THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Republic Act No. 6713 constitutes the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for 
Public Officials and Employees. 
Similarly, this bill seeks to set professional standards for the practice of political 
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public relations. More specifically, it seeks to achieve the following goals: 
1. 
To discourage and expose to public censure the persons who corrupt the 
integrity of channels of communication or the process of government; 
2. 
To ensure that those engaged in political public relations conduct 
themselves pro fesi'onall y, with truth, accuracy, fairness, and responsibility to the public; 
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and 
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To encourage such practitioners to improve their individual competence 
and advance the knowledge and proficiency of their profession through continuing 
research and education. 
This bill is based on the Code of Professional Standards for the Practice of Public 
Relations adopted in 1988 by the Public Relations Society of America. 
L & 
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MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO 


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THIRTEENTH CObGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Sessi 
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connection 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
with that client's or employer's relationships with any candidates or 
SECTION 2. Public Interest. - A practitioner in political public relations shall 
conduct his or her professional life in accord with public interest. 


SECTION 
SECTION . Fair Dealing. - A practitioner shall deal fairly with the public, with 
past or present clients or employers, and with fellow practitioners, giving due respect to 
the ideal of free inquiry and to the opinions of others. 
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3. Honesty and Integrity. - A practitioner shall exemplify high 
SECTION 5 .  Accuracy and Truth. - A practitioner shall adhere to the highest 
standards of accuracy and truth, avoiding extravagant claims of unfair comparisons and 
giving credit for ideas and words borrowed from others. 
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SECTION 6. False Information. - A practitioner shall not knowingly disseminate 
false or misleading information and shall act promptly to correct erroneous 
communications for which he or she is responsible 
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practitioner’s employer or client, which is in conflict with their obligations to media or 


This Code 
representatives at 
occasions for the 
SECTION 8. Public IdentiJication. - A practitioner shall be prepared to identify 
publicly the name of the client or employer on whose behalf any public communication is 
made. 
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paragraph does not prohibit hosting media or government 
meals, cocktails, or news functions and special events that are 
exchange of news information or views, or the furtherance of 
SECTION 9. Undisclosed Interest. -A practitioner shall not use any individual or 
organization professing to serve or represent an announced cause, or professing to be 
independent or unbiased, but actually serving another undisclosed interest. 
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SECTION i 0. Guarantee ofAchievement. - A practitioner shall not guarantee the 
achievement of specified results beyond the member’s direct control. 
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SECTION 11. Conflicting Interests. - A practitioner shall not represent 
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fees, commissions, 
conflicting or competing interests without the express consent of those concerned, given 
after a full disclosure of the facts 
3. Gifts and Other Considerations. - A practitioner shall not accept 
gifts, or any other consideration from anyone except clients or 
that is not signed 
SECTION 14. Damage to Professional Regulation. - A practitioner shall not 
intentionally damage the professional reputation or practice of another practitioner. 
by responsible persons or is false, misleading or unlabeled as to its 
SECTION 15. Responsibility of Strict Adherence. - It is the responsibility of 
practitioners to abide by this Code of Professional Standards. 
SECTION 16. Good Faith. - Practitioners shall represent clients or employers in 
good faith, and while partisan advocacy on behalf of a candidate or public issue may be 
expected, practitioners shall act in accord with the public interest and adhere to truth and 
accuracy and to generally accepted standards of good taste. 
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SECTION 18. Disclosure of Remuneration. - Practitioners have an obligation to 
clients to disclose what remuneration beyond their fees they expect to receive as a result 
of their relationship, such as commission for media advertising, printing, and the like, 
should not accept such extra payment without their client’s consent. 
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counsel, for pay, the 
SECTION 
employers or clier 
SECTION 19. Improper Use ofPosition. - Practitioners shall not improperly use 
their positions to encourage additional future employment or compensation. It is 
understood that successful campaign directors or managers, because of the performance 
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successful candidate. 
20. Other Clients. - Practitioners shall voluntarily disclose to 
ts the identity of other employers or clients with whom they are 
SECTION 21. Conzdentiality of Information. - Practitioners shall respect the 
confidentiality of information pertaining to employers or clients past, present, and 
potential, even after relationships cases, avoiding future associations wherein insider 
information is sought that would give a desired advantage over a practitioner’s previous 
clients. 
SECTION 22. Undisclosed G$s. - In avoiding practices that might tend to 
corrupt the processes of government, practitioners shall not make undisclosed gifts of 
cash or other valuable considerations that are designed to influence specific decisions of 
voters, legislators, or public officials on public matters. A business lunch or dinner or 
other comparable expenditure made in the course of communicating a point of view or 
public position, would not constitute such a violation. Nor, for example, would a plant 
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visit designed and financed to provide useful background information to an interested 
legislator or candidate. 
SECTION 23. Political Contributions. - Nothing herein should be construed as 
prohibiting practitioners from making legal, properly disclosed contributions to the 
candidates, party, or referenda issues of their choice. 
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SECTION 24. Injury bo Public Reputation. - Practitioners shall not, through use 
of information kngwn to be false or misleading, conveyed directly or through a third 
party, intentional1y:injure the public reputation of an opposing interest. 
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or parl hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall rernaln valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION ?,6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, 
or inconsistent with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION 27. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
Fn: 280