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 Bill No___1214
EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill was originally introduced as House Bill No, 1055 by the undersigned Rufus
B, Rodriguez during the 15" Congress where it was approved by the Committee on Public
Information and substituted by House Bill No, 6709, approved on 2™ reading, approved on
3” reading and was transmitted to the Senate where it was not acted upon.

This bill seeks to require the broadcast of television programs and showing of motion
pictures and other audio-visual presentation with closed caption and providing penalties of
violation thereof to respond to the needs of the hearing impaired individual

Closed-caption is a method of captioning or subtitling of television, home video
programs and films for hearing-impaired of foreign language viewer without interfering with
the normal television picture and films, by coding caption as vertical interval data signal
Which is decoded at the receiver and superimposed on the television picture or on films of
motion pictures.

With the advances of information technology and the relevance of television
programs, motion pictures, and other audio-visual presentation as tools of learning, there is
a need to enable persons with hearing impairments to take advantage of such technology
and enjoy audio-visual entertainments with their seemingly unbounded innovations.

This proposed measure aims to address such need by making it compulsory for all
franchise holders of operators of television stations, producers of television programs, home
video programs and motion pictures to have their programs and films broadcast with closed
captions,

In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

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 Bill No. 1214

AN ACT
REQUIRING THE USE OF FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE INSETS FOR LOCAL
NEWS PROGRAMS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 22 OF
REPUBLIC ACT NO, 7277, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“MAGNA CARTA FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (PWDs)”

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

SECTION 1, Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7277, as amended, otherwise known
as the "Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)", is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 22, Broadcast Media, ~ ALL FREE-TO-AIR [T]Television
stations [shall be encouraged] ARE REQUIRED to provide [a] FILIPINO
signf-Jlanguage insetS, AND WHERE POSSIBLE, CLOSED CAPTIONS or
subtitles in at least fone (1)] TWO (2) newscast programS a day and
special programs covering events of national significance.

“THE FREE-TO-AIR TELEVISION STATIONS MAY LIKEWISE OPT
TO PROVIDE FOR FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE INSETS IN OTHER
PROGRAMS SUCH AS THOSE PERTAINING TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS,
LIVELIHOOD AND THOSE CATERING TO CHILDREN.”

SEC. 2. _ Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, letters of instruction, resolutions,
orders, ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 3. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation

Approved,