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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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Republic of the Philippines 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
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Introduced by SENATOR LUISA “LOP P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
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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: 
To discourage and expose to public censure the persons who corrupt the 
integrity of channels of communication or the processes of government; 
To ensure that those engaged in political public relations conduct 
themselves professionally, with truth, accuracy, fairness and responsibility 
to the public; and 
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 
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Relations adopted in 1988 by the Public Relations Society of America: 
1.mmediate approval of this bill is urgently recommended. 
EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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Republic of the Philippines 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
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7 4“> 
S.B.No. 
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Introduced by SENATOR LUISA “LOP P. EJERCITO ESTRaDAr 
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THE CODE OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE PRACTICE OF 
POLITICAL PUBLIC RELATIONS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assenzhled: 
Section 1. Definition of Political Public Relations. - Political Public Relations is 
defined as those areas of public relations that relate to: 
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; 
the counseling of holders of public office; 
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; 
the practice of public relations on behalf of a client or an 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; 
the counseling of government bodies, or segments thereof, either domestic 
or foreign. 
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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. 


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. 
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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 to 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) 
(b) 
the giving of gifts of more than nominal value; 
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; 
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; 
providing trips, for media representatives, that are unrelated to legitimate 
news interest; 
(c) 
(d) 
(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 I 
of news information or views, or the furtherance of understanding, which is part of the 
public relations functions. Nor does it prohibit the bona fide press event or tour when 


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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. What is 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 the member's direct control. 
Sec. 1 1. 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. 
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Sec. 16. Good Faith. - Practitioners shall represent clients or employers 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 public 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 what 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 th’eir 
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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 information pertaining to employers or clients past, present and 
potential, even after relationships cease, avoiding future associations wherein insider 
in formatioil is sought that would give a desired advantage over 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, for example, would a plant 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. 
Repealing Clause. - All laws, rules or regulations and presidential 
issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
Sec. 26. 
Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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