FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 ,,JdI- 1 
I! :,: 
:!' i 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Francis N. Pangilinan 
EXPLANATORYNOTE 
Television is one of the most popular means of communication as it serves as a good source of 
information and entertainment and consequently, influences the lives of many Filipinos. Unfortunately, 
some individuals are born with or have infirmities that render them incapable of fully enjoying and 
appreciating the value of television. These are the hearing-impaired individuals, who aside from being 
denied the full audio-visual experience, are also prevented from obtaining the information that television 
can ably offer. 
This limitation faced by hearing-impaired individuals need not continue. Technology now allows 
captions to be put in television so the hearing-impaired can follow the events on the screen. This 
technology has been in use for some time now in other countries. 
By way of introducing this technology and allowing the hearing-impaired to benefit from television, 
this bill seeks to require all franchise holders, operators and producers of domestic television stations and 
television programs to have their news programs and newscasts aired with closed caption. 
Hence, the immediate approval of this bill is requested 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC } 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Francis N. Pangilinan 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING ALL OWNERS OR OPERATORS OF TELEVISION NETWORKS OR STATIONS AND 
PRODUCERS OF TELEVISION NEWS PROGRAMS TO HAVE THEIR NEWS PROGRAMS 
BROADCAST WITH CLOSED-CAPTION AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREFOR 
Be if enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Closed-captioning of New Programs. - All owners or operators of television 
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networks or stations and producers of television programs are required to have their newscast or news 
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programs, which are national and regional in scope with closed-caption in order to benefit persons with 
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hearing disabilities: Provided, however, That the words of the close-captioning will be in the language 
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spoken in the same program. 
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SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
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"Closed-caption" shall refer to the method of subtitling television programs by coding 
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statements as vertical interval data signal that are decoded at the receiver and 
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IO 
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(1) 
superimposed at the bottom of the television screen 
"NewscasY' or "News Programs" shall refer only to report of happenings of recent 
occurrence of a varied character, such as political, social, moral, religious and other subjects 
intended for the information of the general public. It shall also refer to straight news reporting 
as distinguished from news analyses or editorials, commentaries and opinions. 
(2) 
SEC. 3. Penalties. - Any owner or operator of television networks or stations and any producer of 
television news programs who shall violate the provision of Section 1 shall be punished by a fine of not less 
than Fifty thousand pesos (@50,000.00) but not more than One hundred thousand pesos (PlOO,OOO.OO), or 
by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more than one (1) year or both such fine and 
imprisonment at the discretion of the court 


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If the offender is a corporation, partnership or association, or any other judicial person, the 
president, manager, administrator or the person-in-charge of the management of the business shall be 
liable therefore. In addition, the license or permit to operate the business shall be cancelled. 
SEC. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The National Telecommunications Commission 
and the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, in consultation with concerned agencies 
and entities, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this 
Act. 
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SEC. 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is hereby declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other sections or provisions thereof shall not be affected thereby. 
Approved,