FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
2363 
S.No. __ 
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Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill advances a dynamic implementation of the good conduct allowance 
under Article 97, Chapter II of the Revised Penal Code. It unequivocally recognizes as 
"good conduct" the demonstrated courage, willingness and the ability of a prisoner to 
increase his knowledge, develop his skills and strengthen his moral values while under 
detention. 
It is also unfortunate that under our present laws, prisoners are not entitled to 
good conduct allowance while their cases are on appeal. This rule either discourages 
prisoners from complying with prison rules or withdraw their appeals to qualify for 
good conduct allowance. 
This bill thus seeks to remedy the situation by amending Article 97 of the 
Revised Penal Code and allows inmates, even with appealed cases, to qualify for good 
conduct allowances. 
The potential benefits from this bill are as follows: 
1. Increasing literacy and skills standards and strengthening moral values of 
prisoners will facilitate their reintegration into mainstream society as reformed 
and productive citizens. 
2. The grant to prisoners of good conduct time allowance for participating in 
literacy, skills and values development programs will result in the reduction of 
their incarceration period. This translates to a decrease in the over-all cost of 
correction thru jail decongestion. 
3. With increasing literacy among prisoners, a jail management system responsive 
to current needs and problems can be implemented to forestall, jailbreaks, riots 
and other destabilizing activities. 
4. The duty of the State to provide elementary and high school education to its 
citizens, for free, is fulfilled. It is a fact that many prisoners are unschooled or are 
illiterates which may be contributory to their h·ansgression of the law. 
As an incentive to parallel the rigors and the bliss of increasing knowledge, 
developing skills and strengthening moral values while under detention, the grant of 
good conduct time allowance for prisoners who participate in the literacy, skills and 
moral development programs is made mandatory. A prisoner's "good conduct" 
deserves recompense under the law. 
The early passage of this legislative measure is earnestly requested. 
FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
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Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR GOOD CONDUCT TIME ALLOWANCES (GCTA) TO 
DETENTION PRISONERS AND THOSE SERVING SENTENCE BY VIRTUE 
OF FINAL JUDGMENT, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to 
promote the correction and rehabilitation of detention prisoners and those 
serving sentence by virtue of final judgment and provide an opportunity for their 
reformation by giving them free education in order to develop their skills, 
strengthen their moral values, facilitate integration into the mainstream of 
society and to uplift and redeem valuable human material so as to prevent 
unnecessary and excessive deprivation of personal liberty and economic 
usefulness. Towards this end, for their good behavior, there is a need to grant 
good conduct time allowances (GCTA) to detention prisoners (while being 
detained and awaiting trial) and those prisoners serving sentence by virtue of 
final judgment. 
SEC. 2. Allowance for Good Conduct. - For their good behavior, 
detention prisoners and those serving sentence by virtue of final judgment shall 
be allowed a deduction of fifteen (15) days for every month of good conduct. 
SEC. 3. Allowance for Study Time. - In addition to the good conduct time 
allowances (GCTA) provided in the preceding section, detention prisoners and 
those serving sentence by virtue of final judgment who shall earn or make 
satisfactory progress towards earning a post graduate or a college degree or a 
certificate of completion of a vocational or skills or values development course or 
a high school diploma or an elementary grades certificate shall also be allowed a 
deduction of fifteen (15) days for every month of study time or mentoring service 
rendered to fellow prisoners. 
The additional privilege under this Act shall likewise apply to prisoners 
who are rendering teaching services to their fellow inmates. 
SEC. 4. Prison Officials Authorized to Qualify Prisoners to the Grant of 
Additional Allowance Under this Act. - The Director of the National Bureau of 
Prisons, Chief of the Bureau of Jail and Management Penology (BJMP), Wardens 
of various provincial, cities and municipalities, shall be authorized to assess, 
evaluate and grant good conduct time allowances for detention prisoners and 
those serving sentence by virtue of final judgment. 


SECTION 5. Additional Allowance to Detention Prisoners and those 
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Serving Sentence by Virtue of a Final Judgment. The time allowances provided 
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for under this Act shall be those in addition to those that are already being 
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granted under existing rules and regulations. 
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SEC. 6. Grant of Allowance Pending Appeal. - An appeal by the accused 
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shall not deprive hin; of entitlements to the above allowances for good conduct. 
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SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of the 
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Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Secretary of the Department of Interior and 
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Local Government (DILG) shall, within sixty (60) days from the approval of this 
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Act, promulgate rules and regulations on the classification system for good 
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'conduct time allowances as may be necessary to implement 26 the provision of 
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this Act. 
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SECTION 8. Separability Clause. In case any provision hereof is declared 
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unconstitutional the other provisions not so declared and affected shall remain in 
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force and effect. 
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SECTION. 9. Repealing Clause. All laws, rules and regulations, or parts 
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thereof, which are contrary to or are inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
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repealed or amended accordingly. 
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. SECTION 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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from its publicabon in three national newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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