EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
r ■ 
u* 11’
*19 JUL n P4--11
SENATE
S. B. No. 
RE..U - ■
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO
AN ACT
PENALIZING PRANK CALLERS TO EMERGENCY HOTLINES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
To improve public safety and facilitate a prompt deployment of emergency 
services, President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) No. 56 in 2018. The 
EO institutionalized the Emergency 911 Hotline as the nationwide emergency hotline 
number which acts as a call and dispatch center linking people needing assistance to 
emergency resources of the government such as the police, firefighters, medical 
workers and rescue services.
By its very nature and purpose, calls accommodated by the Emergency 911 
should only be for legitimate and immediate emergency concerns. There is no room 
for mischievous or malicious calls as the time spent in answering these prank calls 
may spell the difference in saving the life of someone in dire need of help.
To discourage such senseless acts, and to ensure proper operation of 
emergency services, this proposed measure aims to prohibit and penalize prank 
calling to emergency hotlines.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought
SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. B. N o .___40n
*19 
JUL11 
P4--11
ru;.: (7^ .
JIK
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG'
\
3"\y. GO
AN ACT
PENALIZING PRANK CALLERS TO EMERGENCY HOTLINES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. S h o rt Title. - This Act shall be known as the '‘''Anti-Prank Callers 
Act o f 2019."
Sec. 2. D eclaration o f Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
to promote the general welfare or the people. Towards this end, the State aims to 
prohibit malicious and improper use of telecommunication devices.
Sec. 3. D e fin itio n  o f Terms. -  As used in this Act:
a. ) Prank call refers to a mischievous or malicious telephone call made to trick or
fool someone with the intention to annoy, abuse, threaten, harass, or solicit 
any comment, request, suggestion or sound which is obscene, lewd, 
lascivious, filthy or indecent, or a call intending to make false requests or 
false alarm of an emergency, knowing the report or information or alarm to 
be false;
b. ) Emergency refers to a serious, unexpected and often dangerous situation
requiring immediate attention and action; and
c. ) Hotline refers to a direct telecommunication set up for a specific purpose.


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Sec. 4. P rohibition. -  Emergency hotlines established for the purpose of 
responding to emergency situations shall, at all times, be free from receiving 
unnecessary calls. It shall be prohibited for any individual to make prank calls to any 
hotline at any time.
Sec. 5. Penalties. - Any person who violates this Act shall be penalized
with:
a. ) Arresto manor and a fine of Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) for the first
offense;
b. ) Arresto mayor 
a fine of Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) for the second
offense; and
c. ) Prision correcciona! and a fine of Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00) for
the third and succeeding offenses.
Provided, That the foregoing penalties shall be imposed without prejudice to 
other liabilities under the Revised Penal Code or any special law arising out of the 
prohibited act herein.
Sec. 6. S e p a ra b ility Clause. -  If any provision of this Act is subsequently 
declared unconstitutional, the validity of the remaining provisions hereof shall 
remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 7. R epealing Clause. -  All acts and decrees, executive orders, 
implementing rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions
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of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 8. E ffectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) after its
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complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the
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Philippines.
Approved,