of Achievement. - A practitioner shall not guarantee 
the achievement of specified results beyond his direct control. 
SEC. 11. Conflicting Interests. -A practitioner shall not represent 
conflicting or competing interests without the express consent of those 
concerned, given after a full disclosure of the facts. 
SEC. 12. Personal Interest. - A practitioner shall not place himself or 
herself in a position where the practitioner's personal interest is or may be in 
conflict with an obligation to an employer or client, or others, without full 
disclosure of such interests to all involved. 
SEC. 13. Gifts and Other Considerations. - A practitioner shall not 
accept fees, commissions, gifts, or any other consideration from anyone except 
clients or employers for whom services are performed without their express 
consent, given after full disclosure of the facts. 
SEC. 14. Damage to Professional Reputation. - A practitioner shall not 
intentionally damage the professional reputation or practice of another 
practitioner. 
SEC. 15. Responsibility of Strict Adherence. - It is the responsibility of 
practitioners to abide by this Code of Professional Standards. 
SEC. 16. Good Faith. - Practitioners shall represent· clients or erjlployers 
in good faith, and' while partisan advocacy on behalf of a candidate or public 
issue may be . expected , practitioners shall act in accord with the publici interest 
and adhere to truth and accuracy and to generally accepted standards of good 
taste. 
SEC. 17. Signed Material. - Practitioners shall not issue descriptive 
material or any advertising or publicity information or participate in the 
preparation or use thereof that is not signed by responsible persons or is false, 
misleading, or unlabeled as to its source and are obligated to use care to avoid 
dissemination of any such material. 
SEC. 18. Disclosure of Remuneration. - Practitioners have an obligation 
to clients to disclose whatever remuneration beyond their fees they expect to 
receive as a result of their relationship. such as commissions for media 
advertiSing, printing and the like and should not accept such extra payment 
without their client's consent. 


, . 
SEC. 19. Improper Use of Position. - Practitioners shall not improperly 
use their positions to encourage additional future employment or compensation. 
It is understood that successful campaign directors or managers, because of the 
performance of their duties and the working relationship that develops, may well 
continue to assist and counsel, for pay, the successful candidate. 
SEC. 20. 
Other Clients. - Practitioners shall voluntarily disclose to 
employers or clients the identity of other employers or clients with whom they are 
currently associated, and whose interests might be affected favorably or 
unfavorably by their political representation. 
SEC. 21. Confidentiality of Information. - Practitioners shall respect the 
confidentiality of i",formation pertaining to employers or clients past, pre~ent and 
potential, even after relationships cease, avoiding future associations wherein 
insider information is sought that would give a desired advantage lover a 
practitioner's previous clients. 
SEC. 22. Undisclosed Gifts. - In avoiding practices that might tend to 
corrupt the processes of government, practitioners shall not make undisclosed 
gifts of cash or other valuable considerations that are designed to influence 
specific decisions of voters, legislators, or public officials on public matters. A 
business lunch or dinner or other comparable expenditure made in the course of 
communicating a point of view or public position, would not constitute such a 
violation. Nor would a tour or visit deSigned and financed to provide useful 
background information to an interested legislator or candidate. 
SEC. 23. Political Contributions. - Nothing herein shall be construed as 
prohibiting practitioners from making legal, properly disclosed contributions to the 
candidates, party or referenda issues of their choice. 
SEC. 24. Injury to Public Reputation. - Practitioners shall not, through 
the use of information known to be false or misleading, conveyed directly or 
through a third party, intentionally injure the public reputation of an opposing 
interest. 
SEC. 25. Sanctions. - Without prejudice to prosecution under existing 
criminal laws, practitioners who violate any provision of this Code shall be liable 
for damages. 
SEC. 26. Repealing Clause. - All laws, rules or regulations and 
presidential issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 27. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in a newspaper of general circulation. 


Approved,