NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
ARTICLE XV, Section 3, Paragraph 2 states: 
The right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and 
special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and 
other conditions prejudicial to their development; 
To this end, Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, 
Exploitation, and Discrimination Act was enacted to protect our children. More than 20 years 
after the passage of the law, there are still numerous instances of abuse and exploitation. 
Hence this bill which gives the law more teeth. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this measure is earnestly requested. 
 RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ 
August 14, 2023
8:00 am
8843


NINETEENTH CONGRESS  
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
AN ACT 
IMPOSING 
STIFFER 
PENALTIES 
FOR 
CHILD 
ABUSE, 
EXPLOITATION 
AND 
DISCRIMINATION, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7610, AS 
AMENDED 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as the “Special Protection 
of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act”, is hereby amended to 
read as follows: 
“SEC. 9. Obscene Publications and Indecent Shows. – Any person who shall 
hire, employ, use, persuade, induce or coerce a child to perform in obscene 
exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in video, pose, or model in 
obscene publications or pornographic materials or to sell or distribute the said 
materials shall suffer the penalty of [prision mayor] RECLUSION TEMPORAL in 
its medium period. 
“If the child used as a performer, subject or seller/distributor is below twelve 
(12) years of age, the penalty shall be [imposed in its maximum period]
RECLUSION PERPETUA.
“Any ascendant, guardian, or person entrusted in any capacity with the care 
of a child who shall cause and/or allow such child to be employed or to 
participate in an obscene play, scene, act, movie or show or in any other acts 
covered by this section shall suffer the penalty of [prision mayor] RECLUSION 
TEMPORAL in its [medium] MAXIMUM period.” 
SEC. 2. Section 10 of the same Act as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 10. Other Acts of Neglect, Abuse, Cruelty or Exploitation and Other 
Conditions Prejudicial to the Child’s Development.  – 
“(a) Any person who shall commit any other acts of child abuse, cruelty or 
exploitation or be responsible for other conditions prejudicial to the child’s 
development including those covered by Article 59 of Presidential Decree No. 
603, as amended, but not covered by the Revised Penal Code, as amended, 
shall suffer the penalty of [prision mayor] RECLUSION TEMPORAL in its 
minimum period. 
“(b) Any person who shall keep or have in his company a minor, twelve (12) 
years or under or who is ten (10) years or more his junior in any public or 
private place, hotel, motel, beer joint, discotheque, cabaret, pension house, 
sauna or massage parlor, beach and/or other tourist resort or similar places shall 
suffer the penalty of [prision mayor] RECLUSION TEMPORAL    in its 
[maximum] MEDIUM period and a fine of not less than [Fifty thousand pesos 
(P50,000)] FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P500,000.00): Provided, That 
this provision shall not apply to any person who is related within the fourth 
degree 
of 
consanguinity 
or 
affinity 
8843


or any bond recognized by law, local custom and tradition, or acts in the 
performance of a social, moral or legal duty. 
“(c)  Any person who shall induce, deliver or offer a minor to any one 
prohibited by this Act to keep or have in his company a minor as provided in the 
preceding paragraph shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its [medium] 
MAXIMUM period and a fine of not less than [Forty thousand pesos (P40,000)] 
FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P400,000.00): Provided, however, That 
should the perpetrator  be an ascendant, stepparent or guardian of the minor, the 
penalty to be imposed shall be [prision mayor]RECLUSION TEMPORAL   in its 
[maximum] MEDIUM  period, a fine of not less than  [Fifty thousand pesos 
(P50,000)] FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P500,000.00), and the loss of 
parental authority over the minor. 
“THE 
OFFENDER 
SHALL 
LIKEWISE 
UNDERGO 
A  
REEDUCATION AND REORIENTATION PROGRAM ON CHILD PROTECTION 
TO 
BE 
CONDUCTED 
BY  
THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT. 
“(d) Any person, owner, manager or one entrusted with the operation of any 
public or private place of accommodation, whether for occupancy, food, drink or 
otherwise, including residential places, who allows any person to take along with 
him to such place or places any minor herein described shall be imposed a 
penalty of prision mayor in its [medium] MAXIMUM  period and a fine of not less 
than [Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000)] FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS 
(P500,000.00), and the loss of the license to operate such a place or 
establishment. 
“(e) Any person who shall use, coerce, force or intimidate a streetchild or any 
other child to: 
“(1) Beg or use begging AS a means of living; 
“(2) Act as conduit or middlemen in drug trafficking or pushing; or 
“(3) Conduct any illegal activities, shall suffer the penalty of [prision 
correccional in its medium period] RECLUSION TEMPORAL to reclusion 
perpetua.” 
 
SEC. 3. Section 16 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as 
follows: 
“SEC. 16. Penal Provisions. –  
“(a) Any employer who violates Sections 12, 12-A, and Section 14 of this Act, 
as amended, shall be penalized by imprisonment of [six (6) months] ONE (1) 
YEAR  and one (1) day to six (6) years or a fine of not less than [Fifty thousand 
pesos (P50,000.00] ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) but 
not more than [Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00)] FOUR 
HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P400,000.00) or both at the discretion of the 
court. 
“(b) Any person who violates the provision of Section 12-D of this Act or the 
employer of the subcontractor who employs, or the one who facilitates the 
employment of a child in hazardous work, shall suffer the penalty of a fine of not 
less than [One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00)]  TWO HUNDRED 
THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00) but not more than One million pesos 
(P1,000,000.00), or imprisonment of not less than twelve (12) years and one (1) 
day to twenty (20) years, or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of 
the court. 
“(c) Any person who violates Sections 12-D(1) and 12-D(2) shall be 
prosecuted and penalized in accordance with the penalty provided for by [R.A. 
9208 otherwise known as the 'Anti-trafficking in Persons Act of 2003'] SECTION 
12 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10364 OR THE 'EXPANDED ANTI-TRAFFICKING 


IN PERSONS ACT OF 2012': Provided, That such penalty shall be imposed in 
its maximum period. 
“(d) Any person who violates Section 12-D(3) shall be prosecuted and 
penalized 
in 
accordance 
with 
R.A. 
9165, 
otherwise 
known 
as 
the 
'Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002': Provided, That such penalty 
shall be imposed in its maximum period. 
“(e) If a corporation commits any of the violations aforecited, the board of 
directors/trustees and officers, which include the president, treasurer and 
secretary of the said corporation who participated in or knowingly allowed the 
violation, shall be penalized accordingly as provided for under this Section. 
“(f) Parents, biological or by legal fiction, and legal guardians found to be 
violating Sections 12, 12-A, 12-B and 12-C of this Act shall pay a fine of not less 
than [Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00)] ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS 
(P100,000.00) but not more than [One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00)] 
THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P300,000.00), or be required to 
render community service for not less than [thirty (30) days] THREE (3) 
MONTHS  but not more than one (1) year, or both such fine and community 
service at the discretion of the court:  Provided, That the maximum length of 
community service shall be imposed on parents, [or] legal guardians OR ADULT 
CAREGIVERS WHO HAVE CUSTODY OF THE CHILD AND who have violated 
the provisions of this Act three (3) times: Provided, further, That in addition to the 
community service, the penalty of imprisonment of [thirty (30) days] THREE (3) 
MONTHS  but not more than one (1) year or both at the discretion of the court, 
shall be imposed on the parents or legal guardians who have violated the 
provisions of this Act more than three (3) times. 
“(g) The Secretary of Labor and Employment or his/her duly authorized 
representative may, after due notice and hearing, order the closure of any 
business firm or establishment found to have violated any of the provisions of 
this Act more than three (3) times. He/she shall likewise order the immediate 
closure of such firm or establishment if: 
“(1) The violation of any provision of this Act has resulted in the death, 
insanity or serious physical injury of a child employed in such establishment; or 
“(2) Such firm or establishment is engaged or employed in prostitution or in 
obscene or lewd shows. 
“(h) In case of such closure, the employer shall be required to pay the 
employee(s) the separation pay and other monetary benefits provided for by 
law.” 
 
SEC. 4.  Section 20 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 20. Discrimination. – Children of indigenous cultural communities shall 
not be subjected to any and all forms of discrimination. 
“Any person who discriminates against children of indigenous cultural 
communities 
shall 
suffer 
a 
penalty 
of 
[arresto 
mayor] 
PRISION 
CORRECCIONAL in its [maximum] MEDIUM period and a fine of not less than  
[Five thousand pesos (P5,000)] FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) nor 
more than [Ten thousand pesos (P10,000)] ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND 
PESOS (P100,000.00). 
“THE 
OFFENDER 
SHALL 
LIKEWISE 
UNDERGO 
A  
REEDUCATION AND REORIENTATION PROGRAM ON THE INDIGENOUS 
PEOPLES CULTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES, TO BE CONDUCTED BY THE 
NATIONAL COMMISSION ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OR THE PHILIPPINE 
TASK FORCE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS.” 
 
SEC. 5. 
 Within one hundred eighty (180) days from the effectivity of this Act, the 
Secretary of Labor and Employment in coordination with the Secretary of Social Welfare and 


Development, concerned agencies in the public sector and other stakeholders in the private 
sector, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to effectively implement the 
provisions of this Act. 
Such rules and regulations shall take effect upon their publication in two (2) national 
newspapers of general circulation. 
 
SEC. 6. 
 If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions 
not affected thereby shall remain to be in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 7. 
 All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, inconsistent with any of the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 8. 
 This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,