Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by REP. SITTIE SHAHARA “BAI DIMPLE” I. MASTURA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 5, Article III of the 1987 Constitution provides that “No law shall be made 
respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.  The 
free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination 
or preference, shall forever be allowed.” 
Worship in Islam is woven into the daily life of a Muslim.  We are required to pray 
five (5) times a day to maintain a spiritual connection with god and remind ourselves of 
our ultimate purpose in life.  These are Fajr (observed at dawn), Zuhr (observed at 
noon), Asr (observed late in the afternoon), Maghrib (observed after sunset) and Isha 
(observed at dusk).  Salah can be performed either in solitude, or collectively (known as 
Jama’ah). 
It is through sincerity, repentance and direct prayer to God that we Muslims strive 
to establish a personal spiritual relationship with the Creator all throughout the day. 
This prayer includes physical motions of bowing and prostrating; as well as washing for 
being clean is one of the requirements of our worship.  Thus, since worship is to be 
performed in a quiet, dry and clean place, a prayer room is necessary to provide a 
certain measure of privacy. 
This bill seeks to require that a prayer room be provided in every government 
building, military camp, hotel, hospital, factory, mall and other business establishments, 
public or private, where Muslim employees, residents, clients, patients or guests may 
freely exercise their religious belief, the same as a Roman Catholic. 
December 6, 2022
1:29 pm
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Considering its transcendental importance, the approval of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
SITTIE SHAHARA “BAI DIMPLE” I. MASTURA 
Representative, First District of Maguindanao  
with Cotabato City (now Lone Dist. of Maguindanao 
del Norte) 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by REP. SITTIE SHAHARA “BAI DIMPLE” I. MASTURA 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THE ALLOTMENT OF A PRAYER ROOM FOR MUSLIMS IN EVERY 
GOVERNMENT 
BUILDING, 
MILITARY 
CAMP, 
HOTEL, 
HOSPITAL, 
MALL, 
FACTORY AND OTHER BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, 
AND PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1.  There shall be allotted a place of worship or prayer room for 
Muslims in every government building, military camp, hotel, hospital, mall, factory and 
other business establishments, public or private; 
SEC. 2.  Within sixty (60) days from its approval, the National Commission on 
Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), in consultation with the Civil Service Commission (CSC), 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of National Defense (DND) 
and a representative from the business sector, shall formulate the necessary rules and 
regulations for the implementation of this Act; 
SEC. 3.   Any person found guilty of violating this Act shall suffer the penalty of 
one (1) year imprisonment or a fine equivalent to six (6) months’ salary, or both, at the 
discretion of the courts. 
The penalty herein provided shall be imposed upon the highest official of the 
Department or Office concerned or, if a juridical person, the Chairman or President of 
the corporation. 
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SEC. 4.  All laws, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
 
 
SEC. 5.  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved.