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SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
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'14 
JAN 16 P2:01 
2064 
Introduced by SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
EXPLANA:rORY NOTE 
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The 1987 Constitution under Article XIV, Section 14, succinctly 
provides that "the State shall foster the preservation, enrichment, and 
dynamic evolution of a Filipino national culture based on the principle 
of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual 
expression" . 
It further provides that "all the country's artistic and historic 
wealth cO,nstitutes the cultural treasure of the nation and shall be 
under protection of the State which may regulate its disposition." 
It is a known fact that for every foreign performer who graces 
the local entertainment industry.,and earns income derived from the 
Philippines sources, a local p~rfOlitner is displaced. 
To address this imbalance, the foreign performer should be 
made to pay a charge, to be known as the Equity Free, the proceeds of 
which shall be allocated to the National Commission for Culture and 
the Arts, the extant government agencies charged with promoting arts 
and culture. 
Thus, the swift passage of this measure is earnestly sought. 
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FPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 


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'senatr .. 
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SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
) 
"14 
JAN 16 P2:01 
. 
SENATE' 
RECEIVEO BV:_*_ 
Senate Bill No. 2064 
Introduced by SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
AN ACT CONSERVING, PROMOTING AND POPULARIZING THE 
NATION'S HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE AND 
RESOURCES, AS WELL AS ARTISTIC CREATIONS BY EXACTING A 
PERFORMANCE FEE FROM FOREIGN PERFORMERS AND 
ALLOCATING THE PROCEEDS THEREOF TO THE NATIONAL 
COMMISSION FOR CULTURE AND THE ARTS AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and' the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as "The 
Singer's Equity Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State 
to foster the preservation, enrichment and dynamic evolution of a 
Filipino national culture based on the principle of unity in diversity in 
a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression and that all the 
country's artistic and historic wealth constitutes the cultural treasure 


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of the nation and shall be under the protection of the State which may 
regulate its disposition. 
SECTION 3. Equity Fee. - In addition to the fees currently being 
imposed, there shall be charged on a foreign performer a fee 
equivalent to Fifteen percent (15%) of his total talent fee for the 
privilege of performing in the Philippines which shall be known as the 
Equity Fee. 
SECTION 4. Exception. - Performances of foreign performers for 
a socio-civic benefit or to which audience does not pay for admission 
or which the Cultural Center of the Philippines sponsors shall not be 
covered by this Act. 
SECTION 5. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, 
a) 
A foreign performer is defined as an artist or 
entertainer, or the members of a group thereof, not 
holding a Philippine passport. 
b) 
The total talent· fee, against which is imposed the 
Equity Fee, shall be th.at identified as such in the 
contract of service of the foreign performer, plus all 
other projected perks and benefits, including but not 
limited to the expenses for hotel accommodations, food 
and maintenance.for the entire duration of stay in the 
Philippines. 
SECTION 6. Procedure for Admission. - (a) The Equity Fee shall 
be payable to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Regional Office 
nearest the venue of the first performance at least five (5) working 
days prior to the date of the first scheduled performance of the foregn 
performer. 


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(b) Payment shall be effected by the Producer, Promoter or 
Impresario chargeable to the a.ccount of the foreign performer. 
(c) Within twenty (20) days from the receipt of the Equity Fee, 
The SIR regional office concerned shall remit the entire amount to the 
National Commission for Culture and the Arts for its disposition in 
accordance with its charter and mandate. 
SECTION 7. Fine. - A violation of this Act shall be meted a 
penalty of a fine df at least Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P 500,000) 
but not rrl.orethan Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000) depending on the 
gross receipts generated by the p~rformances. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days after its publicatioI). in 'at least two (2) national newspapers of 
general circulation. 
Approved,