FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In a study conducted by the Department of Pediatrics, Ohio State University College of 
Medicine and Public Health, Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Columbus Children’s 
Research Institute of the Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, USA, it was found that: 
“The proportion of head injuries among ice-skaters in this study was 
greater than that observed for participants in other types of skating, for which 
helmet use is recommended and ofien required. Children should wear a helmet 
during recreational ice-skating. Mandatory helmet use by pediatric ice-skaters at 
indoor rinks should be implemented. Use of other types of protective equipment, 
such as wrist guards, knee pads, and elbow pads, should be considered for 
prevention of injuries to the extremities during ice-skating. Caution should be 
used when allowing young children to participate in recreational ice-skating. 
Additional research should be conducted in other populations, to corroborate these 
findings and to evaluate ice-skating safety recommendations for children.”* 
To prevent such injuries from happening to ice skaters in the Philippines, this hill seeks to 
require persons under fourteen (14) years of age who ice skate to wear protective helmets. It 
likewise seeks to require ice skating facilities to supply helmets and helmet safety information. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING PERSONS UNDER FOURTEEN (14) YEARS OF AGE WHO ICE SKATE TO 
WEAR PROTECTIVE HELMETS, AND FOR ICE SKATING FACILITIES TO SUPPLY 
HELMETS AND HELMET SAFETY INFORMATION 
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 known as the “Ice Skating Safety Act of 
2008.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote the 
general welfare of the people. Pursuant to this policy, this Act seeks to require persons under 
fourteen (14) years of age who ice skate to wear protective helmets. It likewise seeks to require 
ice skating facilities to supply helmets and helmet safety information. 
SECTION 3. DeJinition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act,.the term: 
(A) “Ice skating faciIity” means any person, proprietor, lessee, firm, corporation, 
municipality or other legal entity operating an ice skating rink which provides facilities to ice 
skate for consideration. 
(B) “Wearing a helmet” means having a helmet fastened securely upon the head using the 
manufacturer’s fitting guidelines for the particular model used. 
SECTION 4. Wearing of Helmet Required While Ice Skating. - No person less than 
fourteen (14) years of age shall ice skate unless such person is wearing a protective helmet; 
Provided, however, that any person less than fourteen (14) years of age who under the 
supervision of a coach is practicing for an organized figure skating competition or is 
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participating in such competition shall not be required to wear a protective helmet. 
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SECTION 5. Ice Skating Facility: Renting of Helmets. - (A) Every ice skating facility 
shall require persons less than fourteen (14) years of age to wear a protective helmet while ice 
skating; Provided, however, that any person less than fourteen (14) years of age who under the 
supervision of a coach is practicing for an organized figure skating competition or is 
participating in such competition shall not he required to wear a protective helmet. 
(B) Every ice skating facility shall provide protective helmets to persons less than 
fourteen (14) years of age at a rental fee not to exceed One Hundred Fifty Pesos (P150.00) and 
shall provide appropriate protective helmet safety information. 
SECTION 6. Penalties. (A) Any person who violates the provision of this section shall 
pay a fine not to exceed Five Thousand Pesos (P5,OOO.OO). Summons shall he issued for a 
violation of this section by a person less than fourteen (14) years of age to the parent or guardian 
of such person if the violation by such person occurs in the presence of such person’s parent or 
guardian and where such parent or guardian is eighteen years of age or more. Such summons 
shall only be issued to such parent or guardian, and shall not be issued to the person less than 
fourteen years of age. 
(B) The court shall waive any fine for which a person who violates the provisions of this 
section would be liable if such person supplies the court with proof that between the date of 
violation and the appearance date for such violation such person purchased or rented a helmet. 
(C) The court may waive any fine for which a person who violates the provisions of this 
act would be liable if the court finds that due to reasons of economic hardship such person was 
unable to purchase a helmet. 
SECTION 7. Effect on Recovery of Damages; Contributoy Negligence. - The failure of 
any person to comply with the provisions of this section shall not constitute contributory 
negligence or assumption of risk, and shall not in any way bar, preclude or foreclose an action 
for personal injury or wrongful death by or on behalf of such person, nor in any way diminish or 
reduce the damages recoverable in any such action. 
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SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Not later than ninety (90) days from 
the passage of this act, the secretary of health shall promulgate rules and regulations to 
implement the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any part hereof, is held invalid or unconstitutional, 
the remainder of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 10. 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 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
irgs 
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