THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
S.B. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Academic credentials are very important in obtaining employment, a promotion or higher 
compensation in employment, or admission to a qualified institution, It is likewise important 
when presented in connection with any loan, business, trade, profession, or occupation. Thus, 
there is the temptation on the part of unscrupulous people to use or claim to have false academic 
credentials in the hope that will get the job, promotion, admission, loan or recognition they seek. 
The evil result'of this deception is the possible damage to the other party and to the public 
because unqualified or underqualified people may get jobs, positions or responsibilities which 
they are ill-equipped to handle, or recognition and adulation which they do not deserve. 
This bill seeks to protect the public from falling prey to other people's use or claim to 
having of false academic credentials. It likewise penalized those engaged in the issuance, 
manufacture and sale of such false academic credentials 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PROHIl3IT THE USE, ISSUANCE, MANLJFACTLJRE AND SALE 
OF FALSE ACADEMIC CKEI.I)ENTIAL,S 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be lcnown as the “Authentic Academic 
Credentials Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration ofPolicy. - It is the policy of the State to promote the general 
welfare of the people. Pursuant to this policy, this Act seeks to protect the public from falliiig 
prey to other people’s use or claim to having of false academic credentials. It Iiltewise penalized 
those engaged in the issuance, manufacture and sale of such false academic credentials. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act: 
(A) “Academic credential” means a degree or a diploma, transcript, educational or 
completion certificate, or similar document that indicates completion of a program of 
study or instruction or completion of one or more courses at an institution of higher 
education or the grant of an associate, bachelor, master, or doctoral degree. 
(B) ‘‘False academic credential” means an academic credential issued or manufactured by 
a person that is not a qualified institution, or by a person who is not the qualified 
institution whi’ch purportedly issued the academic credential. 
(C) “Qualified institution” means an educational institution in any that: 


(1) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a 
school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a 
certificate; 
(2) is legally authorized within such to provide a program oE education beyond 
secondary education; 
(3) provides an educational program for which the institution awards a bachelor's 
degree or provides not less than a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit 
toward such a degree; 
(4) is a public or other nonprofit instilution; and 
(5) is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education, or if not so accredited, is 
an institution that has been granted preaccreditation status by such agency, and 
the Secretary of Education has determined that there is satisfactory assurance that 
the institution will meet the accreditation standards of such the agency within a 
reasonable time. 
SECTION 4. Prohibifion agaiplsr Using or Chiming bo Bave False Academic 
Credentials. - It shall be unlawful for any individual to knowingly use a false academic 
credential to obtain employment; to obtain a promotion or higher compensation in employment; 
to obtain admission to a qualified institution; or in connection with any loan, business, trade, 
pro€ession, or occupation. 
It shall likewise be unlawful for individual who does not have an academic credential to 
knowingly use or claim to have that academic credential to obtain eiiiployrnent or a promotion or 
higher compensation ,in employment; to obtain admission to a qualified institution; or in 
connection with any loan, business, trade, profession, or occupation. 
SECTION 5 .  Prohibition against the Issuance, Manufacture or Sale of False Academic 
Credentials. - It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly issue, maiiufacture or sell a false 
academic credential to any person in order for him to obtain employment or a promotion or 


higher compensation in employment; to obtain admission to a qualified institution; or in 
connection with any loan, business, trade, profession, or occupation. 
SECTION 6. Penalties. - Any person found guilty of violating the preceding section 
shall be punished by a penalty of imprisonment of arresto menor, or a fine of not more than Ten 
Thousand Pesos (PlO,OOO.OO), or both, at the discretion of the court, taking into consideration all 
attending circumstances. 
If the person found guilty of the violation is a corporation, trust or firm, partnership, 
association or any other entity, the penalty of imprisonment of arresto menor may be imposed on 
the entity's responsible officers, including, but not limited to, the owner, proprietor, operator, 
president, vice-president, chief executive officer, general manager, managing director or officer 
directly responsible therefore, if any of them are found to have knowingly consented lo such 
issuance, manufacture or sale. The court shall take into consideration all attending 
circumstances. 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 9. Eflecfivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (1 5 )  days after its publication 
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
Irgs