FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENLlT.E 
S. No. 
1~61 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Academic achievement is very important in obtaining employment, a promotion or 
higher compensation in employment, or admission to a prestigious institution. It is likewise 
important wh,en presented in connection with any profession or occupation. It is imperative, 
therefore, that such academic achievement be obtained only through the efforts of the person 
claiming it as his or her own, and not the work of people he or she just paid to write his or her 
dissertations, theses, term papers, essays, reports or any other assignment. 
Hence, this bill seeks to make it unlawful for any person to sell, offer to sell, purchase or 
offer to purchase any material either written or provided through electronic' media which will be 
submitted by a student as his or her own work to any university, college, academy, school or 
other educational institution, or to a course, seminar or degree program held by such institution. 1 
1 This bill was originally filed during the Fourteenth Congress, First Regular session . 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 
1961 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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PROHIBITING THE UNLAWFUL SALE AND PURCHASE OF DISSERTATIONS, 
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THESES, TERM P APERS, ESSAYS, REPORTS, OR ANY OTHER ASSIGNMENT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "Academic Honesty Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote the 
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general welfare of the people. Pursuant to this policy, this Act makes it unlawful to sell, 
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offer to sell, purchase or offer to purchase dissertations, theses, term papers, essays, reports 
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or any other assignment which will be submitted by a student as his or her own work to any 
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university, college, academy, school or other educational institution, or to a course, seminar 
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or degree program held by such institution. 
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·SECTION 3. Prohibition on Unlawful Sale of Dissertations, Theses and Term 
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Papers. - No person shall, for financial consideration, or the promise of financial 
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consideration, prepare, offer to prepare, cause to be prepared, sell or offer for sale to any 
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person any material either written or provided through electronic media which the seller 
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knows, is informed or has reason to believe is intended for submission by a student as his or 
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her own dissertation, thesis, term paper, essay, report or other assignment, as a requireinent 
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of any university, college, academy, school or other educational institution, or of any course, 
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seminar or degree program held by such institution. 
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SECTION 4. Prohibition on Unlawful Purchase of Dissertations, Theses and Term 
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Papers. - It shall likewise be unlawful for any person to purchase, or to offer to purchase, 
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from any person any material either written or provided through electronic media which the 
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buyer intends to submit as his or her dissertation, thesis, term paper, essay, report or other 
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assigmnent as a requirement of any university, college, academy, school or other educational 
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institution, or of any course, seminar or degree program held by such institution. 
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SECTION 5. Penalties. - Any person found guilty of violating the preceding Section 
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shall be punished by a penalty of imprisomnent of arresto menor, or a fine of not more than 
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Ten Thousand Pesos (PI 0,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court, taking into 
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consideration all attending circmnstances. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
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remain valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provisions of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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