SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1 2 8 6 
'13 
I\.UG 15 A8 :36 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Our aspiration for good governance and progressive nation requires a concerted 
effort from all stakeholders. The leaders and constituents alike should ensure 
that accountability and transparency are of utmost concern and any action or 
decision deviant from this should be squarely addressed. 
This measure provides for the protection, security and benefits of whistleblowers, 
which is defined in this bill as "any person who has personal knowledge or 
access to any data, information, fact or event constituting improper conduct; 
Provided, That such person must not have any direct participation in such 
improper conduct, or in cases where such person participated in any improper 
conduct, such person is not the most guilty and shall therefore qualify as a state 
witness against the persons subject of stich disclosure." 
The "Whistleblower Protection Act of 2013" ensures the absolute confidentiality 
of the whistleblowers' identity, the subject matter of hislher disclosure, and the 
person to whom such disclosure has been made. Alongside with this, it provides 
for corresponding financial rewards for whistleblowers and proposes the 
establishment of the Congressional Whistleblower Program each within the 
Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives. 
With the enactment of this bill, it is hoped that more qualified whistleblowers will 
come into fore to help our government unravel the diseases of our country's 
governance. 
This bill was submitted by the Committees on Justice and Human Rights, and 
Finance during the Fifteenth Congress but was not passed into law. 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Senator 


· , 
,snultt 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
tefft'r "f t~, ,)!.m .Ia't 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
~UG 15 
1'\8 :36 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. '128 6 
INTRODUCED BY SEN, JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING 
FOR 
PROTECTION, 
SECURITY 
AND 'BENEFITS 
OF 
WHISTLEBLOWERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. 
Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Whistleblower 
2 
Protection Act of 2013". 
3 
4 
5 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - Public Office is a public trust It is the policy of 
6 
the State to promote and ensure full accountability in the conduct of its officers 
7 
and employees, and exact full retribution from those who shall engage in 
8 
improper conduct Towards this end, the State shall: 
9 
10 
a) maintain honest and high standards of integrity in the public service; 
11 
12 
b) safeguard the national interest through the prosecution of corrupt and 
13 
erring public officials and employees; and, 
14 
15 
c) encourage and facilitate the disclosure of corrupt conduct and practices in 
16 
the public service by providing benefits provided in existing laws. 
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
20 
21 
(a) "Employer" shall 
mean 
any 
individual, 
partnership, 
association, 
22 
corporation or entity, including the government, or any person or group of 
23 
persons who shall directly or indirectly for or on behalf of said individual, 
24 
partnership, association, corporation or entity, employ an employee as 
25 
defined in this Act; 
26 
27 
(b) "Employee" shall mean any person who is made to work by, or who 
28 
renders service for, an employer. The term shall include public officers 
29' 
and employees as defined in this Act as well as any person considered 
30 
an "employee" under the Labor Code; 
31 
1 


, , " 
1 
(c) "Public officer / employee" shall refer to any person holding office or 
2 
performing any function or duty in the Government of the Republic of the 
3 
Philippines by virtue of an appointment, election or contract; 
4 
5 
(d) "Government' shall include the National Government, and any of its 
6 
subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, including government-owned 
7 
and controlled corporations and their subsidiaries, and Local Government 
8 
Units; 
9 
10 
(e) "Retaliatory Action" shall refer to any negative or obstructive response, 
11 
reaction or reprisal to a disclosure made under this Act aimed at, 
12 
pertaining to, or against a whistleblower or any of the members of his/her 
13 
family and relatives up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or 
14 
affinity, 
Said actions shall include criminal, civil or administrative 
15 
proceedings commenced or pursued against said whistleblower or any of 
16 
the members of his/her family or relatives up to the fourth civil degree of 
17 
consanguinity or affinity as well as any retaliatory action in the workplace; 
18 
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(f) "Retaliatory Action in the Workplace" shall mean any discriminatory 
20 
conduct or policies which affect promotion or job assignment including 
21 
undue negative performance appraisal, close monitoring by supervisors, 
22 
unwarranted criticisms or avoidance by co-employees, blacklisting from 
23 
other job opportunities or prejudicial transfers by reason of a disclosure 
24 
made under this Act; 
25 
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(g) "Acts Constituting Improper Conduct' shall mean any act or omission 
27 
of a public officer or employee solely, or in cooperation with, or with the 
28 
assistance of, private persons which is covered by or constitute a 
29 
violation of: 
30 
31 
1, Presidential Decree No, 46 otherwise known as "Making it 
32 
punishable for Public Officials and Employees to Receive, and for 
33 
Private Persons to Give, Gifts on Any Occasion, Including 
34 
Christmas"; 
35 
36" 
2, Republic ACt No. 3019 otherwise known as "Anti-Graft and Corrupt 
37 
Practices Act"; 
38 
39 
3. Republic Act No. 6713 otherwise known as "An Act Establishing a 
40 
Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and 
41 
Employees"; 
42 
43 
4. Republic Act No. 7080 otherwise known as the "Anti-Plunder Law"; 
44 
45 
5. Title VII of Book Two of the Revised Penal Code on Crimes 
46 
Committed by Public Officers; and, 
47 
48 
6. All other laws which penalize or sanction any act or omission of a 
49 
public officer or employee. 
50 
51 
(h) "Whist/eblowet" shall refer to any person who has personal knowledge 
52 
or access to any data, information, fact or event constituting improper 
53 
conduct; Provided, That such person must not have any direct 
54 
participation in such improper conduct, or in cases where such person 
55 
participated in any improper conduct, such person is not the most guilty 
56 
and shall therefore qualify as a state witness against the persons subject 
57 
of such disclosure; 
2 


, , 
1 
2 
(i) "Qualified Whistleblowet" shall mean a whistleblower qualified and 
3 
admitted into the Whistleblower's Program of the Implementing Agency in 
4 
accordance with this Act and its implementing rules and regulations; 
5 
6 
(j) "Implementing Agencies or Agency" shall collectively or individually 
7 
refer to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of the Ombudsman, 
8 
the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and the Public Attorney's 
9 
Office (PAO); 
10 
11 
(k) "Whistleblower Council' shall refer to the Council created and defined 
12 
under Section 31 of this Act. 
13 
14 
15 
SEC. 4. Coverage. - Notwithstanding the provisions of law on prescription of 
16 
crimes, this Act shall cover all acts constituting improper conduct irrespective of 
17 
the time of commission. 
18 
19· 
20 
SEC. 5. Admission / Qualification to the Program. - Whistleblowers, whether 
21 
from the public or private sector, shall be entitled to the benefits under this Act; 
22 
Provided, That all the following requisites concur: 
23 
24 
a) The disclosure is voluntary, in writing and under oath; 
25 
b) The disclosure relates to acts constituting improper conduct; and, 
26 
c) The information to be disclosed is admissible in evidence. 
27 
28 
29 
SEC. 6. Necessity of Testimony. - The testimony of a qualified whistleblower in 
30 
court shall not be necessary for the entitlement or enjoyment of the benefits of 
31 
this Act. In the event that the said whistleblower's testimony is required as found 
32 
by the Implementing Agency to be necessary and indispensable for a successful 
33 
prosecution of a case, he/she shall be entitled to the additional benefits and 
34 
protection under R.A. No. 6891 otherwise known as the Witness Protection 
35 
Program, funding for which shall be sourced from the budget as provided under 
36 
Section 32 hereof. 
37 
38 
39 
SEC. 7. Credibility of a Whistleblower. - In all cases, the fact of the entitlement 
40 
of the qualified whistleblower to the protection and benefits provided in this Act 
41 
shall not be admissible in evidence to diminish or affect his credibility. 
42 
43 
44 
SEC. 8. 
Perpetuation of Testimony. -
Once admitted into the program, a 
45 
whistleblower may perpetuate his/her testimony pursuant to Rule 134 of the 
46 
Revised Rules of Court. 
47 
48 
49 
SEC. 9. Memorandum of Agreement with the Person to be Protected. - Before a 
50 
person is provided protection and benefits as a whistleblower for the State, 
51 
he/she shall first execute a Memorandum of Agreement with the Implementing 
52 
Agency which shall set forth his/her responsibilities as follows: 
53 
54 
(a) To provide information to and testify before all branches or agencies of 
55 
government in an appropriate proceeding on facts constituting improper 
56 
conduct; 
57 
3 


1 
2. 
3 
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8 
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41. 
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57 
(b) To avoid commission of crime; 
(c) To take all necessary precautions to preclude detection by others of the 
facts conceming the protection provided him/her under this Act; 
(d) To cooperate with all reasonable requests of officers and employees of 
the government who are providing him/her protection under this Act; and, 
(e) To regularly inform the Implementing Agency's program official concerned 
of his/her current activities and address. 
SEC. 10. Breach of the Memorandum of Agreement. - Substantial breach of the 
Memorandum of Agreement provided for in Section 9 hereof shall be sufficient 
ground for the termination of the protection and benefits provided under this Act; 
Provided, however, That before terminating the same, the Implementing Agency 
shall send notice to the qualified whistleblower concerned, stating therein the 
reason for such termination. 
'" <:, 
SEC. 11. Confidentiality. - Except insofar' as allowed by this Act, during and 
after the disclosure, and throughout and after any proceedings taken thereafter, a 
whistleblower is entitled to absolute confidentiality as to: 
(a) his/her identity 
(b) the subject matter of his/her disclosure; and, 
(c) the person to whom such disclosure has been made. 
There shall be no such confidentiality in his/her identity if a whistleblower makes 
a public disclosure of acts constituting improper conduct unless, notwithstanding 
such public disclosure, he/she has taken means obviously intended to preserve 
his/her anonymity. 
SEC. 12. Confidential Information. - No person to whom a disclosure has been 
made or referred to shall divulge any information that may identify or tend to 
identify a whistle blower or reveal the subject matter of such disclosure, except 
only as to the following circumstances: 
(a) the whistleblower consents in writing prior to such a disclosure of; 
(b) the disclosure is indispensable and essential as determined by the 
Implementing 
Agency, 
taking 
into 
consideration 
the 
necessary 
proceedings to be had after said disclosure; or, 
(c) the disclosure or referral is made pursuant to an obligation under this Act. 
The prohibition on disclosure under this Section shall apply to any person 
who has become privy to any confidential information, whether officially or 
otherwise .. 
SEC. 13. 
Violation of Confidentiality. -
Any person who shall violate the 
protection of confidentiality of a protected disclosure under Sections 11 and 12 of 
this Act, shall suffer the penalty of not more than one (1) year but not less than 
six (6) months with the accessory penalty of temporary absolute disqualification 
4 


1 
for public office, in case of a public officer or employee, and shall be civilly liable 
2 
to the whistleblower in suoh amount of damages as may be awarded and 
3 
deemed reasonable by the court. 
4 
5 
The proceedings herein shall be independent of any action that an aggrieved 
6 
whistleblower may take before the Civil Service Commission or the Department 
7 
of Labor and Employment for unfair or discriminatory practices, back wages, or 
8 
other labor dispute, or before other quasi-JuiliCial agencies that mayor may not 
9 
have arisen from a disclosure, or a believed or suspected disclosure. 
10 
ii 
12 
SEC. 14. No Breach of Duty of Confidentiality. - A whistleblower who has made 
13 
a disclosure under this Act on whom a provision of law, regulation, issuance, 
14 
practice or other convention, imposes upon him/her the duty to maintain 
15 
confidentiality with respect to any information disclosed is considered not to have 
16 
committed a breach thereof. 
17 
18 
19 
SEG, 16, 
Defense of Privileged Communication. - A whistleblower who has 
20 
made a disclosure under this Act shall have in any other inquiry or proceeding 
21 
the defense of absolute privileged communication with respect to the subject 
22 
matter of hisfher disclosure or information given to the proper authOrities. 
23 
24 
25' sec. 16: Fa/se and Misleading DisclOSUres. - Any person who deliberately and 
26 
voluntarily gives false or misleading information in connection with acts or 
27 
omissions constituting improper conduct shall be guilty of an offense punishable 
28 
by Imprisonment of not more than two (2) years and perpetuai absolute 
29 
disqualification from holding public office, in case of a public officer or employee, 
30 
without prejudice to other liabilities under existing laws. 
31 
32 
33 
SEC. 17. ProteGtion against DisGiplinary AGtion or Reprisals, - A whistleblewer 
34 
who has made or is believed or suspected to have made a disclosure under this 
35 
Act is not liable to disciplinary action for making said disclosure. 
36 
37 
Prohibited acts under this Section include retaliatory action in a workplace or 
38 
prejudicial conduct towards a whistleblower, such as: discriminatory actions 
39 
behind policies and procedures, reprimand, punitive transfers, unwarranted 
40 
referral to a psychiatrist or counselor, and undue poor performance reviews. 
41 
Other prejudicial conducts include obstruction of an investigation, withdrawal of 
42 
essential resources, undue reports and the attachment of unfair personnel file 
43 
notes. 
44 
45 
To this end, any employer who has discouraged and imposed sanctions or 
46 
reprisals based on workplace interactions, which shall include workplace 
47 
ostracism, questions and attacks on motives, accusations of disloyalty and 
48 
dysfunction, public humiliation, and the denial of work or promotion, or who 
49 
encourages, causes or does retaliatory action or reprisal against a whistleblower, 
SO 
or anyone believed or suspected to be one shall be liable fOr an offense defiMtl 
51 
under this Act. 
52 
53 
Any employee who fefUses to follow orders of employers that would caUse them 
54 
to violate any provision of this Act shall likewise be protected from reprisals and 
55 
retaliatory action in the workplace. 
56 
5 


1 
For purposes of this protection, an applicant for employment shall be deemed an 
2 
employee and entitled to suoh proteotion. 
3 
4 
Provided, however, That an employer of a whistleblower shall be notified through 
5 
a certification issued by the Implementing Agency within a period of thirty (30) 
6 
days, from the date when the whistleblower last reported for work; Provided 
7 
further, That an employer shall have the option to remove said whistleblower 
8 ' frOm employment after securing a clearance from the Civil Service Commission 
9 
and the Department of Labor and Employment, whichever the case may be, in 
10 
case of a. p~~lo,,!9~d absence due to transfer or permanent relocation under this 
11 
ACt or R.A. No. 6891. 
12 
13 
14 
SEC. 18. Protection Against Other Actions. - A whistleblower who has made a 
15 
disclosure under this Act shall not be subject to any liability whether 
16 
administrative, civil, or criminal for making such a disclosure, No action, claim sr 
17 
demand may be taken against a whistleblower for making such disclosure, nor 
18 
any evidence presented shall be used against him/her in court. 
19 
20 
This protection shall also operate as an immunity in favor of a whistleblower 
21 
against any action or proceeding taken against him/her by reason of his/her 
22 
disclosure; Provided, however, That the whistleblower appears to be not the 
23 
most guilty. 
24 
25 
26 
SEC. 19. 
Discriminatory Hiring. - Any individual, firm, corporation, office or 
27 
employer who shall deny a qualified applicant of employment, or who shall reject 
28 
his/her application for employment solely on the ground that the applicant is or 
29 
will be a whistleblower, shall be guilty of an offense punishable by not more than 
30 
six (6) months imprisonment with the aooessory penalty of suspension of the 
31 
right to hold public office, in case of a public officer or employee, and shall be 
32 
civilly liable to indemnify the whistleblower for damages as may be awarded by 
33 
the court. 
34 
35 
36 
SEC. 20. ReiaJiatory AcfJon in the Wotkplace. - Any person who shall bommit 
37 
any retaliatory act in a workplace as defined under this Act, against an employee 
38 
who is a whistleblower, or believed or suspected to be one, shall be guilty of an 
39 
offense and shari suffer the penaity of not more than six (6) months imprisonment 
40 
with the accessory penalty of suspension of the right to hold public office, in case 
41 
of a public officer or employee, and shall be civilly liable to indemnify a 
42 
whistleblower in case damages are incurred and as may be awarded by the 
43 
court. 
44 
45 
Towards this end, the aggrieved whistleblower shall be entitled to the provisional 
46 
remedy of injunction against any retaliatory action in the workplace, prejudicial 
47' 
conduct or 'discriminatory treatment by reason uf the said whistleblower's 
48 
intended or actual disclosure. 
49 
50 
The proceedings herein shall be independent of any action that an aggrieved 
51 
person may take before the Civil Service Commission or the Department of 
52 
Labor and Employment for unfair discriminatory practices, back wages, or other 
53 
labor dispute, or before other quasi-judicial agencies that mayor may not have 
54 
arisen from a disclosure, or a believed or suspected disclosure. 
55 
56 
6 


1 
SEC. 21. Penalty for Retaliatory Acts Against a Whistleblower. - Any person 
2 
who oommits any of the retaliatory aots as defined in this Aot against a 
3 
whistleblower and/or hinders, delays, prevents or dissuades a whistleblower 
4 
from: 
5 
6 
(a) attending, assisting or testifying before any investigating agency or quasi-
7 
judicial body or judicial; 
~ 
9 
(b) reporting to a 
law enforcement officer or judge the commission or 
10 
possible commission of an offense or a violation of conditions of 
i 1 
probation, parole, or release pending judicial proceedings; 
12 
13 
(c) seeking the arrest of another person in connection with the offense; 
14 
15 
(d) causing a criminal prosecution, or a proceeding for the revocation of a 
16 
parole or probation; or 
17 
18 
(e) performing and enjoying the rights and benefits under this Act or attempts 
19 
to do so 
20 
21 
shall be fined not more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) or 
22 
suffer imprisc:mment of not less than six (6) months but not more than six (6) 
23 
years or both at the discretion of a court and shall also suffer the penalty of 
24 
perpetual disqualification from holding public office in case of a public officer or 
25 
employee. 
26 
27 
28 
SEC. 22. Benefits, Security and Protection of a Qualified Whistleblower. - A 
29 
qualified whistleblower shall be entitled to an allowance equivalent to his/her 
30. 
daily basic financial requirement, provided he/she requests for said allowance 
31 
and the Implementing Agency determines and approves the reasonableness of 
32 
such request. 
33 
34 
A qualified whistleblower shall likewise be entitled to housing and personal 
35 
security regardless of whether the disclosure is made in confidence or in public. 
36 
37 
Accordingly, the Implementing Agency is hereby authorized to allocate funds as 
38 
provided for in Section 32 hereof for the full satisfaction of the benefits and 
39 
security and protection of a qualified Wl1lstleblower. 
40 
41 
This section is without prejudice to any benefits a qualified whistleblower may be 
42 
entitled to under RA No. S891: ProvIded, That the necessary amount shall be 
43 
sourced from the budget as provided for in Section 32 hereof and that no 
44 
duplication of benefit shall ensue. 
45 
46 
47 
SEC. 23. Financial Rewards for Whistleblower, - A qualified whistleblower shall 
48 
be entitled to a corresponding monetary reward on a contingency basis, 
49 
equivalent to at least ten percentum (10%) of the amount which may be 
50 
recovered or the amount of One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00), whiohever is 
51 
lower, as a result of his/her disclosure. 
52 
53 
54 
SEC. 24. 
Abstract. -
All government agencies, offices, bureaus and local 
55 
government units, including government owned or controlled corporations, 
56 
whether or not with original charters, shall conspicuously display an abstract of 
57 
this Act and the rights and protections of whistleblowers, including the obligations 
7 


1 
of employers under this Act. Such abstract shall be provided in the implementing 
2 
rules and regulations. 
3 
4 
All government agencies, offices, bureaus and local government units, including 
5 
government owned and controlled corporations, whether or not with original 
6 
charters, shall likewise put in place internal procedures for dealing with 
7 
whistleblowers consistent with the provisions of this Act and its implementing 
8 
rUleS and regulations. said Internal procedure shall be widely disseminated to all 
9 
employees. 
10 
11 
Aii other empioyers, specifically those in the private sector, shaii aiso 
12 
conspicuously display notices of their employees' protections and their 
13 
obligations under this Actand its implementing rules and regulations. 
14 
15 
16 
SEC. 25. Failure of an employer to Post Abstract, - The failure to post an 
17 
Abstract or internal procedures as required under Section 24 of this Act shall 
18 
constitute an offense and shall be penalized with a fine in the amount of One 
19 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,OOO.OO) for the first offense. Said amount shall 
20 
be doubled for every succeeding offense/so 
21 
22 
23 
SEC. 26. Failure to Act or Report to the Implementing Agency. - Any person 
24 
under obligation to report a disclosure under this Act to the Implementing 
25 
Agency, who fails to do so within the period of two (2) months, or who fails to act 
26 
thereon or cause an investigation thereof, shall be guilty of an offense and shall 
27 
suffer the penalty of not more than one (1) month imprisonment, and/or a fine 
28 
amounting to not more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,OOO.OO) without 
29 
prejudice to any other liability that may be imposed upon such person under 
30 
existing laws. 
31 
32 
33 
SEC. 27. 
Confidentiality of the Proceedings, -
All preceeding8 invelving 
34 
application and/or enjoyment of the benefits under this Act, including any action 
35 
taken thereon, shall be confidential in nature. No information or documents given 
36 
or submitted in support thereof shall be released except upon written order of the 
37 
Implementing Agency, and provided such disclosure shall not endanger the life of 
38 
a qualified whistleblower. 
jl) 
40 
41 
SEC. 28. Powers and Functions of the Implementing Agencies or Agency. - In 
42 
addition to their respective powers and functions under existing laws, the 
43 
Implementing Agencies shall: 
44 
45 
(a) Supervise, monitor and coordinate all efforts relative to the implementation 
46 
and enforcement of the provisions of this Act; 
47 
48 
(b) Investigate all disclosures made under this Act, prosecute or recommend 
49 
prosecution of the same when warranted; 
50 
51 
(c) Evaluate the disqualification of whistleblower for coverage within this Act, 
52 
and whichever the case may be, make the appropriate decision on their 
53" 
entitli:lment to the benefits and security and protection extended herein: 
54 
55 
(d) Undertake, in _ coordination and cooperation with the private and public 
56 
sectors, an information campaign to educate the public on the provisions 
57 
and benefits of this Act; 
8 


1 
2 
(e) Develop 
plans 
and 
implement 
programs 
to 
further 
enoourage 
3 
whistleblowers on acts constituting improper conduct with a view to 
4 
effective deterrence and/or prosecution; 
5 
6 
(f) Control and administer, through coordination and consistent with the 
7 
provisions and purpose of this Act, the protection and benefits of 
8 
whlstleblowers and the funds necessa..ylo carry out the provisions of this 
9 
Act; 
10 
i 1 
(g) Call upon, or deputize any department, bureau, office or any other 
12 
government agency or public official to assist in the effective 
13 
implementation and enforcement of this Act; and, 
14 
15 
(h) Grant immunity in accordance with the provisions of this Act and its 
16 
implementing rules and regulation, 
17 
18 
19 
SEC.29. Implementing Agenoy, Option of Whistleblower. - A whistleblower shall 
20 
have the right to choose which Implementing Agency he/she intends to be 
21 
admitted and qualified as a whistleblower. As such, the Implementing Agency so 
22 
chosen shall have the primary jurisdiction and authority to exercise the powers 
23 
and functions provided for under Section 28 of this Act. 
24 
2S 
26 
SEC. 30. Congressional Whistleblower Program. - The Senate and the House 
27 
of Representatives may have their own Whistle blower's Program for resource 
28 
persons or whlstiebiowers appearing before them or their respective committees. 
29 
30 
The resources person or whistleblower, with his/her express consent, may be 
31 
admitted into the program upon the recommendation of the legislative committee 
32 
where his/her testimony is needed when in its judgment there is pressing 
33 
neGessity therefor; Provided, That SUGh reGommendation is appmved by the 
34 
President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House, whichever the case may 
35 
be. 
36 
37 
The Senate or the House of Representatives, whichever the case may be, shall 
38 
have the primary jurisdiction in the administration and implementation of the 
31) 
program independent from any other agency of government when the 
40 
investigation or the safety of the resource person or whistleblower shall be 
41 
prejudiced. 
42 
43 
44 
SEC. 31. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - There is hereby created a 
45 
Whistleblower Council which shall be composed of the Implementing Agencies 
46 
and headed by the Office of the Solicitor General. 
47 
48 
The Council shall be primarily and solely responsible for the drafting and 
49 
promulgation of the necessary Implementing Rules and Regulations (lRR) for the 
50 
effective implementation of this Act. This Council's submission to Congte~~ of 
51 
the approved IRR and the causing of its publication in at least two (2) 
52 
newspapers of general circulation shall render the council functus offiCio. 
53 
54 
55 
SEC. 32. 
Funding. 
-
The amount of One Hundred rylillion _ Pesos 
56 
(p166,666,606.00) IS hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any funds in 
9 


1 
the National Treasury not otherwise allocated to carry into effect the purposes of 
2 
this Aot. 
3 
4 
Other funding schemes or sources that may be authorized under existing laws 
5 
shall be allowed in furtherance hereof. 
6 
7 
8 
SEC; 33; Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
9 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provisions not otherwise affected 
10 
thereby shall remain valid and subsisting. 
11 
12 
13 
SEC. 34. 
Repealing Clause. -
Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
i4 
executive order, leiter of Instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
15 
contrary to or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
16 
modified, or amended accordingly. 
17 
18 
19. 
SEC. 35. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
20 
publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) newspapers of general 
21 
circulation. 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
Approved, 
10