Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUSTAVO S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT TO AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9262 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ANTI-
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN ACT OF 2004, DEFINES ELECTRONIC 
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (E-VAW), PROVIDING PROTECTIVE MEASURES AND 
PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Almost everyone in our country is now equipped with mobile phones. With the technology today, mobile 
phones have become handy tools in our fast-paced lifestyle. Now, mobile phones compete in terms of 
clarity of camera as well as video shooting. Hence, everyone had virtually become a photographer or 
videographer in their own right. But with these powerful tools also come great responsibility. This 
responsibility entails the adherence to protecting the rights of women and their children who are 
vulnerable to abuse through the usage of technology.  
For the past years since camera phones have become a commodity, video or photo scandals involving 
women have been circulating on the internet as well as passed one from one mobile phone to another. 
Sadly, the usual culprit is the partner of the woman whom she trusted and loved. These sad and 
emotional plights women have to go through under the guise of love and trust are appalling and 
disturbing.  
Hence, this bill seeks to protect these women and their children from all forms of electronic violence, 
thus augmenting and fortifying the mandates under Republic Act No. 9262 or the Anti-Violence against 
Women and their Children Act as well under Republic Act No. 9995 or the Anti-Photo and Video 
Voyeurism Act.  
The salient feature of this proposed measure is the issuance of an E-VAW Protection Order. Herein, it 
orders for the immediate blocking, blacklisting, or shutdown of any internet site that propagates 
uncompromising photo or video shots of the victim. More importantly, the measure aptly defines 
electronic violence by including harassment through text messaging and cyber-bullying.  
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the Filipino 
people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUSTAVO S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
August 23, 2022
2:27 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUSTAVO S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT TO AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9262 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ANTI-
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN ACT OF 2004, DEFINES ELECTRONIC 
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (E-VAW), PROVIDING PROTECTIVE MEASURES AND 
PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "E-VAW Act of 2022". 
SECTION 2. Section 3 (a) of Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as the Violence Against Women 
and their Children Act of 2004, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, 
(a) "Violence against women and their children" refers to any act or a series of acts committed
by any person against a woman who is a wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom
the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child,
or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which
result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic
abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary
deprivation of liberty. It includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:
XXX 
(E) "ELECTRONIC VIOLENCE" REFERS TO ANY ACT OR OMISSION INVOLVING THE
USE OR EXPLOITATION OF EPHEMERAL DATA OR ANY FORM OF INFORMATION
AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) THAT CAUSES OR IS LIKELY TO CAUSE
MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, OR PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS OR SUFFERING TO THE
VICTIM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
1. UNAUTHORIZED RECORDING, REPRODUCTION, OR DISTRIBUTION OF
VIDEOS SHOWING THE VICTIM'S PRIVATE AREA OR THE VICTIM'S NAKED
OR UNDERGARMENT-CLAD GENITALS, PUBIC AREA, BUTTOCKS, OR
BREASTS;
2. UPLOADING OR SHARING WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE VICTIM, ANY
FORM OF MEDIA THAT CONTAINS PICTURES, VOICE, OR VIDEO OF THE
VICTIM WITH LEWD, INDECENT, OBSCENE, OR SEXUAL CONTENT;
3. HARASSING OR THREATENING THE VICTIM THROUGH TEXT MESSAGING
OR OTHER CYBER, ELECTRONIC, OR MULTIMEDIA MEANS;
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4. CYBER-STALKING WHICH INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE 
HACKING OF PERSONAL ACCOUNTS ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND 
THE USE OF LOCATION TRACKERS ON CELLULAR DEVICES; AND  
 
 
5. UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE VICTIM'S PICTURE, VIDEO, VOICE, NAME, 
OR ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE VICTIM'S IDENTITY AND DISTRIBUTING 
THE SAME IN ANY VIDEO GAME, PHONE APPLICATION, PROGRAM, AND THE 
LIKES, WHICH PUTS OR TENDS TO PUT THE VICTIM IN A BAD LIGHT OR 
INJURE THE VICTIM'S REPUTATION." 
 
SECTION 3. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as the Violence Against Women and 
their Children Act of 2004, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
 
"SECTION 5. Acts of Violence Against Women and Their Children. - The crime of violence 
against women and their children is committed through any of the following acts: 
 
XXX 
 
 
(J) CAUSING ELECTRONIC VIOLENCE AGAINST A WOMAN OR HER CHILD; AND  
 
 
(k) THREATENING TO CAUSE ELECTRONIC VIOLENCE AGAINST A WOMAN OR HER 
CHILD." 
 
SECTION 4. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as the Violence Against Women and 
Their Children Act of 2004, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
 
"SECTION 6. Penalties. - The crime of violence against women and their children, under 
Section 5 hereof shall be punished according to the following rules: 
 
XXX 
 
 
(G) ACTS FALLING UNDER SECTION 5(J) SHALL BE PUNISHED BY PRISION 
CORRECIONAL; AND  
 
 
(H) ACTS FALLING UNDER SECTION 5(K) SHALL BE PUNISHED BY ARRESTO 
MAYOR. 
 
 
(I) ANY ACT OR OMISSION INVOLVING THE USE OR EXPLOITATION OF ANY FORM 
OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) THAT CAUSES OR 
IS LIKELY TO CAUSE MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, OR PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS OR 
SUFFERING TO THE VICTIM, SHALL BE PUNISHED BY PRISION CORRECTIONAL OR 
A FINE IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS 
(PHP 300,000.00) BUT NOT MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PHP 
500,000.00) 
 
 
If the acts are committed while the woman or child is pregnant or committed in the presence 
of her child, the penalty to be applied shall be the maximum period of the penalty prescribed 
in the section. 
 
 
In addition to imprisonment, the perpetrator shall (a) pay a fine of not less than One Hundred 
Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than three Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(P300,000.00), PROVIDED, THAT, IN E-VAW CASES, THE FINE THAT MAY BE IMPOSED 
SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PHP 300,000.00) 
BUT NOT MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PHP 500,000.00); (b) 
undergo mandatory psychological counseling or psychiatric treatment and shall report 
compliance to the court. 
 


SECTION 5. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as the Violence Against Women and 
Their Children Act of 2004, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
 
"SECTION 8. Protection Orders. - A protection order is an order issued under this act to 
prevent further acts of violence against a woman or her child specified in Section 5 of this Act 
and grant other necessary relief. The relief granted under a protection order serves the purpose 
of safeguarding the victim from further harm, minimizing any disruption in the victim's daily 
life, and facilitating the opportunity and ability of the victim to independently regain control 
over her life. The provision of the protection order shall be enforced by law enforcement 
agencies. The protection orders that may be issued under this Act are the barangay protection 
order (BPO), temporary protection order (TPO) and permanent protection order (PPO), AND 
E-VAW PROTECTION ORDER (EPO) FOR CASES OF ELECTRONIC VIOLENCE. The 
protection orders that may be issued under this Act shall include any, some, or all of the 
following reliefs: 
 
XXX 
 
 
(L) FOR E-VAW CASES, ORDERING THE IMMEDIATE BLOCKING, BLACKLISTING, 
REMOVAL, OR SHUTDOWN OF ANY UPLOAD, PROGRAM, OR APPLICATION THAT 
CAUSES OR TENDS TO CAUSE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE VICTIM.  
 
Any of the relief provided under this selection shall be granted even in the absence of a decree 
of legal separation or annulment or declaration of absolute nullity of marriage.  
 
The issuance of a BPO or the pendency of an application for BPO shall not preclude a petitioner 
from applying for, or the court from granting a TPO, [or] PPO OR EPO.  
 
SECTION 6. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as the Violence Against Women 
and Their Children Act of 2004, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
 
"SECTION 11. How to Apply for a Protection Order. - The application for a protection order 
must be in writing, signed, and verified under oath by the applicant. It may be filed as an 
independent action or as incidental relief in any civil or criminal case the subject matter or 
issues thereof partakes of a violence as described in this Act. A standard protection order 
application form, written in English with translation to the major local languages, shall be made 
available to facilitate applications for protections order, and shall contain, among others, the 
following information: 
 
(a) names and addresses of petitioner and respondent; 
 
(b) description of relationships between petitioner and respondent; 
 
(c) a statement of the circumstances of the abuse; 
 
(d) description of the reliefs requested by the petitioner as specified in Section 8 herein; 
 
(e) request for counsel and reasons for such; 
 
(f) request for waiver of application fees until hearing; and  
 
(g) an attestation that there is no pending application for a protection order in another court.  
 
If the applicant is not the victim, the application must be accompanied by an affidavit of the applicant 
attesting to (a) the circumstances of the abuse suffered by the victim and (b) the circumstances of 
consent given by the victim for the filling of the application. When disclosure of the address of the 
victim will pose danger to her life, it shall be so stated in the application. In such a case, the applicant 


shall attest that the victim is residing in the municipality or city over which the court has territorial 
jurisdiction, and shall provide a mailing address for purpose of service processing.  
 
An application for a protection order filed with a court shall be considered an application for both a TPO 
and PPO.  
 
 
AN APPLICATION FOR BPO, TPO, OR PPO SHALL AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDE AN 
APPLICATION FOR EPO. THE LATTER MAY BE ISSUED AS PART OF THE CONDITIONS FOR 
THE BPO, TPO, OR PPO OR AS A SEPARATE PROTECTION ORDER.  
 
Barangay officials and court personnel shall assist applicants in the preparation of the application. Law 
enforcement agents shall also extend assistance in the application for protection orders in cases brought 
to their attention. 
 
SECTION 7. Section 16-A is hereby inserted to read as follows: 
 
 
"SECTION 16-A. E-VAW PROTECTION ORDER. - IN CASES OF ELECTRONIC 
VIOLENCE, AN E-VAW PROTECTION ORDER MAY BE ISSUED SIMULTANEOUSLY OR 
AFTER THE ISSUANCE OF A BPO, TPO, OR PPO. 
 
 
E-VAW PROTECTION ORDERS SHALL BE ISSUED BY THE BARANGAY OR THE 
COURTS, AS THE CASE MAY BE, INDEPENDENTLY OF OR IN ADDITION TO NON-E-
VAW PROTECTION ORDERS. HOWEVER, AN E-VAW PROTECTION ORDER, ONCE 
ISSUED, DOES NOT EXPIRE AND CONTINUES TO TAKE EFFECT WHILE THE CASE IS 
PENDING AND UNTIL THE SAME IS REVOKED BY THE ORDER OF THE COURT." 
 
 
 
SECTION 8. Section 39 of Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as the Violence Against Women 
and Their Children Act of 2004, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
 
SECTION 39. Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and Their Children (IAC-
VAWC). In pursuance of the abovementioned policy, there is hereby established an Inter-
Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children, hereinafter known as the 
Council, which shall be composed of the following agencies: 
 
 
(a) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); 
 
XXX 
 
 
(l) National Bureau of Investigation (NBI); AND 
 
 
(M) DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY 
(DICT). 
 
These agencies are tasked to formulate programs and projects to eliminate VAW based on their 
mandates as well as develop capability programs for their employees to become more sensitive to the 
needs of their clients. The Council will also serve as the monitoring body as regards VAW initiatives. 
 
The Council members may designate their duly authorized representative who shall have a rank not 
lower than an assistant secretary or its equivalent. These representatives shall attend Council meetings 
on their behalf, and shall receive emoluments as may be determined by the Council by existing budget 
and accounting rules and regulations. 
 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. – If any portion or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or 
invalid, the remaining portions or provisions shall not be affected.  


 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders and rules, and regulations, or 
parts thereof, inconsistent with the provision of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of its complete 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,