FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S.B.No. lzo7 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article IT, Section 11 provides that “the State shall value the dignity of 
every human person.” Further, the Civil Code, Article 26 provides that “every person shall 
respect the dignity, personality, privacy and peace of mind of his neighbors and other persons.” 
The right to privacy is not an absolute right. A limited intrusion into a person’s privacy is 
permissible where that person is a public figure and the information sought to be elicited from 
him or to be published about him constitute matters of a public character. This does not include 
cases where intrusion into the private lives of individuals and their families already endanger 
their lives or cause them injury. Neither does it allow harassment that threatens even private 
persons and their families. 
The right to privacy of individuals and their families could be violated by photographers, 
cameramen, and persons with audio recorders attempting to capture images or other 
reproductions of their private lives for commercial purposes. Journalists could persistently 
follow or chase them in a manner that puts them in reasonable fear of bodily injury, and in 
danger of serious bodily injury or even death. 
This bill seeks to protect individuals and their families by prohibiting unwarranted 
harassment or invasion of privacy for commercial purposes.* 
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 J[J -‘7 
t j  /; 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
PROHIBITING HARASSMENT AND INVASION OF PRIVACY 
FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES 
‘%e it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Personal Privacy Protection 
Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declavation ofpolicy. - It is a declared policy of the State to protect public 
and private individuals against unwarranted harassment and invasion of privacy for commercial 
purposes. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the term: 
(A) “For commercial purposes” means with the exceptions of sale, financial gain, or 
other consideration; 
(B) “Harassment” means the act of persistently and physically following or chasing a 
person in a manner that causes the person to have a reasonable fear of bodily injury, 
in order to capture by a visual or auditory recording instrument any type of visual 
image, sound recording or other physical impression of the person for commercial 
purposes. 
SECTION 4. Harassment for Commercial Purposes. - Any person who harasses another 
for commercial purposes, shall be guilty of this crime and shall be imposed: 
(A) The penalty of reclusion temporal, and a fine of fifty thousand pesos, if death is 
proximately caused by such harassment; 
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(B) The penalty of prision mayor, and a fine of twenty thousand pesos, if serious bodily 
injury is proximately caused by such harassment; and 
(C) The penalty of arrest0 mayor, and a fine of one thousand pesos, if neither death nor 
serious bodily injury is proximately caused by such harassment. 
SECTION 5. Persons Criminally Liable. - Only person physically present at the time of, 
and engaging or assisting another in engaging in, a violation of this Act is subject to criminal 
charges or civil liability under this section. 
A person shall not be subject to such charge or liability by reason of the conduct of an 
agent, employee, or contractor of that person or because images or recordings captured in 
violation of this Act were solicited, bought, used, or sold by that person. 
SECTION 6. Limitation on Ddenses. - It is not a defense to a prosecution or civil action 
that: 
(A) No image or recording was captured; or 
(B) No image or recording was sold. 
SECTION 7. Exception. - The provisions of this Act shall not apply with respect to 
official law enforcement activities. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provisions, or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 9. 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 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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