Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
 First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
_______________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by the Honorable ANIELA BIANCA D. TOLENTINO 
_______________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
 The recent fire that destroyed the Manila Central Post Office caused a lot of 
damage to the country’s heritage and culture. It was not only the building of the post 
office that was destroyed, more than a hundred years of history consisting of 
commemorative and antique stamps were lost because of the fire.  As such, there is an 
extreme need for the country to strengthen its laws against arson by imposing grave 
penalties to those who commit such acts on cultural properties of the country. 
The foregoing bill herein seeks to impose the highest penalty allowed by the 
Constitution for those who commit destructive arson on cultural heritage properties of 
the Philippines. This proposed law is congruent to the Constitutional mandate, to wit: 
“the State shall foster the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino 
national culture based on the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and 
intellectual expression” [Section 14, Article XIV, 1987 Constitution].  Further the 
Constitution likewise states that: “all the country’s artistic and historic wealth constitutes 
the cultural treasure of the nation and shall be under the protection of the State which 
may regulate its disposition” [Section 16, Article XIV, 1987 Constitution]. 
Based on the foregoing Constitutional provisions, this representation believes that 
there is strong basis for the adoption of stronger penal laws against those who want the 
country’s cultural heritage damaged, thru destructive arson. 
For the Filipino people, approval of the foregoing bill is earnestly being sought. 
June 15, 2023
2:46 pm
8547


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
 First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
_______________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by the Honorable ANIELA BIANCA D. TOLENTINO 
_______________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLE 320 ON DESTRUCTIVE ARSON 
OF ACT NO. 3815, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED 
PENAL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Article 320 of Act No. 3815, otherwise known as the “Revised Penal Code 
of the Philippines is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Art. 320 Destructive Arson. The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death 
penalty shall be imposed upon any person who shall burn: 
1. One (1) or more buildings or edifices, consequent to one single
act of burning, or as a result of simultaneous burnings, or 
committed on several or different occasions; 
2. xxxxx;
3. xxxxx;
4. xxxxx;
5. xxxxx;
6. ANY BUILDING CONSIDERED AS A CULTURAL PROPERTY UNDER
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10066, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
NATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE ACT Of 2009. 
8547


xxxxx. 
 
xxxxx. 
 
1. xxxx. 
2. xxxxx. 
 
xxxxx.” 
 
SECTION 2. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain in 
full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
administrative orders, and rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
 
SECTION 4. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,