Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE REVITALIZATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF 
ORIGINAL FILIPINO MUSIC AND FOR THE OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Filipino musicians and artists are world-class. Our country has 
produced countless artists to sing and perform abroad. Our kababayans have 
dominated the stage overseas and we have seen the likes of Lea Salonga, Arnel 
Pineda, Apl.De.Ap., and Freddie Aguilar, whose song “Anak” became an 
international hit and was translated into 26 languages. 
It is undeniable that the Philippines is teeming with topnotch talent. 
However, many radio and television stations allot more of their airtime to 
foreign music rather than their local counterparts. Presently, Executive Order 
No. 225, which was issued on 25 July 1987, mandates all radio stations to 
“broadcast a minimum of four (4) original Filipino musical compositions in 
every clock hour of a program with a musical format.” However, the said law 
lacks strength as it merely imposes a fine in the amount of Php100.00 per 
violation. 
This bill seeks to mandate all radio stations and TV stations devoted to 
broadcasting music within the country to allot a sizeable amount of airtime 
for Original Pilipino Music or OPM. Through this, we are providing our OPM 
artists a wider platform, giving them the opportunity to showcase and offer 
their gifts to their countrymen and eventually, the world. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
REP. PM VARGAS 
Fifth District, Quezon City 
September 7, 2022
3:24 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE REVITALIZATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF 
ORIGINAL FILIPINO MUSIC AND FOR THE OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “OPM Revitalization 
and Advancement Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies and Objectives. –Pursuant to article 
XIV, Section 14 of the 1987 Constitution, it is the duty 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. 
Consonant with these constitutional principles the following are the declared 
principles of this Act: 
(a) To recognize the world-class talent of the Filipino musician or artist;
(b) To give full support to the development and improvement of the
Filipino music industry;
(c) To motivate and encourage Filipino musician or artists to pursue
and done their chosen craft; and
(d) To cultivate the spirit of patriotism and nationalism of the citizenry.
In accordance with those policies, this Act aims to: 
i.
Adopt a measure whereby the constitution of Filipino musicians
or artists are maximized;
ii.
Establish a mechanism whereby our Filipino musicians or artists
are given the ample opportunity to showcase their talent; and
iii.
Ensure the full development of the Filipino music industry.
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SECTION 3. Definition of terms. – For purposes of this Act, these terms are 
defined as follows: 
 
a. “Original Filipino Music (OPM)” shall refer to any of the following: 
i. 
A musical composition the lyrics of which are in Tagalog, 
in any Filipino dialect, or in any foreign language and 
originally composed, adapted, arranged, or translated by a 
Filipino musician or artist; 
ii. 
A musical composition the lyrics of which are in Tagalog, 
in any Filipino dialect, or in any foreign language and 
performed by a Filipino musician or artist; 
iii. 
A musical composition purely in instrumental form and 
originally composed, adapted, or arrange by a Filipino 
musician or artist; 
iv. 
A musical composition purely in instrumental form and 
performed by a Filipino musician or artist. 
 
b. “Filipino musician or artist” shall mean any of the following: 
i. 
Any individual composer, musician, or performer who is 
qualified as a Filipino citizen under the Philippine 
Constitution or Republic Act No. 9225 otherwise known as 
the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003; 
ii. 
Any individual composer, musician, or performer who is 
not qualified as a Filipino citizen under the foregoing, 
provided, however, that he or she has Filipino lineage and 
is publicly known to have genuinely accepted his or her 
Filipino lineage and culture; 
iii. 
A musical duet or group in which at least one of its 
members qualify under the foregoing. 
 
c. “Radio Station” – a broadcasting organization conferred by 
competent public authority with a franchise or license to publicly 
transmit audio content using the Amplitude Modulation (AM) band 
or frequency Modulation (FM) band within the Philippines. The term 
shall include a broadcast organization not so conferred with such 
franchise or license but continues to publicly transmit from within 
the Philippines the said audio content using the AM band or FM 
band. 
 
d. “Television (TV) Station” – a broadcasting organization by competent 
public authority given a franchise or license to publicly transmit 
audio and/or video content using television transmission within the 
Philippines. The term shall include a broadcast organization not so 
conferred with such franchise or license but continues to publicly 
transmit from within the Philippines the said audio and/or video 
content using television, satellite, or cable transmission. 
 
e. “Broadcast” – wire or wireless transmission of sounds, images, or 
video to the general public. 


 
 
f. “Music Video” – a videotape performance of a recorded song or live 
performance of a musical artist, usually accompanied by dancing 
and/or visual images interpreting the lyrics. 
 
g. “Substantial” – means more than thirty (30) minutes per clock hour. 
 
SECTION 4. Obligations of radio stations. – Radio stations utilizing the AM 
or FM band shall have the following obligations: 
 
a. Within the hours of six (6) o’clock in the morning and six (6) o’clock 
in the evening, radio stations shall play and broadcast at least ten 
(10) OPM songs for every clock hour of broadcast, in case a radio 
program has a format that is substantially devoted to playing music. 
 
b. Within the hours of six (6) o’clock in the morning and six (6) o’clock 
in the evening, radio stations shall play and broadcast at least four 
(4) OPM songs for every clock hour of broadcast, in case a radio 
program has a format that is substantially devoted to dialogue, 
discourse, or any other content not involving the playing of music 
and the remaining minutes within the clock hour are entirely 
devoted to playing music. 
 
SECTION 5. Obligations of TV stations. – TV stations shall have the 
following obligations: 
 
a. Within the hours of six (6) o’clock in the morning and six (6) o’clock 
in the evening, TV stations shall play and broadcast at least ten (10) 
OPM songs for every clock hour of broadcast, in case a TV program 
has a format that is substantially devoted to playing music. 
 
b. Within the hours of six (6) o’clock in the morning and six (6) o’clock 
in the evening, TV stations shall play and broadcast at least four (4) 
OPM songs for every clock hour of broadcast, in case a TV program 
has a format that is substantially devoted to dialogue, discourse, or 
any other content not involving the playing of music and the 
remaining minutes within the clock hour are entirely devoted to 
playing music. 
 
SECTION 6. To ensure equal opportunities for all Filipino musicians or artists 
and to provide meaningful promotion and widespread exposure of their 
musical talents, the playing and broadcasting of OPM songs or music videos 
shall be in the following manner: 
 
a. A particular OPM song or music video containing an OPM song shall 
not be played and broadcasted more than once within the same clock 
hour; and 
 


 
b. A particular OPM song or music video containing an OPM song shall 
not be played and broadcasted more than three (3) times within the 
hours of six (6) o’clock in the morning and six (6) o’clock in the 
evening. 
 
c. The aforementioned radio programs must ensure that at least a 
quarter of their playlist shall include OPM songs by artists from 
outside the National Capital Region. 
 
d. The aforementioned TV programs must ensure that at least a quarter 
of their playlist shall include music videos containing OPM songs by 
artists from outside the National Capital Region. 
 
SECTION 7. Exception. – Section 4 and 5 of this Act shall not apply when 
the radio station or TV station program substantially devotes its broadcast 
within the clock hour a live event that is of national or local significance or is 
sanctioned by the Philippine government. 
 
SECTION 8. Punishable Acts. – Consistent with basic policy of this law, the 
following acts shall be punished: 
 
a. Performing an act in contraversion of Sections 4,5, and 6 of this law 
by any person or any employee or officer of the radio or TV station; 
  
b. Demanding or receiving, personally or through the mediation of 
another, money, goods, services and/or any other form of 
consideration by any employee or officer of the radio or TV station 
from any person in exchange for any act constituting a violation of 
this law; 
 
c. Making offers of or promises or giving the considerations as 
described in the preceding subsection (b) by any person, personally 
or through the mediation of another, to any employee or officer of 
the Radio or TV station in exchange for any act constituting a 
violation of this law. 
 
SECTION 9. Penalties. – Any person who violates any provision of this Act 
shall suffer the following penalties: 
 
a. For the first violation, imprisonment of not less than two (2) years 
but not more than five (5) years and a fine of not less than Fifty 
Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) but not exceeding Two Hundred 
Thousand Pesos (Php200,000.00); and 
 
b. For any subsequent violation, imprisonment of not less than five (5) 
years but not more than nine (9) years and a fine of not less than 
Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php200,000.00) but not exceeding 
Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php500,000.00). 
 


 
c. In all cases, subsidiary imprisonment in cases of insolvency. 
 
If the offender is a corporation, partnership, organization or any similar entity, 
the officials thereof directly involved such as the president, general manager, 
managing partner, or such other officer charged with the management of the 
business affairs shall be liable therefore. 
 
If the offender is an alien or a foreigner, he/she shall be deported immediately 
after service of sentence. 
 
Upon filing of an appropriate complaint by any person, and after due notice 
and hearing, the proper authorities shall also cause the cancellation or 
revocation of the business permit, permit to operate, license, franchise or 
other similar privileges granted to any person or entity that fails to abide by 
the provisions of this Act. 
 
 
SECTION 
10. 
Strengthening 
the 
National 
Telecommunication 
Commission. – The National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) shall 
have the following additional powers and functions: 
 
a. Conduct a nationwide information dissemination and campaign on 
the promotion of this Act; 
 
b. Monitor the adoption of the policies of this Act by all radio stations 
and TV stations within the Philippines; 
 
c. Assist private complainants in the prosecution of offenses in 
violation this Act; 
 
d. Cancel, revoke, or suspend the license or similar privileges of the 
employee or officer of the radio or TV station punished under this 
Act, upon due notice and hearing; 
 
e. Cancel, revoke, or suspend the license or similar legal privileges of 
the radio or TV station employing such employee or officer referred 
to in the previous subsection, upon due notice and hearing; and 
 
f. Coordinate with appropriate offices and other agencies or 
instrumentalities and non-governmental organizations for any 
assistance it may require in the performance of its functions. 
 
SECTION 11. Strengthening the National Committee on Music. – The 
National Committee on Music under the National Commission for Culture and 
the Arts (NCCA) shall have the following additional powers and functions: 
 
a. Conduct a nationwide information dissemination and campaign on 
the promotion of this Act; 
 


 
b. Monitor the adoption of the policies of this Act by all radio stations 
and TV stations within the Philippines; 
 
c. Assist private complainants in the prosecution of offenses in 
violation this Act; 
 
d. Coordinate with the NTC, appropriate offices and other agencies or 
instrumentalities and non-governmental Organizations for any 
assistance it may require in the performance of its functions. 
 
SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. –Within 90 days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) 
and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA) shall formulate 
and adopt rules and regulations to carry out the objectives of this Act, in 
consultation with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Intellectual Property 
Office (IPO), and Movie and Television Review and Classification Board 
(MTRCB). 
 
SECTION 13. Separability Clause. – If any section or part of this Act is 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, such declaration shall not invalidate 
other parts hereof which shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules 
and regulations or any part thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are deemed repealed. 
 
SECTION 15. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,