SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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S. B. No. _,,0 
Tl JUL "-I 
A9 :05 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State recognizes the right of the people to information on matters of 
public concern, and adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all 
its transactions involving public interest, subject to the procedures and limitations 
provided by this Act. This right is indispensable to the exercise of the right of the 
people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels 
of social, political and economic decision-making. 
This bill seeks to enhance access to information under the principle of public 
accountability of any public office. Transparency in all government transactions 
empowers the people to correctly demand accountability from the government. 
Finally, this proposed measure also includes provisions that penalize failure 
to disclose information within a given period of time, such penalties range from 
damages, suspension and imprisonment. 
FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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1 () 
5" B"No.~ 
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t~Hl~f llf tI:~, ~;I'!1,thlr'l 
"13 
JUL -I A 9 :OS 
R&t" 1" q) By:-r 
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
AN ACT 
IMPLEMENTING THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO INFORMATION ON 
MATTERS OF PUBLIC CONCERN GUARANTEED UNDER SECTION SEVEN, 
ARTICLE THREE OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION AND THE STATE POLICY OF 
FULL PUBIC DISCLOSURE OF ALL ITS TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING 
PUBLIC INTEREST UNDER SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT, ARTICLE TWO OF 
THE 1987 CONSTITUTION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION" 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Freedom of 
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Information Act" . 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the right of the 
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people to information on matters of public concern, and adopts and implements a 
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policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest, subject 
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to the procedures and limitations provided by this Act. This right is indispensable to 
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the exercise of the right of the people and their organizations to effective and 
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reasonable participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-
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making. 
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SECTION 3. Coverage. - This At shall cover all government agencies as 
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defined under Section 4 of this Act. 
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SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
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(a) 
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"Information" shall mean any knowledge, record, document, 
paper, report, letters, contract, minutes and transcripts of official 


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(b) 
(c) 
(d) 
meetings, maps, books, photographs, data, research, material, film, 
sound and video recordings, magnetic and other tapes, electronic 
data, computer stored data or any other like or similar data or 
material recorded, stored or archived in whatever form or format, 
which are made, received and kept in or under control and 
custody of any government agency pursuant to law, executive 
order, rules and regulations, ordinance or in connection with the 
performance or transaction of official business by any government 
agency. 
"Government agency" shall include the executive, legislative and 
judicial branches as well as the constitutional bodies of the 
Republic of the Philippines including, but not limited to, the 
national government and all its agencies, departments, bureaus, 
offices and instrumentalities, constitutional commissions and 
constitutionally mandated bodies, local governments and all their 
agencies, regulatory agencies, chartered institutions, government-
owned or controlled corporations, including wholly owned or 
controlled subsidiaries, government financial institutions, state 
universities and colleges, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the 
Philippine National Police, all offices in the Congress of the 
Philippines including offices of Senators and Representatives, the 
Supreme Court and all lower courts established by law. 
"Official records" shall refer to information produced or received 
by a public officer or employee, or by a government agency in an 
official capacity or pursuant to a public function or duty, and is not 
meant to be a stage or status of the information. 
"Public records" shall include information requir~d by law, 
executive orders, rules and regulations to be entered, kept and 
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made publicly available by a government agency. 
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SECTION 5. Presumption. - There shall be a legal presumption in favor of 
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access to information. Accordingly, government agencies shall have the burden of 
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proof of showing by clear and convincing evidence that the information requested is 
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exempted from disclosure by this Act. 
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SECTION 6. Access to Information. Government agencies shall make available 
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to the public for scrutiny, copying and reproduction in the manner provided by this 
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Act, all information pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as 
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government research data used as basis for policy development, regardless of this 
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physical form or format in which they are contained and by whom they were made. 
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SECTION 7. Exceptions. Subject to the qualifications set forth in Section 8 of 
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this Act, access to information may be denied when: 
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(a) 
(b) 
The information is specifically authorized to be kept secret under 
guidelines established by an executive order, and in fact properly 
classified pursuant thereto: Provided, That 1) The information 
directly relates to national defense and its revelation will cause 
grave damage to the internal and external defense of ~he State; 2) 
The information requested pertains to the foreign Hffairs of the 
Republic of the Philippines, when its revelation unduly weaken 
the negotiating position of the government in an ongoing bilateral 
or multilateral negotiation or seriously jeopardize the diplomatic 
relations of the Philippines with one or more states with which it 
intends to keep friendly relations: Provided, further, That the 
executive order shall specify the reasonable period by which the 
information shall be automatically declassified or subject to 
mandatory declassification review, and that nay reasonable doubt 
as to classification and declassification shall be settled in favor of 
the right to information; 
The information requested pertains to internal and external 
defense and law enforcement, when the revelation thereof would 
render a legitimate military or law enforcement operation 
ineffective, unduly compromise the prevention, detection or 
suppression of a criminal activity, or endanger the life or physical 
safety of confidential or protected sources or witnesses, law 
enforcement and military personnel or their immediate families. 
Information relating to the details of the administration, budget 
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(c) 
(d) 
(e) 
(f) 
(g) 
(h) 
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and expenditure and management of the 
defens~ and law 
enforcement agencies shall always be accessible to the public. 
The information requested pertains to the personal information of 
a natural person other than the requesting party, and its disclosure 
would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of his or her 
personal privacy, unless it forms part of a public record, or the 
person is or was an official of a government agency and the 
information relates to his or her public function, or the person has 
consented to the disclosure of the information; 
The information requested pertains to trade, industrial, financial or 
commercial secrets of a natural or juridical person other than the 
requesting party, obtained in confidence by, and/ or filed with a 
government agency, whenever the revelation thereof would 
seriously prejudice the interests of such natural or juridical person 
in trade, industrial, financial or commercial competition, unless 
such natural or juridical person has consented to the disclos~re of 
the information. 
The information is 
privileged from production in legal 
proceedings by law or by the Rules of Court, unless the person 
entitled to the privilege has waived it. 
The information requested is exempted by law or the Constitution, 
in addition to those provided in this section; 
The information requested is obtained by any committee of either 
House of Congress in executive session, whenever such 
information falls under any of the foregoing exceptions; and 
The information requested consists of drafts of decisions by any 
executive, administrative, judicial or quasi-judicial body in the 
exercise of their adjudicatory functions whenever the revelation 
thereof would reasonably tend to impair the impartiality of 
verdicts, or otherwise obstruct the administration of justice. 
For letters (b) to (h) of this section, the determination whether any of 
these grounds shall apply shall be the responsibility of the head of 
office of the government agency in custody or control of the 
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information, or any responsible central or field officer/ s duly 
designated by him. 
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SECTION 8. Qualifications. -
Even if the information falls under the 
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exceptions set forth in the preceding section, access to information shall not be 
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denied if: 
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(a) The information may be reasonably severed from· the body of the 
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information which would be subject to the exceptions; 
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(b) The public interest in the disclosure outweighs the harm to the interest 
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sought to be protected by the exceptions; or 
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(c) The requesting party is either House of Congress, or any of its 
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Committees and the disclosure is to be made in executive session, unless 
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the disclosure will constitute a violation of the Constitution. 
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SECTION 9. Procedure of Access. - (a) Any person who wishes to obtain 
information shall submit a request to the government agency concerned 
personally, by mail, or through electronic means. The request shall state the 
name and preferred contact information of the requesting party, and 
reasonably describe the information required, the reason for the request of the 
information and the preferred means by which the government agency shall 
communicate such information to the requesting party: Provided, That the 
stated reason shall not be used as a ground to deny the request or to refuse 
the acceptance of the request, unless such reason is contrary to law. If the 
request is submitted personally, the requesting party shall show his current 
identification card issued by any government agency, or government or 
private employer or school, or a community tax certificate. If the request is 
submitted by mail or through electronic means, the requesting party may 
submit a photostatic or electronically scanned copy of the identification, or 
other convenient means as determined by the agency. 
(b) The request shall be stamped by the government agency, indicating 
the date and time of receipt and the name, rank, title and position of the 
receiving public officer or employee with the corresponding signature, and a 
copy thereof furnished to the requesting party. In case the request is 
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submitted by electronic means, the government agency shall provide for an 
equivalent means by which the requirements of this paragraph shall be met. 
(c) The request may indicate the following preferred means of 
communication: 
(1) A true copy of the information in permanent or other form; 
(2) An opportunity to inspect the information, using equipment 
normally available to the government agency when necessary; 
form; 
(3) An opportunity to copy the information using personal equipment; 
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(4) A written transcript of the information contained in a audio-visual 
(5) A transcript of the content of an information requested, in print, 
sound or visual form, where such transcript is capable of being produced 
using equipment normally available to the government agency; 
(6) A transcript of the information from shorthand or codified form; or 
(7) Other reasonable means or format. 
(d) A government agency may communicate the information requested in a 
form other than the preferred means whenever such preferred means 
would unreasonably interfere with the effective operation of the agency, 
or be detrimental to the preservation of the record. 
(e) The government agency shall comply with such request witl-iin seven (7) 
working days from the receipt thereof. 
(f) The time limits prescribed in this Section for the production of the 
requested information may be extended whenever there is a need for any 
of the following: 
(1) To search for and collect the requested information from 
field facilities or other establishments that are separate 
from the office processing the request; 
(2) To search for, collect and appropriately examine a 
voluminous amount of separate and distinct information 
which are demanded in a single request; 
(3) Consultation, which shall be conducted in all practicable 
speed, with another government agency or among two (2) 
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or more components of the government agency having 
substantial interest in the determination of the request; and 
(4) To consider fortuitous events or other events due to force 
majeure or other analogous cases. 
(g) The government agency shall, in writing or through electronic means, 
notify the person making the request of the extension, setting forth the 
reasons for such extension and the date when the information shall be 
made available: Provided, That no such notice shall specify ,a date that 
would result in an extension of more than fifteen (15) working days from 
the original deadline. 
SECTION 10. Access Fees. -
Government agencies may charge a 
reasonable fee to reimburse the actual cost of reproduction, copying or 
transcription and the communication of the information requested. 
SECTION 11. Notice afDenial. - If the government agency decides to deny 
the request, in whole or in part, it shall, within seven (7) working days from 
the receipt of the request, notify the person making the request of such denial 
in writing or through electronic means. The notice shall clearly indicate the 
name, rank, title or position of the person making the denial, and the grounds 
for the denial. In case the denial is by reason of a claimed exception, the 
denial shall also state clearly the legitimate aim or interest sought to be 
protected in the confidentiality, and the facts and circumstances invoked 
showing the substantial harm to, or frustration of, the legitimate aim or 
interest that will result in the disclosure of the information. Failure to notify 
the person making the request of the denial, or of the extension, shall be 
deemed a denial of the request for access to information. 
SECTION 12. Implementation Requirements. -
(a) For the effective 
implementation of this Act, all government agencies shall prepare a Freedom 
of Information Manual, with the end in view of facilitating easy access to 
information, which shall include the following: 
(1) 
The location and contact information of the head, regional, 
provincial and field offices, and other established places where the 
public can obtain information or submit requests. 
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(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
(5) 
(6) 
(7) 
The types of information it generates, produces, holds and/ or 
publishes; 
A description of its record-keeping system; 
The person or office responsible for receiving requests for 
information; 
The procedure for filing of requests personally, by mail or through 
the identified electronic means; 
The standard forms for the submission of request and for the 
proper acknowledgement of the request; 
The process for the disposition of the request, including the 
routing of the request to the person or office with the duty to act 
on the request, the decision-making, and the grant or denial of 
access and its implementation; 
(8) 
The procedure for the administrative appeal of any denial for 
access to information; 
(9) 
The schedule of fees; 
(10) 
The process and procedure for the mandatory disclosure of 
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information under Section 14 of this Act; 
(11) 
Should the agency lack the capacity to comply with Section 14(a) 
of this Act, a brief description of its plan to facilitate compliance 
within three (3) years from the approval of this Act; and 
(12) 
Such other information, taking into consideration the unique 
characteristics of an agency, that will help facilitate the effective 
implementation of this Act. 
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(b) The Judiciary shall prepare a similar manual as directed by the Supreme 
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Court; 
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(c) The foregoing information shall also be posted in its website and bulleting 
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boards, and shall be regularly updated. 
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(d) In no case shall the absence of the aforementioned Manual be a reason for 
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the denial of any request for information made in accordance with this Act. 
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SEC. 13. Remedies in Cases of Denial . . - (a) In all government agencies other 
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than the judicial branch -
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(1) Every denial of any request for access to information may be 
appealed to the person of office next higher in authority, following 
the procedure mentioned in Section 12(a)(8) of this Act: Provided, 
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That the appeal must be filed within fifteen (15) calendar days from 
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the notice of denial and must be decided within fifteen (15) 
calendar days from filing. Failure of the government agency to 
decide within the aforestated period shall constitute a denial of the 
appeal; and 
(2) Instead of appealing or after the denial of the appeal, the person 
denied access to information may file a verified complaint with the 
Office of the Ombudsman, praying that the government agency 
concerned be directed to immediately afford access to the 
information being requested. Such complaint shall be resolved by 
the Office of the Ombudsman within sixty (6) calendar days from 
filing, or earlier when time is of the essency, taking into account 
such factors as the nature of the information requested, context of 
the request, public interest and danger that the information 
requested will become moot. The Office of the Ombudsman shall 
promulgate its special rules of procedure for the immediate 
disposition of complaints files pursuant to this Section. Unless 
restrained or enjoined, the decisions of the Office of the 
Ombudsman shall be immediately executory, without prejudice to 
review in accordance with the Rules of Court. 
(3) Instead of filing a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman, 
whenever a request for information is denied originally or on 
administrative appeal, the requesting party may file a verified 
petition for mandamus in the proper court, alleging tlie facts with 
certainty and praying that judgment be rendered ordering the 
respondent, immediately or at some other time to be specified by 
the court, to disclose the information and to pay the damages 
sustained by the requesting party by reason· of the denial. The 
procedure for such petition shall be summary in nature. 
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(4) In resolving a complaint or petition brought under the preceding 
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paragraphs (2) and (3), the Ombudsman or the court is empowered 
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to receive the information subject of a claim of exemption under 
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Section 7 herein and examine then in camera to determine the 
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sufficiency of the factual and legal basis of such claim, when such 
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sufficiency cannot be reasonably determined through evidence and 
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circumstances apart from the information. 
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(b) In the Judicial Branch - The Judiciary shall be governed by such remedies 
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as promulgated by the Supreme Court. 
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(c) The remedies under this section are without prejudice to any other 
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administrative, civil or criminal action covering the same act. 
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(d) The remedies available under this Act shall be exempt from the rules on 
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non-exhaustion of administrative remedies and the application of the provisions of 
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Republic Act No. 9285, otherwise known as the Alternative Dispute Re~olution Act 
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of 2004. 
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(e) In case the requesting party has limited or no financial capacity, the Public 
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Attorney's Office shall be mandated to provide legal assistance to the requester in 
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availing of the remedies provided under this Act. 
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SEC. 14. Mandatory Disclosure of Transactions Involving Public Interest. -
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(a) 
Subject to Sections 7 and 8 of this Act, all government agencies shall 
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upload on their websites, which shall be regularly updated every fifteen (15) days, 
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all the steps, negotiations and key government positions pertaining to definite 
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propositions of the government, as well as the contents of the contract, agreement or 
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treaty in the following transactions involving public interest: 
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(1) Compromise agreements entered into by a government 
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agency with any person or entity involving any waiver of 
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its rights or claims; 
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(2) Private sector participation agreements or contracts in 
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infrastructure and development projects under Republic 
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Act No. 6957, as amended by Republic Act No. 7718, 
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authorizing the financing, construction , opl!ration and 
maintenance of infrastructure projects; 
(3) Procurement contracts entered into by a government 
agency; 
(4) Construction or concession agreements or contracts 
entered into by a given government agency with any 
domestic or foreign person or entity; 
(5) Loans, 
grants, 
development 
assistance, 
technical 
assistance and programs entered into by a government 
agency with official bilateral or multilateral agencies, as 
well as with private aid agencies or institutions: 
(6) Loans from domestic and foreign financial institutions; 
(7) Guarantees given by any government agency 
to 
government-owned or c-controlled corporations and to 
private corporations, persons or entities; 
(8) Public funding extended to any private entity; 
(9) Bilateral or multilateral agreements and treaties in 
defense, 
trade, 
economic, 
partnership, 
investments, 
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cooperation and similar binding commitments; or 
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(10) Licenses, permits of agreements given by any government 
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agency to any person or entity for the extraction and/ or 
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utilization of natural resources. 
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A summary list of the foregoing information uploaded in the website shall be 
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posted in the bulletin boards of the concerned government agency. 
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(b) The information uploaded in the website under letter (a) of this Section 
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may be withdrawn after a period of three (3) years from the time of uploading: 
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Provided, That an abstract of the information withdrawn shall remain uploaded in 
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the website, containing a brief description of the transaction and an enumeration of 
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the information withdrawn, and indicating the dates of posting and withdrawal. 
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(c) Should an agency lack the capacity to comply with letter (a) of this Section, 
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the agency shall initiate a capacity-building program, or coordinate with another 
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appropriate agency, to facilitate substantive compliance not later than three (3) years 
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upon approval of this Act. 
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SEC. 15. Keeping of Records. - a) Government agencies shall create and/ or 
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maintain in appropriate formats, accurate and reasonably complete documentation 
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or records of their organization, policies, transactions, decisions, resolution, 
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enactments, actions, procedures, operations, activities, communications, documents 
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received or filed with them and the data generated or collected. These shall include 
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working files such as drafts or notes, whenever these have been circulated within 
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the agency for official purpose such as for discussion, comments or approval or 
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when these contain unique information that can substantially contribute to a proper 
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understanding of the agency organization, policies, transactions, decisions, 
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resolutions, enactments, actions, procedures, operations, and activites; 
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(b) Government agencies shall identify specific and classes of official records 
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in their custody or control that have continuing historical, administrative, 
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informational, legal, evidentiary, or research value for preservation by such agencies 
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of their legitimate successors, or for transfer to the National Archives of the 
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Philippines. In addition, the National Archives of the Philippines shall likewise 
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identify specific and classes of official records that it shall require agencies to 
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preserve and transfer it. 
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(c) In addition to the specific and classes of official records identified for 
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preservation under letter (b) of this Section, the following shall not be destroyed: 
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1) Records pertaining to loans obtained or guaranteed by the 
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government; 
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2) Records of government contracts; 
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3) The declaration under oath of the assets, liabilities and net worth of 
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public officers and employees, as required by law; and 
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4) Records of official investigations on graft and corruption of public 
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officers. 
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d) Government agencies shall prepare, following standards and period 
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promulgated pursuant to Republic Act No. 9470 or the National Archives of the 
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Philippines Act of 2007, a records management programs that includes the 
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following: 
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1) A records maintenance system for the creation, selection, 
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classification, indexing and filing of official records, than facilitates easy 
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identification, retrieval and communication of information to the public; 
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2) A records maintenance, archival and disposition schedule providing 
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a listing of records under current use, for retention by the agency, for transfer to the 
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National Archives, or for destruction: Provided, That destruction of the official 
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records may be implemented only upon approval of the National Archives of the 
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Philippines; and 
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3) A specifications of the roles and responsibilities of agency personnel 
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in the implementation of such system and schedule. 
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e) In addition to its function as repository of all rules and regulations issued 
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by agencies as provided under Book VII, Chapter II of the Administrative Code of 
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1987, the university of the Philippines law Center, in coordination with the National 
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Printing Office as the agency with exclusive printing jurisdiction over the Official 
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Gazette, shall maintain a database, and publish the same in print in Official Gazette 
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or in digital or online form, the following: 1) All laws of the Philippines and their 
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amendments, from the period of the Philippine Commission to the present; 2) All 
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presidential issuances from November 15, 1935 to the present, includingibut limited, 
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to 
executive 
orders, 
presidential 
proclamations, 
administrati\"e 
orders, 
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memorandum circulars, general orders, and other similar issuances; 3) A database of 
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all appointments made by the President of the Philippines; and 4) Opinions of the 
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Secretary of Justice. 
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SEC. 16. Promotion of Openness in Government. -
(a) Duty to Publish 
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Information - Government agencies shall regularly publish, print and disseminate at 
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no cost to the public and in an accessible form, in conjunction with RA. 9485, or the 
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Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, and through their website, timely, true, accurate and 
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updated key information including, but not limited to: 
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(1) 
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A description of its mandate, structure, powers, functions, 
duties and decision-making processes; 
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(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
(5) 
(6) 
(7) 
(8) 
A description of the frontline services it delivers and the 
procedure and length of time by which they may be availed 
of; 
The names of its key officials, their powers, functions and 
responsibilities, and their profiles and curriculum vitae 
Work programs, development plans, 
inves~ent plans, 
projects, performance targets and accomplishments, and 
budgets, revenue allotments and expenditures; 
Important rules and regulations, orders or decisions: 
Provided, That they be published within fifteen (15) calendar 
days from promulgation; 
Current and important database and statistics that it 
generates; 
Bidding processes and requirements; and 
Mechanisms or procedures by which the public may 
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participate in or otherwise influence the formulation of 
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policy or the exercise of its powers. 
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(b) Accessibility of Language and Form - Every government agency shall 
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endeavor to translate key information into major Filipino languages and present 
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them in popular form and means. 
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(c) Improving Capability -
Every government agency shall ensure the 
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provision of adequate training for its officials to improve awareness of the right to 
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information and the provisions of this Act, and to keep updated of best practices in 
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relation to information disclosure, records maintenance and archiving. 
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SEC. 17. Criminal Liability and Administrative Liability. - The penalty of 
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imprisonment of not less than one (1) month but not more than six (6) months shall 
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be imposed upon: 
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(a) Any public officer or employee receiving the request under Section 9 of 
, 
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this Act who shall fail to promptly forward the request to the public 
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officer within the same office or agency responsible for officially acting on 
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the request when such is the direct cause of the failure to disclose the 
information within the periods required by this Act; 
(b) Any public officer or employee responsible for officially acting on the 
request, who shall: 
(1) Fail, to act on the request within the periods required by 
this Act; 
(2) Knowingly deny the existence of existing information; 
(3) Destroy information being requested for the purpose of 
, frustrating the requester's access thereto; 
(4) Claim an exception under Section 7 of this Act, or under 
the Constitution, when the claim is manifested devoid of 
factual basis; or 
(5) Refuse to comply with the decision of his immediate 
supervisor, the Ombudsman of the court ordering the 
release of information that is not restrained or enjoined by 
a court; 
i 
, 
(c) The head of office of the government agency directly and principally 
responsible for the negotiation of any of the transaction enumerated in 
Section 14(a) of this Act shall knowingly refuse, to direct the mandatory 
posting or uploading of such transaction despite the agency capacity to 
implement such directive. The same penalty shall be imposed upon the 
public officer or employee who, despite a directive from the head of office, 
shall fail, to post or upload any of the transactions enumerated in Section 
14(a) of this Act; 
(d) Any public officer or employee who shall destroy, or cause to destroy, 
records of information covered by Section 15(c) of this Act; 
(e) Any public officer who formulates policies, rules and regulations 
manifestly contrary to the provision of this Act, and which policies, rules 
and regulations are the direct cause of the denial of a request for 
information; or 
(f) Any public or private individual who knowingly induced or cause the 
commission of the foregoing acts under this section. 
15 


The foregoing shall be without prejudice to any administrative liability of the 
2 
offender under existing laws and regulations. 
3 
4 
SEC. 18. Act Not a bar to Claim of Right to Information Under the Constitution. -
5 
No provision of this Act shall be interpreted as a bar to any claim of denial of the 
6 
right to information under Article III, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution. 
7 
SEC. 19. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section or provision of 
8 
this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, no other section or provision shall be 
9 
affected. 
10 
SEC. 20. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
II 
regulation, issuances or any part thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, 
12 
including Memorandum Circular No. 78 dated 14 August 1964 (Promulgating Rules 
13 
Governing Security of Classified Matter in Government Offices), as amended, and 
14 
Section 3, Rule IV of the Rules Implementing Republic Act No. 6713 (Code of 
15 
Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), are deemed 
16 
repealed. 
17 
SEC. 21. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
18 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
19 
Approved, 
20 
16