Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
To improve public safety and facilitate a prompt deployment of emergency services, 
former President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) No. 56 in 2018. The EO 
institutionalized the Emergency 911 Hotline as the nationwide emergency hotline number 
which acts as a call and dispatch center linking people needing assistance to emergency 
resources of the government such as the police, firefighters, medical workers and rescue 
services. 
By its very nature and purpose, calls accommodated by the Emergency 911 should only 
be for legitimate and immediate emergency concerns. There is no room for mischievous 
or malicious calls as the time spent in answering these prank calls may spell the 
difference in saving the life of someone in dire need of help. 
To discourage such senseless acts, and to ensure proper operation of emergency 
services, this proposed measure aims to prohibit and penalize prank calling to 
emergency hotlines. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
October 20, 2022
1:53 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
PENALIZING PRANK CALLERS TO EMERGENCY HOTLINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
ARTICLE I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the ''Anti-Prank Callers Act." 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote 
the general welfare or the people. Towards this end, the State aims to prohibit malicious 
and improper use of telecommunication devices. 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
a)
Prank call refers to a mischievous or malicious telephone call made to trick or fool 
someone with the intention to annoy, abuse, threaten, harass, or solicit any 
comment, request, suggestion or sound which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy or 
indecent, or a call intending to make false requests or false alarm of an emergency, 
knowing the report or information or alarm to be false; 
b)
Emergency refers to a serious, unexpected and often dangerous situation requiring 
immediate attention and action; and
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c) Hotline refers to a direct telecommunication set up for a specific purpose. 
 
Sec. 4. Prohibition. – Emergency hotlines established for the purpose of responding to 
emergency situations shall, at all times, be free from receiving unnecessary calls. It shall 
be prohibited for any individual to make prank calls to any hotline at any time. 
 
Sec. 5. Penalties. – Any person who violates this Act shall be penalized with: 
a.) Arresto menor and a fine of Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) for the first offense; 
b.) Arresto mayor a fine of Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) for the second offense; 
and 
c.) Prision correccional and a fine of Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00) for the third 
and succeeding offenses. 
 
Provided, That the foregoing penalties shall be imposed without prejudice to other 
liabilities under the Revised Penal Code or any special law arising out of the prohibited 
act herein. 
 
Sec. 6. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is subsequently declared 
unconstitutional, the validity of the remaining provisions hereof shall remain in full force 
and effect. 
 
Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. – All acts and decrees, executive orders, implementing rules 
and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
 
Sec. 8. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) after its complete 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines. 
 
Approved,