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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Second Regular Session 
'14 
NOV 18 Pl:47 . 
SENATE 
S. NO. 2460 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
CREATING A NATIONAL WOMEN'S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE POLICY 
AND PRESCRIBING ARRANGEMENTS FOR DEVELOPING, 
COORDINATING AND IMPLEMENTING A NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR 
WOMEN'S ENTERPRISE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 14 recognizes the role of women in 
nation bUilding. This mandate requires the State to give women opportunities that 
will enhance their welfare and realize their full potential in the service of the 
nation. 
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The active participation and involvement of women in the field of trade and 
business must be enhanced especially \at 
experiencing economic setbacks. 
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this time when the country is 
The bill seeks to empower women in the business enterprise by developing 
a national program and creating an interagency committee on women's business 
enterprise. Thus, urgent passage of this bill is earnestly sought.] 
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MIRIAM DE~NSOR SAN'FfAGO 
1f 
1 This bill was originally filed as SEN 705 during (he Thilteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 
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, . 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF TI-IE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. B. No. 2460 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
'14 
NOV 18 P1:47 
RECEIVED HY:-f-
Be it enacted by the Senate and t~e. House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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ANA~ 
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CREATING A NATIONAL WOMEN'S USINESS ENTERPRISE POLICY 
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AND PRESCRIBING ARRANGEM NTS FOR DEVELOPING, 
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COORDINATING AND IMPLEMENTING A NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR 
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WOMEN'S ENTERPRISE 
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act may be cited as "Women's Business 
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Enterprise Act of 20 14". 
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Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared to be the policy of 
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the state to advance the interest of Filipino women by providing avenues to 
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enhance their entrepreneurial skills and to facilitate, preserve and strengthen 
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women's business enterprise and to ensure full participation by women in the free 
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enterprise system. 
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Section 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
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A. "Women-owned business" means a business that is at least 51 percent 
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owned by a woman or women who also control and operate it. 
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"Control" in this context means exercising the power to make policy 
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decisions. "Operate" in this context means being actively involved in 
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the day-to-day management. 


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B. "Women's business enterprise" means any women-owned business or 
businesses or the efforts of a wo~an or women to establish, maintain or 
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develop such a business or businesses. 
Section 4. Inter-agency Committee on Women's Business Enterprise. 
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There is hereby established an Inter-agency Committee on Women's Business 
Enterprise. 
A. The Chairperson of the Committee shall be appointed by the President 
of the Philippines. The Chairperson shall be the presiding officer of the 
Committee and shall have such duties as prescribed in this Act or by the 
Committee in its rules of procedure. The Chairperson may also 
represent his or her department, agency or office on the committee. 
B. The Committee shall be composed of the Chairperson and other 
members appointed by the heads of departments and agencies from 
among high level policymaking officials. In making these appointments, 
the recommendations of the Chairperson shall be taken into 
consideration. The following departments and agencies and such other 
departments and agencies as the Chairperson shall select shall be 
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members ofthe committee: the Depa,rtments of Agriculture; Commerce; 
Defense; Energy; Health; Local Government and Interior; Justice; and 
Labor and Employment. These ~~l have a vote. Non-voting members 
shall include the Executive Director of the Committee and at least one 
but no more than three representatives from the Office of the President 
appointed by the President. 
C. The Committee shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the 
Chairperson, and at such other times as may be determined to be useful 
according to the rules of procedure adopted by the Committee. 
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Section 5. Functions a/the Committee. - The Committee shaH ina manner 
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consistent with law: 
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A. Promote, coordinate and monitor the plans, programs and operations of 
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the departments and agencies of the Executive Branch which may 
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contribute to the establishment, preservation and strengthening of 
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women's business enterprise with the cooperation of the departments 
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and agencies. 
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B. Establish such policies, definitions, procedures and guidelines to govern 
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the implementation, interpretation and applications of this Act, and 
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generally perform such functions lind take such steps as the Committee 
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may deem to be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes and 
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carry out the provision hereof. \ 
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C. Promote the mobilization of activities and resources of the State and 
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local governments, business and trade and associations, private industry, 
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colleges and universities, foundations, professional organizations and 
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volunteer and other groups toward the growth of women's business and 
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enterprise, and facilitate the coordination of the efforts of these groups 
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with those of the departments and agencies. 
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D. Make an annual assessment of the progress made in the government 
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toward assisting women's business enterprise to enter the mainstream of 
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business ownership and to provide recommendations for further actions 
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to the President. 
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E. Convene and consult as necessary with persons inside and outside the 
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government and private sector investigations and studies of the 
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problems of women entrepreneurs, and promote further research into 
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such problems. 


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F. Consider the findings and recommendations of government and private 
sector investigations and studies of the problem of women entrepreneurs, 
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and promote further research. into sucb problems. 
O. Design a comprehensive and inn~vative plan for ajoint government and 
private sector effort to develop \ncreased numbers of new women-
owned businesses. The plan should set specific, reasonable and 
identifiable costs and should provide for the measurement of progress 
towards these targets at the end of two to five years. Related outcomes 
such as income and tax revenues generated, jobs created, new products 
and services introduced or new domestic or foreign markets created 
should also be projected and measured in relation to costs wherever 
possible. The Committee shall submit the plan to the President for 
approval within six months of the effective date ofthis Order. 
Section 6. Responsibilities of Executive Departments and Agencies. -
Within the constraints of statutory authority and as otherwise permitted by law: 
A. Each department and agency of the Executive branch shall take appropriate 
action to facilitate, preserve and strengthen women's business enterprise 
and to ensure full participation by women in the free enterprise system. 
B. Each department and agency shall take affirmative action in support of 
women's business enterprise m a.ppropriate programs and activities 
including but not limited to: 
1. management, technical, financiai\d procurement assistance 
2. business-related education, trainmg, counseling and information 
dissemination, and 
3. procurement 
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C. Each department or agency empowered to extend government financial 
assistance to any program and activity shall issue regulations requiring the 
recipient of such assistance to take appropriate affirmative action in support 
of women's business enterprise on the ground of gender. For purposes of 
this section, financial assistance means assistance extended by way of grant 
cooperative agreement, loan and guaranty. These regulations shall prescribe 
sanctions for non-compliance. Unless otherwise specified by law, no 
agency sanctions shall be applied until the agency or department concerned 
has advised the appropriate person or persons of the failure to comply with 
its regulations and has determined that compliance cannot be secured by 
voluntary means. 
D. For purposes of this Act, affirmative action may include, but is not limited 
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to creating or supporting new programs, responsive to the special needs of 
women's business enterprise, colle\ting and disseminating information in 
support of women's business enterpd~, and insuring to women's business 
enterprise knowledge of and ready access to business related services and 
resources. If in implementing this Act, an agency undertakes to use or to 
require compliance with numerical set-asides, or similar measures, it shall 
state the purpose of such measure, and the measure shall be designed on the 
basis of pertinent factual findings of discrimination against women's 
business enterprise and the need for such measure. 
Section 7. Legal Guidance. - In carrying out their responsibilities under 
Section 6, the departments and agencies shall consult the Department of Justice 
and the latter shall provide legal guidance concerning these responsibilities. 
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Section 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held 
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invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the. law or the provision not otherwise 
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affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
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Section. 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, adntinistrative order, rule or regulation 
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contrary to or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
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modified or amended accordingly. 
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Section. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
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after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
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