THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
EXPLANATORYNOTE 
The State plays a crucial role in ensuring effective and sufficient protection to 
consumers. 
This role becomes more pronounced during periods of calamity and 
emergency, when hoarding, profiteering and cartels with respect to the supply, 
distribution, marketing and pricing of basic necessities and prime commodities are 
widespread. 
The Price Act, or Republic Act No. 7581 lists hoarding, profiteering and cartel 
among the illegal acts of price manipulation. Such illegal acts carry the penalty of 
imprisonment of not less than five (5) years and not more than fifteen (15) years and 
fines ranging from five thousand pesos (P5,OOO.OO) to two million pesos (P2 M). 
Cartel is usually committed by big influential groups of traders and 
businessmen, causing extensive damage and hardship to our people. Thus, it is a 
more grave offense than hoarding and profiteering. 
This bill proposes to impose stiffer penalty of life imprisonment and higher 
amounts of fines for unscrupulous traders and economic saboteurs who will conspire 
to unreasonably increase or manipulate prices. It also proposes stiffer penalties for 
any government official or employee found to be in collusion with the unscrupulous 
traders in the commission of the cartel. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
AN ACT INCREASING THE PENALTY FOR ILLEGAL ACTS OF PRICE 
MANIPULATION COMMITTED BY A CARTEL, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE 
REPUBLICT ACT NO. 7581, OTHERWISW KNOWN AS THE PRICE ACT, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 15 of Republic Act No. 7581, otherwise known as the 
“Price Act,” is hereby amended by adding at the end of said section the following 
paragraph: 
“PROVIDED, THAT WHENEVER ANY SUCH ACT OF ILLEGAL 
PRICE MANIPULATION CONSTITUTES A CARTEL, AS DEFINED UNDER 
PARAGRAPH 3, SECTION 5 HEREOF, THE PERPETRATORS SHALL 
SUFFER THE PENALTY OF RECLUSION PERPETUA AND SHALL PAY A 
FINE OF NOT LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS 
(P100,OOO.OO) BUT 
NOT 
MORE 
THAN 
FIVE 
MILLION 
PESOS 
(P5,O 0 0,OO 0.00). 
” 
SECTION 2. Section 19 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 19. Violation by Government Officials or Employees. - Any 
public official or employee who, by reason of his office, with or without 
consideration, conspires in the commission or knowingly conceals 
violations of- any of the provisions of this Act, INCLUDING THE 
COMMISSION OF A “CARTEL”, AS THIS ACT IS DEFINED UNDER 
PARAGRAPH 3 SECTION 5 HEREOF, shall likewise be principally 
responsible for the violation and shall suffer the additional penalty of 
permanent disqualification to hold public office.” 


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SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,