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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING AND PENALIZING THE PRODUCTION, PRINTING, 
PUBLICATION, IMPORTATION, SALE, DISTRIBUTION, AND EXHIBITION 
OF  PORNOGRAPHIC MOVIES AND MATERIALS, THE EXHIBITION OF 
LIVE SEXUAL ACTS, AND THE UPLOADING OR POSTING OF OBSCENE 
MATERIALS THROUGH DIGITAL PLATFORMS, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE ARTICLE  201 OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
No less than the 1987 Constitution, in one of its State policies, declared that it 
recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect 
their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. The Constitution 
even mandates educational institutions to strengthen ethical and Spiritual values and 
develop moral character.  
Today, we are living witnesses to broken homes and families, shattered dreams 
of parents and children, rising crimes against persons and chastity, unwarranted 
and/or early pregnancies, abortions, child abuse, and an utter lack of respect for 
human values and dignity. Unfortunately, the moral fibers of our society continue to 
disintegrate, and obscenity and pornography have greatly contributed to these ills of 
society. Though it is probably surprising to many young people today, there was a 
time before the rise of the Internet when pornography was mostly found in magazines 
and videos. These were purchased via subscription or could be found in stores, either 
hidden away at the back of the magazine racks. Regrettably, due to the advancement 
of technology, there are millions of websites devoted to pornographic and obscene 
videos and images. This shift has made pornography more accessible than it has ever 
been before.1 
According to studies, pornography is any material that is predominantly 
sexually explicit and intended primarily for sexual arousal. Online or internet 
1 The Cambridge Handbook of Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Behavior , pp. 548 - 557DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108131797.046. Publisher: Cambridge University Press. Print publication year: 2020 
August 5, 2025
12:07 pm
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pornography is any images and videos with sexually explicit content that can be 
viewed and downloaded from the internet. Furthermore, the development of 
smartphones and their substantial prevalence among young adults has contributed to 
this ease of access to pornography.2 
 Sadly, the moral issue of watching pornography results in various negative 
effects such as objectification of men/women, loss of respect, lack of 
focus/concentration, distorted views on sexuality, and many others. This behavior, if 
not controlled, can lead to addiction, which can be destructive to one’s mental health. 
Addictive use of internet pornography, as research and studies confirmed, which is 
associated with poorer psychosocial functioning, emerges when people begin to use 
or engage with it daily. This is where the habit is gradually developed, and a 
compulsive behavior comes into play.3 
While freedom of speech and the press guarantee the right to utter, upload, 
publish,  and share whatever one pleases. Yet, if for its blasphemy, obscene, or 
scandalous character, the same may be curtailed under the police power of the State 
to promote the general welfare. Censorship of immoral or indecent pictures is not a 
violation of such freedom. Obscenity is utterly without redeeming social value; hence, 
it should be restrained. 
Unless we act now with determination and dispatch, our children may no 
longer be able to recover from the devastating effects of obscenity and pornography. 
Let us not be judged by history that we, as legislators of our country, who should be 
examples of moral values, have become apathetic and unconcerned with the cry of 
our people, particularly the youth, in bringing back moral values to our beloved 
country. We must come back to a society where we have a moral foundation to stand 
on and where the law is respected and obeyed. 
The immediate passage of this Bill, therefore, is earnestly prayed for. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
2 Pew Research Center (2015). The Smartphone Difference [Online] Washington, DC: Pew Research Center. 
3 Cepeda, M. (2022, August 24). Philippines declares “war” against online child pornography. The Straits Times. 
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/philippines-declares-war-against-online-child-pornography 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING AND PENALIZING THE PRODUCTION, PRINTING, 
PUBLICATION, IMPORTATION, SALE, DISTRIBUTION, AND EXHIBITION 
OF  PORNOGRAPHIC MOVIES AND MATERIALS, THE EXHIBITION OF 
LIVE SEXUAL ACTS, AND THE UPLOADING OR POSTING OF OBSCENE 
MATERIALS THROUGH DIGITAL PLATFORMS, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE ARTICLE 201 OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. — This act shall be known as the “Anti-Obscenity and 
Pornography Act of 2025”. 
SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to give special value 
to the dignity of every human person and to promote and safeguard the integrity and 
the moral, spiritual, and social well-being of its citizenry, especially the youth in 
general and women in particular, from the pernicious effects of obscenity and 
pornography. To effectively enforce this policy, the government shall wage a 
relentless campaign against obscenity and pornography. Likewise, the government 
shall see to it that educational institutions are complying with their Constitutional 
mandate to strengthen ethical and spiritual values and to develop moral character and 
personal discipline. 
SEC 3. Definition of Terms.- As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
a)
Obscene. –  Anything that is indecent, erotic, or offensive or contrary to good
customs or religious beliefs, principles or doctrines, or which tends to corrupt
or deprave the human mind, or is calculated to excite impure imagination or
arouse prurient interest, or which violates the proprieties of language and
human behavior, regardless of the motive of the producer, printer, publisher,
writer, importer, seller, distributor, exhibitor, uploader or poster such as but
not limited to:
1.
showing, depicting, describing, uploading, or posting sexual acts;
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2. showing, depicting, describing, uploading, or posting human sexual 
organs or the female breasts; 
3. showing, depicting, describing, uploading, or posting completely 
nude human bodies; 
4. describing erotic reactions, feelings, or experiences on sexual acts; or 
5. performing live or online sexual acts of whatever form. 
 
b.) Pornographic or Pornography.-  Objects or subjects of photography, content of 
video blog,  illustrations, paintings, drawings, writings, literature, billboards, 
posters, movies, music records, video, television shows,  or programs, 
magazines, newspapers, tabloids, newsletters, and comic books calculated to 
excite or stimulate sexual drive or impure imagination, regardless of the 
motive of the author thereof. 
 
c.) Materials. -  Newspapers, tabloids, magazines, newsletters, literature, articles, 
writings, and comic books regardless of the frequency and place of 
publication or circulation, whether its circulation is limited to subscribers, and 
whether printed in the Philippines or abroad; photographs, drawings, 
illustrations,  billboards, and posters; movies, television shows or programs, 
music records, video, video blog, and similar matters, whether produced or 
uploaded or posted in the Philippines or abroad. 
 
d.) Sex. - The area of human behavior concerning sexual activity, sexual desires, 
instinct, and their expressions. 
 
e.) Sexual act. - having sex or an act of satisfying one’s sex instinct. 
 
f.) Magazine. - a paperback periodical publication of writings by different 
authors, often illustrated with advertisements, whether printed in the 
Philippines or abroad. 
 
g.) Comic book. - A magazine consisting of narrative cartoon drawings. 
 
h.) Internet address. -  refers to a website, bulletin board service, internet chat 
room, newsgroup, or any other internet or shared network protocol address 
 
i.) Internet service provider (ISP). - refers to a person or entity that supplies or 
proposes to supply an internet carriage service to the public. 
 
j.) Blog – refers to a collection of written content, such as articles, stories, or 
essays, text-based, usually presented on websites or platforms designed for 
written content. 
 
k.)  Vlog - is a blog in video format with the content presented via recorded videos. 
A video-based platform is typically hosted on video-sharing platforms such 


 
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as, but not limited to, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, or other dedicated 
vlogging sites. 
 
l..) Digital platform. – Online space where exchange happens between the 
producers of products, services, and information and their customers, such as 
but not limited to social media and media-sharing platforms. 
 
SEC 4. Punishable Acts. - The following acts are declared illegal and punishable: 
 
a) Producing, importing, distributing, broadcasting, advertising, uploading, or 
posting obscene or pornographic movies, materials, blogs, or vlogs; 
 
b) Showing, printing,  publishing, selling, exhibiting, or causing the showing, 
exhibition, printing, sale, or publishing of obscene or pornographic movies, 
blogs, or vlogs as the terms are defined under this Act; 
 
c) Printing, 
publishing, 
showing, 
exhibiting, 
advertising, 
broadcasting, 
uploading, or posting, or causing the printing, publication, showing, 
exhibition, advertising, broadcasting, uploading, or posting  of anything 
obscene or pornographic materials, other than movies, as the terms are defined 
under this Act; 
 
d) Printing, uploading, publishing, importing, selling, or distributing magazines 
or comic books containing anything obscene or pornographic as the terms are 
defined under this Act; 
 
e) Showing, exhibiting, selling, distributing, or uploading obscene pornographic 
movies, videos, blogs, or vlogs through digital platforms such as but not 
limited to social media and media-sharing platforms whether produced in the 
Philippines or abroad in  restaurants, clubs, other places open to the public, 
public utility vehicles,  including  private buildings or houses where the 
viewers are not limited to the owner/s thereof and the members of their 
family; 
 
f) Writing any obscene or pornographic article in any newspaper, tabloid, 
magazine, newsletter, comic books, or through blogs; 
 
g) Performing, or allowing the performance of live sex or a sexual act in any place 
open to public viewing. 
 
h) Failure of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to notify the Philippine National 
Police (PNP) or the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) within seven (7) 
days from obtaining facts and circumstances that obscene or pornographic 
movies, materials, videos, blogs, or vlogs are being committed using its server 
or facility. 


 
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SEC 5. Penalties. - The following penalties shall be imposed upon any person  
found guilty of committing any of the prohibited acts under Section 4 of this Act:  
 
a) For producing, importing, distributing, broadcasting advertising, uploading 
or posting, obscene or pornographic movies, materials, blogs, and vlogs, as the 
terms are defined under this Act,  the penalty of imprisonment of not less than 
four (4) years nor more than five (5) years and a fine of not less than One 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) nor more than Three Hundred 
Thousand pesos (P300,000.00) shall be imposed. 
 
b) For showing, printing,  publishing, selling or exhibiting, or causing the 
showing, exhibition printing, sale, or publication of,  obscene or pornographic 
movies, blogs, or vlogs as the terms are defined under this Act, the penalty of 
imprisonment of not less than six  (6) years nor more than ten (10) years and a 
fine of not less than Five Hundred thousand Pesos (P500,000) nor more than 
One Million pesos (P l,000,000.00) shall be imposed. 
 
c)  For printing, publishing, showing, exhibition, advertising, broadcasting, 
uploading or posting or causing the printing, publication, showing exhibition, 
advertising, broadcasting, uploading, or posting of anything obscene or 
pornographic materials, other than movies as the terms are defined under this 
Act, the penalty of not less than five (5) years nor more than seven (7) years 
and a fine of not less than four (4) Hundred Thousand pesos (P 400,000) nor 
more than Seven (7) Hundred Thousand Pesos (P 700,000 shall be imposed. 
 
d) For printing, uploading, publishing, importing, selling, or distributing, 
magazine or comic books containing anything obscene or pornographic as the 
terms are defined under this Act, the penalty of imprisonment of not less than 
four (4) years nor more than five (5) years and a fine of not less than One 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000) nor more than Three Hundred Thousand 
Pesos (P300,000) shall be imposed.  
 
e) For showing, exhibiting, selling, distributing, or uploading obscene 
pornographic movies, videos, blogs, or vlogs through digital platforms such 
as but not limited to social media and media-sharing platforms whether 
produced in the Philippines or abroad in restaurants, clubs, other places open 
to the public, public utility vehicles,  including private buildings or houses 
where the viewers are not limited to the owner/s thereof and the members of 
their family, the penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) years or more 
than ten (10) years and a fine of not less than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(P 500,000.00) nor more than One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00) shall be 
imposed. 
 
f) For writing any obscene or pornographic article in any newspaper, tabloid, 
magazine, newsletter, comic book, or through blogs, the penalty of 
imprisonment of not less than three (3) years nor more than five (5) years and 


 
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a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) nor more than Two 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00) shall be imposed. 
 
g) For performing, or allowing the performance of live sex or sexual act in any 
place open to public viewing, the penalty of imprisonment of not less than five 
(5) years nor more than seven (7) years and a fine of not less than Three 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P300,000.00) nor more than Five Hundred 
Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) shall be imposed. 
 
h) An Internet Service Providers (ISP) that fails to notify the Philippine National 
Police (PNP) or the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) within seven (7) 
days from obtaining facts and circumstances that obscene or pornographic 
movies, videos, materials, blogs or vlogs is being committed using its server 
or facility, shall suffer the penalty of fine of not less than Five hundred 
thousand pesos (Php500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos 
(Php1,000,000.00) for the first offense. In case of a subsequent offense, the 
penalty shall be a fine of not less than one million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) but 
not more than two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) and revocation of its license 
to operate; 
 
In any case, if the offender is a juridical person, the President, General Manager, 
Members of the Board of Directors, Editor-in-Chief, Production, Sales, Marketing, and 
Advertising, Departments’/Sections’ Managers or Heads thereof, as the case may be, 
shall be criminally liable. 
 
Any person found guilty of violating this Act shall not be entitled to the benefits 
of the Probation Law. 
 
SEC. 6 Appointment of Special Prosecutors. - The Department of Justice (DOJ) 
shall appoint or designate special prosecutors to prosecute cases involving violations 
of this Act. 
 
SEC. 7 Duties of an Internet Service Provider (ISP). – All internet service providers 
shall notify the Philippine National Police (PNP) or the National Bureau of 
Investigation (NBI) within seven (7) days from obtaining facts and circumstances that 
obscene or pornographic movies, materials, videos, blogs, or vlogs are being 
committed using their server or facility. Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
require an ISP to monitor any user, subscriber, or customer, or the content of any 
communication of any such persons: Provided, That an ISP shall preserve such 
evidence gathered for purposes of investigation and prosecution for violations of this 
Section: Provided further, That no ISP shall be held civilly liable for damages on 
account of any notice given in good faith in compliance with this section. 
 
An ISP shall, upon the request of proper authorities, furnish the particulars of 
users who gained or attempted to gain access to an internet address that contains any 
form of obscene or pornographic movies, materials, videos,  blogs, or vlogs.  


 
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All ISPs shall install available technology, programs, or software to ensure that 
access to or transmittal of any form of obscene or pornographic movies, materials, 
videos, blogs, or vlogs will be blocked or filtered. 
 
An ISP who shall knowingly, willfully, and intentionally violate this provision 
shall be subject to the penalty provided under Section 5(h) of this Act. 
 
SEC. 8 Witness Protection and Immunity from Prosecution. – Any person who 
provides material information, whether testimonial or documentary, leading to the 
apprehension and prosecution of any person violating this Act and who testifies 
against such person shall be placed under the Witness Protection Program pursuant 
to Republic Act No. 6981 and shall be immune from any criminal prosecution, subject 
to the pertinent provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1732 otherwise known as Decree 
Providing Immunity from Criminal Prosecution to Government Witness and the 
pertinent provisions of the Rules of Court. 
 
SEC. 9 Informant’s Reward. – Any person who, having knowledge or 
information of any violation under this Act, shall disclose the same which will lead to 
the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of the offender shall be given a reward in an 
amount to be determined through policy guidelines to be promulgated by the 
Department of Justice in coordination with the Movie and Television Review and 
Classification Board, the National Telecommunication Commission and the 
Department of the Interior and Local Government within Sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act. 
 
SEC. 10 Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within Sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the DOJ, DILG, MTRCB, NTC, and other concerned government 
agencies shall jointly promulgate the implementing rules and regulations which shall 
include, among others, the installation of filtering software that will block access to or 
transmission of any form of obscene or pornographic movies, materials, videos, blogs 
or vlogs to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the provisions of this 
Act. Provided that the absence of such implementing rules and regulations shall not 
prevent the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of any person for violation of this Act. 
 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any portion or provision of 
this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 12 Repealing Clause. – The provisions of Article 201 of the Revised Penal 
Code are hereby repealed. All other laws, decrees, executive orders, memorandum 
orders, memorandum circulars, administrative orders, ordinances, or parts thereof, 
which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby deemed repealed, 
amended, or modified accordingly. 
 


 
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SEC. 13 Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,