, 
, , 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. 1656 
'13 
SEP 12 P2 :10 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
Explanatory Note 
The goal of this bill is to allow the deaf; deafened, and hard of hearing people access to a 
fuJi varIety of televIsion programs through the aid of closed captions thereby permitting them to 
engage and be a part ofthe popular culture, 
This bill is not novel. A number of countries have already passed a similar legislation or 
rules. For example, the United States passed its Twenty-First Century Communications and 
Video Accessibility Act of 2010, the New South Wales issued a government memorandum 
named the Captioning of Govemment Advertising and Public Information Videos, and even 
Canada through its governing body has issued a policy entitled Accessibility of 
telecommunications and broadcasting services, all with the same goal of giving access to the 
deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing people to television. 
It is about time that we follow suit to allow our own deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing 
Filipino people equal access to television programs and in the same way be educated by this 
powerful tool. 
Hence, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
/jUJ~r~ 
r' cfACE POE 
. 


SIXTEENTII CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. B. 1656 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
AN ACT 
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'13 
SEP 12 P2 :10 
TO REQUIRE ALL FRANCmSE HOLDERS OR OPERATORS OF TELEVISION 
STATIONS AND PRODUCERS OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS TO BROADCAST OR 
PRESENT THEIR PROGRAMS WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Requirement. - All franchise holders or operators of television stations and 
producers of television programs are required to broadcast their programs with closed caption to 
benefit persons with hearing disabilities. 
Section 2. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
oa) 
Closed-caption shall mean a method of subtitling television programs by coding statements 
as vertical interval data signal that are decoded at the receiver and superimposed at the 
bottom of the television screen. 
b) Economically burdensome shall mean that which result in a significant difficulty or expense 
to be determined by the following factors: 
1) The nature and cost of the closed captions for the programming; 
2) The impact on the operation of the provider or producer; 
3) The financial resources of the provider or producer; 
4) The type of operations of the provider or producer. 
Section 3. Exempt Programming. - The following shall be exempt from closed 
captioning: 
a) Public service announcements that are shorter than ten (10) minutes. 
b) Programs shown in the early morning hours from 1: OOam to 6:00am, 
c) Programs that are primarily textual in natUre. 
d) When compliance would be economically burdensome. 


Section 4. Penalties. - Any franchise holder or operator of television stations and 
producer of television programs, who shall violate the provisions of this Act shall be punished by 
a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,OOO.OO) but not more 1 than One Hundred 
Thousand Pesos (Pl00,OOO.OO) or by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more 
than one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the court. 
In case the offender is a corporation, partnership or association, or any other juridical 
person, the president, manager, administrator, or person-in-charge of the management of the 
business shall be liable therefore. In addition, the license or permit to operate its business shall be 
cancelled. 
Section 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The National Telecommunication 
COll1lllission and the Movie arid Television Review and Classification Board, in consultation 
with 'other concerned agencies and entities, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations 
for the effective implementation of this Act. 
Section 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules or regulations, other 
issuances or paris thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
Section 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, other 
parts of provisions thereof not affected thereby shall remain and continue to be in full force and 
effect. 
Section 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Awroved,