SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2476 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
:Jt:c -1 
.'JO :57 
TO ESTABLISH THE ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM FOR 
VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN, 
PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as the "Anti-Violence Against Women 
and Their Children Act of 2004" intends to protect women and children from 
violence and threats to their personal safety and security, and to address 
violence against them. However, after ten (10) years of its enactment, the abuse 
in different forms and violence committed against women and children continue 
to escalate. 
The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) presented a 
summary of the "RA 9262 Cases Reported to the Philippine National Police 
2004-2013" as follows: 
YEAR 
NUMBER OF CASES 
2004 
218 
2005 
924 
2006 
1,269 
2007 
2,387 
2008 
3,599 
2009 
5,285 
2010 
9,974 
2011 
9,021 
2012 
11,531 
2013 
16,517 
PCW further reported that across a ten-year period from 2004-2013, "average 
violations of RA 9262 ranked first at 57 percent among the different VAW 
categories since its implementation in 2004". Of course, these figures are still 
silent of the cases of women and children who are victims of violence but remain 
in the dark due to fear, shame, and empty hope to preserve relationships. 
Women and children who have reported to be victims of violence deserve all the 
support and protection they need. One of these is the confidentiality of their 
abode to prevent further threat or damage and to allow them to live life as normal 
as they can. 


At least thirty one (31) states in the United States of America (USA) implements 
an Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) which generally provides participants 
with a substitute address to prevent their real address from becoming a part of 
public record and to keep the victims safe from their perpetrator. The National 
Network to End Domestic Violence defines such program as follows: 
"Address Confidentiality Programs (ACP) and Confidential Voter Listings are 
programs administered by state enabling victims of domestic violence (and 
sometime victims of sexual assault and/or stalking) to participate in the voting 
process without fear of being found by their abusers. ACPs generally provide a 
substitute address for all public records. Confidential Voter Listings only provide 
confidentiality on election-related public records." 
Patterned after the USA programs, this measure proposes the establishment of 
Address Confidentiality Program to afford our women and children such service 
that they need. 
This measure was filed by Senator Manny Villar in the 15th Congress but was not 
enacted into law. 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
GGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
1,1 
DEC -1 mo :57 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 24 7 6 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH THE ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM FOR 
VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN, 
PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. 
Short Title. -
This Act shall be known as the "Address 
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Confidentiality Program Act'_ 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
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value the dignity of women and defend the rights of children and to recognize 
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their role in nation-building. 
Towards this end, the State shall ensure the 
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protection of their fundamental rights by establishing the Address Confidentiality 
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Program that will provide them confidential substitute mailing address, thus, help 
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them get back into the mainstream of society_ 
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the following terms 
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shall be defined as follows: 
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(a) "Address" - a residential address, school address, or work address of an 
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individual, as specified on the individual's application to be a program 
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participant under this Act; 
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(b) "Application assistant" - a regular employee of the Department of Social 
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Welfare and Development (DSWD) or a duly designated Non-Government 
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Organizations (NGOs) personnel who shall counsel, assess and assist the 
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victims of violence against women and children in the completion of 
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program applications, who has been trained, certified and registered by 
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the Department of Justice (DOJ); 
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(c) "Certification" -
a notice certifying the eligibility to participate in the 
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program; 
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(d) "DeSignated agencies" - a government agency or a non-profit organization 
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that provides counseling, shelter or other services to victims of violence 
".j_. 


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against women and their children that has been designated by the DOJ as 
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a place where eligible persons may apply to be program participants; 
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(e) "Mailing address" - an address used for delivery by the Philippine Postal 
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Office or any mailing or courier facility; 
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(f) "Program participant" -
a person certified by the DOJ as eligible to 
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participate in the Program; 
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(g) "Substitute address" - address assigned to a Program participant provided 
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by the Department of Justice (DOJ); and, 
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(h) "Violence against women and their children" - act or acts as defined in 
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Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9262, otherwise known as "An Act Defining 
. IS 
Violence Against Women and their Children, Providing for Protective 
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Measures for Victims, Prescribing Penalties Therefor, and for Other 
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Purposes". 
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SEC. 4. Address Confidentiality Program. - The Department of Justice shall 
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establish and administer the Address Confidentiality Program, hereinafter 
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referred to as the "Program", for victims of violence against women and their 
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children that shall ensure their protection and safety by providing them with 
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substitute address to be used when interacting with government agencies and a 
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new mailing address which keeps their actual address confidential and free from 
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the risk of discovery by third parties. The Program shall cater to victims who 
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intend to establish a new residence and for those who have already relocated to 
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another place unknown to their assailants or abusers who may use public 
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records to find them. 
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SEC. 5. Criteria for Eligibility to the Program. - The following shall be eligible to 
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the Program: 
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a) A victim attempting to escape from actual or threatened violence; 
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b) Fears for her and/or her child/children's safety; and, 
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c) Recently established a new residence unknown to the abuser or is 
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planning to move in the near future. 
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SEC. 6. 
Filing and Submission of Application. - Any person eligible to the 
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Program shall submit the duly accomplished application forms with the DOJ in 
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the manner and on the prescribed form containing the following: 
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a) A sworn statement by the applicant that she is a victim of violence against 
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women and their children and that she fears for her and/or her children's 
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safety; 
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b) The mailing address and phone number where the applicant can be 
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contacted by the DOJ; 
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c) The latest address that the applicant request not to be disclosed; and, 
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d) Duly accomplished address confidentiality program application form 
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signed by the applicant and attested by the application assistant 
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SEC. 7. 
Program Certification. -
Upon receipt of the duly accomplished 
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application form by the DOJ, the applicant is certified as a program participant 
57 
and shall be issued an authorization card. Such authorization card shall include 
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the program participant's name, date of birth, place of birth, new identification 
number, substitute mailing address, expiry date of said certification and signature 
of the participant. The participant shall thereafter be notified by the DOJ of the 
approval of her application. Said program participant certification is renewable 
after every four years from its initial issuance. 
SEC. 8. 
Cancellation of Certification. -
Certification to the program by the 
participant may be cancelled for any of the following reasons: 
(a) the certification term has expired and an application for renewal has not 
been filed; 
(b) knowingly providing false or incorrect information when applying for 
certification; 
(c) changing one's name without informing the DOJ; 
(d) changing the residential address from the one listed on the application 
without informing the DOJ; and, 
(e) mail forwarded to the program participant is returned andlor unclaimed for 
at least three (3) times. 
SEC. 9. Disclosure of Records. - The DOJ shall not make any records in a 
program participant's files available for inspection or copying unless directed by a 
court order to the person identified in the order. The information disclosed shall 
be maintained in strict confidentiality by the party receiving the information. 
It shall likewise make available for inspection or copying the program 
participant's residential or mailing address if the participant's certification has 
already been cancelled. 
SEC. 10. 
DeSignation of Department of Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD) or Non-Government Organization (NGO). - The DOJ shall designate 
the DSWD or NGO that provides counseling and shelter services to victims of 
violence against women and their children to assist persons applying to be 
program participants. 
SEC. 11. Training Seminar for Application Assistant. - The DOJ shall undertake 
trainings I seminars for designated application assistant to train them on the 
proper procedure to follow in counseling the would-be program applicants. 
SEC. 12. 
Penalty for Violation of Confidentiality of Program Participant's 
Records. - A program participant's application and its supporting materials are 
not public records and shall be kept confidential by the DOJ. Any employee who 
willfully breaches the confidentiality of these records or willfully discloses the 
name, residential or mailing address of a program partiCipant in violation of the 
provisions of this Act shall suffer the penalty of one (1) year imprisonment and a 
fine of not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,OOO.OO); Provided, 
however, That if the violator is the program participant himself who falsely claims 
that disclosure of her residential or mailing address threatens her or her child's 
safety shall likewise suffer the same penalty mentioned above. 
SEC. 13. 
Designation of Department of Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD) or Non-Government Organization (NGO). - The DOJ shall deSignate 


1 
the DSWD or NGO that provides counseling and shelter services to victims of 
2 
violence against women and their children to assist persons applying to be 
3 
program participants. 
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SEC. 14. Training Seminar for Application Assistant. - The DOJ shall undertake 
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trainings I seminars for designated application assistants to train them on the 
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proper procedure to follow in counseling the program participants. 
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SEC. 15. 
Penalty for Violation of Confidentiality of Program Participant's 
12 
Records. - A program participant's application form and its supporting materials 
13 
are not public records and shall be kept confidential by the DOJ. Any employee 
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who willfully breaches the confidentiality of these records or willfully discloses the 
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name, residential or mailing address of a program participant in violation of the 
16 
provisions of this Act shall suffer the penalty of one (1) year imprisonment and a 
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fine of not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,OOO.OO); Provided, 
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however, That if the violator is the program participant himself who falsely claims 
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that disclosure of her residential or mailing address threatens her or her child's 
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safety shall likewise suffer the same penalty mentioned above. 
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SEC. 16. 
Appropriation of Funds. -
The amount necessary for the 
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implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's 
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appropriation of the DOJ. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its 
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operation and 
maintenance shall be included in the annual General 
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Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 17. Implementing Rules. - The DOJ, in coordination with the DSWD, shall 
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issue the necessary rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions 
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of this Act. 
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SEC. 18. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
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declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby 
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shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 19. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree, executive order, or 
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issuance, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act is hereby repealed or 
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modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 20. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers 
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of general circulation. 
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Approved,