FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10 
JUt 19 P4:t.7 
SEN.i\1l\ 
s. No. lD85 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article II, Section 24 provides that: 
SEC. 24. The State recognizes the vital role of communication and 
information in nation building. 
/ I,· 
As we head deeper into the Information Age it is imperative that our government 
maintain a cohesive working system bound together by a single time reference. Section 4 (c) of 
the Presidential Decree No. 78, as amended, designated the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical 
and Astronomical Services Administration (P AGASA) as the official time service agency of the 
Philippines. However such designation still failed to solve the problem of having multiple 
conversion and interpretation of time across our country, leading to inefficiencies in various 
services and processes. Though available, government offices still resort to different sources of 
time reference when observing their own schedules. In several occasions, difference in time had 
lead to unnecessary friction brought about by disparate interpretation of the schedules and their 
observance. 
A definite time reference such as the Philippines Standard Time (PST) would remove 
these inefficiencies brought about by the different interpretation of time, particularly among 
government offices. By enj oining all government offices to subscribe to the PST, all citizens 
would eventually follow suit and observe the same time reference in order to be able to avail of 
time-based government services. 


This bill seeks to establish statutorily the PST, mandate PAGASA to disseminate this 
information and enjoin all government offices to observe PST. By doing so, we would be able to 
synchronize government functions by having a unified time reference system. I 
I This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10 
,JUt 19 P4:27 
SENt~85 
S.No. ___ _ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
'J 
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AN ACT 
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ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE STANDARD TIME TO BE OBSERVED IN ALL 
3 
GOVERNMENT OFFICES 
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5 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of representatives of the Philippines in 
6 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "One Time Philippines Act of 
8 
2008." 
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SECTION 2. Philippine Standard Time. - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and 
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Astronomical Services Administration (P AGASA) shall responsible for' the establishment and 
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maintenance of the Philippine Standard Time (PST). 
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SECTION 3. Dissemination - PAGASA shall provide for a system of disseminating the 
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PST to all government offices on a regular basis. 
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SECTION 4. Use of PST. - All government agencies and instrumentalities, and local 
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government offices, government-owned corporations and local government units a~e enjoined to 
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maintain and observe their schedules using the PST. Socio-civic groups, non-government 
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organizations and the private sector are exhorted to observe PST. 
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SECTION 5. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
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hereby necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. 
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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 remain 
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valid and sUbsisting. 
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I 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
2 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
3 
with the provision ofthis 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. 
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Approved, 
lapm080808 . 
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