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Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill no 3321 i

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Republic Act No. 6713 constitutes the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards
for Public Officials and Employees.

Similarly, this bill seeks to set professional standards for the practice of political
public relations. More specifically, it seeks to achieve the following goals:

(1) To discourage and expose to public censure the persons who corrupt the
integrity of channels of communication or the processes of government,

(2) To ensure that those engaged in political public relations conduct themselves
professionally, with truth, accuracy, fairness and responsibility to the public;
and

(3) To encourage such practitioners to improve their individual competence and
advance the knowledge and proficiency of their profession through continuing
esearch and education.

This bill is based on the Code of Professional Standards for the Practice of Public
Relations adopted in 1988 by the Public Relations Society of America.

Immediate approval of this bill is urgently recommended.

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


‘SIXTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr

House BillNo. 8321

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR AND ESTABLISHING THE CODE OF PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS FOR THE PRACTICE OF POLITICAL PUBLIC RELATIONS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Definition of Political Public Relations - Political Public
Relations is defined as those areas of public relations that relate to:

(a) the counseling of political organizations, committees, candidates or potential
candidates for public office and groups constituted for the purpose of
influencing the vote on any ballot issue;

(b) the counseling of holders of public office;

(c) the management or direction of a political campaign for or against a candidate
for public office, or for or against a ballot issue to be determined by voter
approval or rejection;

(d) the practice of public relations on behalf of a client or an employer in
connection with that client's or employer's relationships with any candidates or
holders of public office, with the purpose of influencing legislation or
government regulation or treatment of a client or employer, regardiess of
whether the public retations practitioner is a recognized lobbyist;

(e) the counseling of government bodies, or segments thereof, either domestic or
foreign

SEC 2. Public interest - A practitioner in political public relations shall conduct
his or her professional life in accord with public interest

SEC 3. Honesty and Integrity - A practitioner shall exemplify high standards
of honesty and integrity while carrying out dual obligations to a client or employer and
to the democratic process.

‘SEC 4. Fair Dealing - A practitioner shall deal fairly with the public, with past or
present clients or employers, and with fellow practitioners, giving due respect to the
ideal of free inquiry and to the opinions of others.

SEC 5. Accuracy and Truth - A practitioner shall adhere to the highest
standards of accuracy and truth, avoiding extravagant claims or unfair comparisons
and giving credit for ideas and words borrowed from others.

SEC 6. False Information — A practitioner shall not knowingly disseminate
false or misleading information and shall act promptly to correct erroneous
communications for which he or she is responsible.


SEC 7. Corruption — A practitioner shall not engage in any practice which has
the purpose of corrupting the integrity of channels of communications or the processes
‘of government.

Among the practices prohibited by this paragraph are those that tend to place
representatives of media or government under any obligation to the practitioner or the
Practitioner's employer or client, which is in conflict with their obligations to media or
government such as:

(a) the giving of gifts of more than nominal value;

(b) any form of payment or compensation to a member of the media in order to
obtain preferential or guaranteed news or editorial coverage in the medium;

(c) any retainer or fee to a media employee or use of such employee if retained
by a client or employer, where the circumstances are not fully disclosed to and
accepted by the media employer;

(d) providing trips, for media representatives, that are unrelated to legitimate
news interest;

(e) the use by a practitioner of an investment or loan or advertising commitment
made by the practitioner or the practitioner's client or employer, to obtain preferential
or guaranteed coverage in the medium;

This Code does not prohibit hosting media or government representatives at
meals, cocktails or news functions and special events that are occasions for the
exchange of news information or views, or the furtherance of understanding, which is
part of the public relations functions. Nor does it prohibit the bona fide press event or
tour when media or government representatives are given the opportunity for an on-
the-spot viewing of a newsworthy product, process or event in which the media or
government representatives have a legitimate interest. Customary or reasonable
hospitality has to be a matter of particular judgment in specific situations. In all of these
cases, however, it is or should be, understood that no preferential treatment or
guarantees are expected or implied and that complete independence always is left to
the media or government representative.

SEC 8. Public Identification — A practitioner shall be prepared to identify
publicly the name of the client or employer on whose behaff any public communication
is made.

SEC 9, Undisclosed interest - A practitioner shall not use any individual or
organization professing to serve or represent an announced cause, or professing to be
independent or unbiased, but actually serving another undisclosed interest.

SEC 10. Guarantee of Achievement - A practitioner shall not guarantee the
achievement of specified results beyond his direct control.

SEC 11. Conflicting interests -A practitioner shall not represent conficting or
competing interests without the express consent of those concemed, given after a full
disclosure of the facts.

‘SEC 12. Personal Interest - A practitioner shall not place himseif or herseff in
position where the practitioner's personal interest is or may be in conflict with an
obligation to an employer or client, or others, without full disclosure of such interests to
all involved

SEC 13. Gifts and Other Considerations - A practitioner shall not accept
fees, commissions, gifts, or any other consideration from anyone except clients or


employers for whom services are performed without their express consent, given after
full disclosure of the facts

SEC 14. Damage to Professional Reputation - A practitioner shall not
intentionally damage the professional reputation or practice of another practitioner.

SEC 15. Responsibility of Strict Adherence - It is the responsibility of
practitioners to abide by this Code of Professional Standards.

SEC 16. Good Faith - Practitioners shall represent clients or employers in
good faith, and while partisan advocacy on behalf of a candidate or public issue may
be expected, practitioners shall act in accord with the public interest and adhere to
truth and accuracy and to generally accepted standards of good taste.

SEC 17. Signed Material - Practitioners shall not issue descriptive material or
any advertising or publicity information or participate in the preparation or use thereof
that is not signed by responsible persons or is false, misleading, or unlabeled as to its
source and are obligated to use care to avoid dissemination of any such material

SEC 18. Disclosure of Remuneration - Practitioners have an obligation to
clients to disclose whatever remuneration beyond their fees they expect to receive as
a result of their relationship, such as commissions for media advertising, printing and
the like and should not accept such extra payment without their client's consent

SEC 19. Improper Use of Position - Practitioners shall not improperly use
their positions to encourage additional future employment or compensation. It is
understood that successful campaign directors or managers, because of the
performance of their duties and the working relationship that develops, may well
continue to assist and counsel, for pay, the successful candidate.

SEC 20. Other Clients - Practitioners shall voluntarily disclose to employers
or clients the identity of other employers or clients with whom they are currently
associated, and whose interests might be affected favorably or unfavorably by their
political representation,

SEC 21. Confidentiality of Information - Practitioners shall respect the
confidentiality of information pertaining to employers’ or clients’ past, present and
potential, even after relationships cease, avoiding future associations wherein insider
information is sought that would give a desired advantage over a practitioner's
previous clients,

‘SEC 22. Undisclosed Gifts - In avoiding practices that might tend to corrupt
the processes of government, practitioners shall not make undisclosed gifts of cash or
other valuable considerations that are designed to influence specific decisions of
voters, legislators, or public officials on public matters. A business lunch or dinner or
other comparable expenditure made in the course of communicating a point of view or
public position, would not constitute such a violation nor would a tour or visit designed
and financed to provide useful background information to an interested legislator or
candidate.

SEC 23. Political Contributions - Nothing herein shall be construed as
prohibiting practitioners from making legal. properly disclosed contributions to the
candidates, party or referenda issues of their choice.


SEC 24. Injury to Public Reputation - Practitioners shall not, through the use
of information known to be false or misleading, conveyed directly or through a third
party, intentionally injure the public reputation of an opposing interest.

SEC 25. Sanctions. - Without prejudice to prosecution under existing criminal
laws, practitioners who violate any provision of this Code shall be liable for damages.

SEC 26. Repealing Clause - All laws, rules or regulations and presidential
issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

‘SEC 27. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take fifteen (15) days after its
publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,