NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to create the Code Commission of the Philippines to review and codify 
all existing laws. 
Laws are important elements in the promotion and protection of the rights and interests 
of our people. However, while our country has sufficient laws, they are not fully implemented, 
and are often violated because many of our fellowmen are not aware of the existence of certain 
laws. The need for an orderly arrangement, convenience of ascertainment and publicity of 
these laws cannot be overemphasized. A perfect and complete compilation of all our laws 
should be institutionalized. Hence, this bill.  
The Code Commission being proposed under this Act shall be tasked to codify all 
Philippine laws. It shall publish in systematic form the whole mass of existing laws according 
to topic or subject. The laws shall be made easily accessible to all, allowing everyone to 
consult the law any time.  
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly recommended. 
 RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ 
October 26, 2022
3:50 pm
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
AN ACT 
CREATING THE CODE COMMISSION OF THE PHILIPPINES TO REVIEW AND CODIFY 
PHILIPPINE LAWS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
Assembled:  
SECTION. 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Code Commission Act of the 
Philippines.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to promote and protect 
the rights of the people. Towards this end, a code commission shall be created to codify laws 
to make them easily accessible to everyone. The State shall establish a systematic form of 
compiling, arranging, rationalizing and publishing the whole mass of existing laws of the 
Philippines that will enable everyone to consult the law easily, conveniently and accurately at 
all times. 
SEC. 3. Creation of Code Commission of the Philippines. – The Code Commission of the 
Philippines is hereby created to be hereinafter referred to as the Code Commission. It shall 
be an attached office of the Congress of the Philippines.  
The Code Commission shall be the sole government authority to codify the laws 
relating to Criminal, Civil, Labor and Social Legislations, Mercantile, Political, Taxation Laws 
and other fields of law.  
The Code Commission shall be organized within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of 
this Act. 
SEC. 4. Composition. – The Commission shall be composed of a Chairperson and eight (8) 
Commissioners. The Chairperson of the Commission shall be a retired Justice of the Supreme 
Court while the Commissioners shall be as follows: 
1. The Chancellor of the Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJA);
2. The Chairperson of the Committee on Revision of Laws in the House of
Representatives;
3. The Chairperson of the Committee on Justice of the Senate of the Philippines;
4. The Secretary of Justice of the Philippines;
5. The Administrator of the University of the Philippines (UP) Law Center;
6. The President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP);
7. The Chairperson of the Legal Education Board (LEB); and
8. The President of the Philippines Association of Law Schools (PALS);
SEC. 5. Appointment of the Chairperson. – The Chairperson of the Commission Proper 
shall be appointed by the President.  
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SEC. 6. The Committee. – There shall be a committee for Criminal Laws, Civil Laws, Labor 
and Social Legislations, Mercantile Laws, Political Laws, Taxation Laws and other fields of law 
as determined by the Code Commission.  
 
The Code Commission shall appoint the Chairpersons and members of each 
committee. There shall be seven (7) members of each committee including the Chairperson.  
 
Each member of the committee shall have two (2) researchers who shall be members 
of the Philippine bar for at least five (5) years with the remuneration of One hundred thousand 
(P100,000.00) per month. The researchers shall be appointed by the Code Commission upon 
the recommendation of each member. 
 
The members of each committee shall be citizens and residents of the Philippines, of 
good moral character, of recognized probity and independence and must have distinguished 
themselves as lawyers in their fields of expertise with at least twenty (20) years of experience 
in teaching or the practice of law in the committee which the member will be appointed. They 
shall serve as full time members of the committee. None of the members shall be a candidate 
for any elective national or local office in the immediately preceding elections, whether regular 
or special. 
 
SEC. 7. The Commission Secretariat. – The UP Law Center, through the Institute of 
Government and Law Reform, shall serve as the Commission Secretariat.  
 
The Secretariat shall provide research, technical and administrative support for the 
Commission in the implementation of this Act. 
 
SEC. 8. Meetings. – The Commission shall meet at least twice a month, every first and third 
Monday of the month, or as often as may be deemed necessary by the Chairperson.  
 
Each committee shall meet from Monday to Friday, in two (2) sessions, 8 in the 
morning to 12 noon and 1 to 5 in the afternoon in a video conferencing or in person meeting.  
 
SEC. 9. Compensation. – The Chairperson of the Commission shall have the rank and 
privileges of a Department Secretary. The Chairperson shall receive a per diem of Thirty 
Thousand Pesos (P30,000.00) per meeting. The Commissioners shall receive their respective 
per diem amounting to Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00) every meeting and on top of 
their regular salary from their respective offices. 
 
The chairperson of each committee shall receive a per diem of at least Ten Thousand 
Pesos (P10,000.00) per session. The members of the committee shall receive a per diem of 
at least Seven Thousand Pesos (P7,000.00) per session. 
 
SEC. 10. Term of Office. – The Commission Proper and the Committees shall have a term 
of office of six (6) months from its full organization. It shall then submit the drafts of the codes 
to the Congress of the Philippines.  
 
SEC. 11. Office. – The Code Commission shall hold office at the UP Law Center, UP Campus, 
Diliman, Quezon City.  
 
SEC.12. Appropriations. – The sum of One Hundred Fifty Million Pesos (P150,000,000.00) 
is hereby appropriated for the organization and operation of the Commission, including the six 
million pesos for the UP Law Center as the Secretariat. 
 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.  


 
SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulation, or other 
issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby revoked, 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.  
 
SEC. 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication 
in the Official Gazette or in at least one (1) national newspaper of general circulation.  
 
Approved,