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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
F/rst Regular Session 
)
23 JM 12 P3 32
RlTEIVfD 3
SENATJ
S.B. No. lTi§e4
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
PENALIZING PERSONS WHO SHALL COMMIT PROHIBITED ACTS 
DURING A STATE OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution provides that "the State shall 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness 
among them."
On 8 March 2020, former President Rodrigo Duterte issued Presidential 
Proclamation No. 922, declaring the entire country under a state of public health 
emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Section 5 of the Proclamation provides that 
"the state of public health emergency shall remain in force and effect until lifted or 
withdrawn by the President." On 8 August 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 
announced that he is extending the effectivity of the Proclamation as the international 
medical community, the World Health Organization among them, is more inclined to 
send in medical supplies and vaccines while the country is in a state of emergency. 
Pursuant to said Presidential Proclamation, various measures have been adopted by 
the government in an effort to decrease the risk of transfer of the deadly virus.
The Congress, for its part, enacted Republic Act No. 11469 or the "Bayanihan to 
Heal as One Act," granting stand-by powers to the President to carry out effectively the 
national policy of stopping the spread of the coronavirus. It also contained provisions 
indicating punishable acts that a person may be held liable for during its effectivity, or 
until 25 June 2020.


Thereafter, the Congress passed into law Republic Act No. 11494 or the 
"Bayanihan to Recover as One Act" which was effective until 19 December 2020. 
However, unlike Republic Act No. 11469, it did not include punishable acts that a person 
may be held liable for but may be inclined to do due to the peculiar circumstances 
brought about by the pandemic.
Thus, this bill seeks to reinstate as punishable the acts mentioned in Republic 
Act No. 11469 in order to serve as a legal basis for the arrest and/or imposition of 
sanctions on persons who commit prohibited acts during the state of public health 
emergency, following the basic principle in criminal law, "nullum crimen, nulla poena 
sine /ege" translated as "there is no crime if there is no law punishing it."
Given the abovementioned circumstances, the immediate passage of this bill is
necessary.
IMEE R. MARCOS


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
S.B. No.
SENATE
1664
23 JAN 12 P3 33
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
PENALIZING PERSONS WHO SHALL COMMIT PROHIBITED ACTS 
DURING A STATE OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
SECTION 1. Unlawful Acts. - It shall be unlawful for any individual or 
corporation, whether from the public or private sector, to do the following acts:
1) Disobeying nationai government poiicies or directives in regard to quarantine 
impositions;
2) For privately-owned hospitals, medical and health facilities including passenger 
vessels and other establishments, unjustifiably refusing to operate pursuant to the 
directive of the President;
3) Engaging in hoarding, profiteering, injurious speculations, manipulation of prices, 
product deceptions and cartels, monopolies or other combinations in restraint of 
trade or other pernicious practices affecting the supply, distribution of the following 
goods and items, as required in agriculture. Industry and other essential services, 
and other articles of prime necessity, whether imported or locally produced or 
manufactured, including;
Food;
Clothing;
Hygiene and sanitation products; 
V. Medicine and medical supplied;


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V. Fuel;
vi. Fertilizers;
vii. Chemicals;
viii. Building materials;
ix. Implements;
X. Machinery equipment;
xi. Spare parts;
4) Refusing to prioritize and accept contracts for materials and services necessary to 
promote the declared national policy;
5) For public or private banks, quasi-banks, financing companies, lending companies 
and other financial institutions, refusing to implement a minimum thirty (30)-day 
grace period for payment of all loans falling due within the period of any 
subsequently-declared enhanced community quarantine without incurring interests, 
penalties, fees or other charges;
6) Creating, perpetrating, or spreading false information regarding the crisis on social 
media and other platforms, such information having no valid or beneficial effect on 
the population, and are clearly geared to promote chaos, panic, anarchy, fear, or 
confusion; and those participating in cyber incidents that make use or take 
advantage of the current crisis situation to prey on the public through scams, 
phishing, fraudulent emails, or other similar acts;
7) Failing to comply with reasonable limitations on the operation of certain 
transportation sectors or sectors, whether land, sea or air, be it private or public; 
and
8) Impeding access to roads, streets and bridges; putting up prohibited encroachments 
or obstacles; and maintenance of illegal constructions in public places that have 
been ordered to be removed.
Provided, That if the offender is a corporation, association, partnership or any other 
juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the president, directors, 
managers, managing partners, as the case may be, who participated in the 
commission of the offense or who shall have knowingly permitted or failed to 
prevent the commission of the same. If the offender is an alien, he shall, in addition 
to the penalties herein prescribed, be deported without further proceedings. 
Provided, further, That if the offender is a public official or employee, he shall, in 
addition to the penalties prescribed herein, suffer perpetual or temporary absolute 
disqualification from office, as the case may be.


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SEC. 2. Penalty. - Any individual found violating this Act shall suffer the penalty 
of two (2) months or a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos (Php 10,000.00) but 
not more than One Million Pesos (Php 1,000,000.00) or both, at the discretion of the
court.
SEC. 3. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of other provisions of this Act.
SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or 
other issuances of parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed 
or modified accordingly.
SEC. 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation 
in the Philippines and shall be in full force and effect until the state of public health 
emergency has been lifted, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 922, series of
2020.
Approved,