TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
25 AUG-6 P2 36
SENATE 
S. No. 1060
RUCEiV.rvi^
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF PROTECTED 
ATTRIBUTES, PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The principle of equality is enshrined in our Constitution. In many of its 
provisions, every citizen is guaranteed equal access to opportunities and protection of 
the laws. In addition, it directs Congress to give highest priority to the enactment of 
measures that protect and enhance the right of all people to human dignity, reduce 
social, economic and political inequalities, and remove cultural inequities.
The country is also a State Party to numerous human rights instruments that 
uphold human dignity and equality of all persons, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity 
or religion. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that everyone is 
entitled to all the rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind, such as race, 
colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, 
property, birth or other status1. In addition, it states that all are equal before the law 
and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law; and that all 
are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination.2
1 Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2 Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.


Meanwhile, the States Parties, including the Philippines, to the International 
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, condemn racial 
discrimination and undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a 
policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms.3 Specifically, each State Party 
"shall prohibit and bring to an end, by all appropriate means, including legislation as 
required by circumstances, racial discrimination by any persons, group or 
organization".
Consistent with the abovementioned commitments and provisions in our 
Constitution, this proposed measure promotes the right to equality and non­
discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity and religion. It recognizes the inherent 
and prevailing cultural diversity of our society, and protects the fundamental rights of 
everyone, especially the minorities who have been victimized by intolerance, injustice 
and unfair treatment.
This bill provides that it unlawful for any person to perform any act involving a 
distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color, descent, or 
national or ethnic origin, religion, or religious affiliation or beliefs which has the 
purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise on 
an equal footing of any human right or fundamental freedom in the political, economic, 
social, cultural, civil or any other field of public life.
Moreover, the measure identifies prohibited acts of discrimination in political 
participation; in employment; in education and training; in the delivery of goods and 
services; in the acquisition, possession, utilization, lease or disposal of lands, including 
housing and other accommodations; in access to public places, facilities and public 
meetings; in advertisements and mass media; by wrongful portrayal; through speech, 
utterances, acts of hatred and similar acts; by engaging in profiling, among others.
3 Article 2 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
2


The passage of this legislation is recommended.
INC^OY EJERCITO ESTRADA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
25 AUG -6 P2 36
S. No.
SENATE 
1060
RHGi ' DL!',
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN
ACT PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF PROTECTED 
ATTRIBUTES, PROVIDING PENALTIES 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 "Comprehensive Anti-
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Discrimination Act'.
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to work actively for
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the elimination of all forms of discrimination that offends the equal protection clause
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of the Bill of rights, and the State's obligations under human rights instruments
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acceded to by the Republic of the Philippines, particularly those discriminatory
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practices based on age, indigenous, cultural, racial, or ethnic origin, religious belief or
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activity, political inclination or conviction, social class, sex, sexual orientation, sex
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characteristics, gender identity, gender expression, marital relationship status,
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disability, HIV status, profession, occupation, employment status, educational
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attainment, maternity and pregnancy, deprivation of liberty, former incarceration,
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health status or medical history, language, physical features, or other status.
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Towards this end, the State shall exert efforts to address all forms of
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discrimination and violence and to promote human dignity as enshrined in the United
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Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of
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All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, particularly the General Recommendation
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No. 28 on Nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.


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Convention on the Rights of the Child, International Covenant on Civil and Political
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Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International
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Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the
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Rights of Persons with Disabilities, International Convention on the Protection of All
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Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, United Nations Declaration on the
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Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the relevant General Comments or
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Recommendations by the concerned United Nations Treaty-Bodies, and all other
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relevant and universally accepted human rights instruments and other international
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conventions to which the Philippines is a signatory of. As such, discriminatory practices
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as defined herein shall be prescribed and penalized.
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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) Age Discrimination refers to an act of discriminating a person, which
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includes bullying, based solely on the actual or perceived age of a person,
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whether accurate or not;
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b) Bangsamoro People are those who, at the advent of the Spanish
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colonization, were considered natives or original inhabitants of Mindanao
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and the Sulu archipelago and its adjacent islands, whether of mixed or full
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blood, shall have the right identify themselves, their spouses and
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descendants, as Bangsamoro;
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c) De Facto Spouse of Another Person is defined to mean a person who
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cohabits or lives with another person in a relationship similar to marriage
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but is not legally married to that person;
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d) Disability reters to a (1) long-term physical or mental intellectual or sensory
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impairments that substantially limits one or more psychological,
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physiological, or anatomical function of an individual or activities of that
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individual; (2) a record of such an impairment; (3) or being regarded as
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having such an impairment;
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e) Discrimination constitutes any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or
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preference or other differential treatment that is directly or indirectly based
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on the protected attributes, which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or
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impairing the recognition, employment or exercise, on an equal footing, of


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the political, civil, economic, social, and cultural rights. It also includes 
association with the person who has, or is believed to have any of these 
attributes. Discrimination, which also includes incitement to discriminate 
and harassment, is a result of stigma. The actual status of the person 
subjected to discrimination shall not be relevant for purpose of determining 
whether an act of discrimination has been committed;
i) Direct Discrimination occurs where a person is treated less favorably 
than another person in the same or comparable circumstances on 
the ground of their protected attributes, as defined under Section 4 
of this act. Direct discrimination also includes detrimental acts or 
omissions on the basis of prohibited grounds where there is no 
comparable similar situation;
ii) Indirect Discrimination occurs where a law, rule, regulation, policy, 
condition, practice, or requirement, which appears neutral on its 
face, has the effect of putting a person with a particular protected 
attribute in a disadvantage which is not reasonable in the 
circumstances;
f) Education and Training refers to all types and levels of education, training, 
and other avenues for learning, and includes access thereto, the standard 
and quality thereof and the conditions under which the same is given;
g) Empioyment refers to all terms, conditions, and privileges relating to 
engagement in work which includes all terms, conditions, and privileges in 
public and private institutions, including recruitment policies, application, 
procedures, training, incentives, compensation, determination of benefits or 
allowances, promotion, advancement opportunities, transfer, dismissal, and 
retirement;
The definition shall apply to all employees regardless of their status 
of employment. In legitimate contracting arrangements, the 
contractor/subcontractor shall be deemed the employer of the contractual 
employee.


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The terms of employment and occupation shall include access to 
training, access to employment and to particular occupations, and terms 
and conditions of employment.
h) Ethnic Origin refers to the classification of people based on common color, 
descent, racial, national, tribal, religious, ethno-linguistic or cultural origin 
or background;
i) Formeriy Incarcerated Person refers to a person or individual with prior 
justice system involvement, including but not limited to the following: one 
who had been accused of committing a criminal act; one who had been 
acquitted; or one who may had been previously incarcerated and served his 
or her sentence in any jail system and penal institution;
j) Gender refers to a social construct or a set of socially ascribed 
characteristics, norms, attributes, values and expectations categorizing a 
person as man, woman, or other identity which is usually based on one's 
sex assigned at birth and identifying the social behavior among them;
k) Gender Expression refers to a person's presentation of their gender through 
physical appearance, including dress, hairstyles, accessories, cosmetics, and 
mannerisms, speech, behavioral patterns, names, personal references and 
other external manifestations, among others;
l) 
Gender Identity refers to each person's deeply felt internal and individual 
experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex 
assigned at birth;
m) Goods and Services refer to the material and non-material products or 
things of value offered for sale to satisfy needs and wants for survival, 
comfort, or pleasure including, but not limited to, as those provided by 
restaurants, resorts, hotels, clubs, stores and shopping malls; or acts or 
services provided by credit or financial establishments, public and private 
utilities and services, professionals, maintenance and repair workers, 
laborers and similar workers;
n) Harassment to the unwanted treatment against a person on grounds 
of one or more protected attributes or in association with them, with the


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effect or purpose of creating unfriendly, hostile, offensive, humiliating or 
rejecting atmosphere for that person;
o) Health Status refers to a person's physical or mental health;
p) HIV Status refers to the actual or perceived presence or absence of the 
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the body of an individual;
q) Housing and Other Accommodations refer to, whether public or private, a 
house, apartment, condominium, townhouse, flat, motel, boarding house, 
hotel, dormitory, shelter, elderly home, rehabilitation facility, orphanage, 
and health facility including mental health facility, detention center, camping 
ground and other analogous places;
r) Indigenous Cuiturai Communities/Indigenous Peopies (ICCs/IPs) shall, as 
provided under Section 3(h), Chapter II of Republic Act No. 8371 or "The 
Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997", refer to a group of people or 
homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, 
who have continuously lived as organized community on communally 
bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership 
since time immemorial, occupied, possessed, and utilized such territories, 
sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions, and other 
distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social, 
and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures, 
became historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos. ICCs/IPs 
shall likewise include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account 
of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country, at the 
time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous 
religions and cultures, or the establishment of present state boundaries, 
who retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural, and political 
institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional 
domains, or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains;
s) InternalDispiacementrefers to the standing of persons or groups of persons 
who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places 
of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the 
effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of


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human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not 
crossed an internationally recognized border;
t) Intersex refers to people who are born with physical or biological sex 
characteristics, such as sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal 
patterns and/or chromosomal patterns, that do not fit the typical definitions 
for male or female bodies. For some intersex people, these traits are 
apparent at birth, while for others they emerge later in life, often at puberty;
u) Language includes spoken and signed languages and other forms of non- 
spoken languages;
v) Linguistic Discrimination refers to the unfair treatment of an individual based 
solely on the use of language, dialects and variations of language. This use 
of language may include the individual's native language or other 
characteristics of the person's speech, such as an accent, the size of 
vocabulary, whether the person uses complex and varied words, and 
syntax;
w) Marginaiization refers to a condition where a whole category of people is 
excluded or have limited opportunity from useful and meaningful 
participation in political, economic, social, and cultural life;
x) Maritai or Reiationship Status refers to the personal status of each individual 
in relation to the marriage laws or customs of the country. The categories 
of civil status include any of the following: single, married, separated, 
widowed, or de facto spouse of another person;
y) Occupation refers to a line of work, job, trade, or profession or any activity 
in which a person is engaged within the world of work, including production 
of goods for own final use, provision of services for own final use, volunteer 
work, and other forms of work aside from employment;
z) Other Status refers to other forms of differential treatment or grounds of 
discrimination which either undermines human dignity, causes or 
perpetuates systemic disadvantage, or adversely affects the equal 
enjoyment of a person's rights and freedoms in a serious manner that is 
comparable to the protected attributes enumerated in Section 4 of this Act. 
These grounds include, but are not limited to the following: association and


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relation with persons with protected attributes, pregnancy or 
maternity/paternity status, family responsibilities, health status or medical 
condition, or criminal record;
did) Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) refer to persons who have long-term 
physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which in interaction 
with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in 
society on an equal basis with others;
Physical Features refer to a person's height, size, weight or other bodily 
characteristics. It shall also include features that a person chooses to 
acquire, such as tattoos and piercings;
cc) Political Inclination refers to a person's preference as regards membership 
or belief in a particular political candidate/personality, party, organization, 
or ideology. It covers both the holding and not-holding of opinions, as well 
as expression of views or membership within opinion-based associations, 
trade unions, or political parties;
(^(I)Profession refers to a lawful occupation which requires specialized 
knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation;
ee)Profiling refers to an act by any person, including members of the police, 
military and uniformed personnel in government service, that arbitrarily 
relies solely to the existence of any or some of the prohibited attributes, as 
mentioned in Sec. 4 of this Act, as grounds in any investigation, which shall 
include, but is not limited to: (1) unnecessary, unjustified, illegal, or 
degrading searches, inquiries, custodial investigations, and arrests to 
determine whether an individual is engaged in an activity presumed to be 
unlawful, immoral, or socially unacceptable; or (2) recording and analyzing 
a person's psychological and behavioral characteristics to make 
generalizations about a person's protected attributes or to assist in 
identifying a particular subgroup of people's protected attributes: Provided, 
That law enforcement officers are allowed to conduct criminal investigations 
based on the commission of illegal acts and not on stereotypical 
assumptions attached to any of the protected attributes;


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ff) Protected Attributes refers to identified grounds or characteristics where 
discrimination is prohibited. These grounds or characteristics include but is 
not limited to, age, indigenous, racial, color or ethnic origin, religious belief 
or activity, political inclination or conviction, social class, formerly 
incarcerated persons, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, 
sex characteristics, marital or relationship status, disability, HIV status, 
profession or occupation, health status or medical history, language, 
physical features and other status;
qq)Reasonable Accommodation \x\edins necessary and appropriate modification 
and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, where 
needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the 
enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and 
fundamental freedoms;
Y\h) Religious Belief or Activity refers to the conviction declaration or display of 
faith, values attitude and practices of a chosen religion or belief system that 
may be publicly or privately manifested in worship observance, practice and 
teaching;
ii) Religious Expression refers to teachings and preaching of religious leaders 
on the basis of their faith, whether it conforms to or opposes one's view or 
belief, which are made within the confines of their religious service, 
ceremony or gathering and which are in accordance with the most deeply 
held fundamental religious convictions of the religion to which they belong;
jj) 5ev refers to the civil status of a person acquired by birth, having a system 
of reproduction corresponding to that belonging to male, female, or 
intersex;
kk) Sex Characteristics refers to a person's physical traits that indicate their 
biological sex, such as chromosomes, external genitalia, gonads, hormones, 
and internal reproductive organs. Traits present at birth are called primary 
sex characteristics, whereas those that develop during puberty are called 
secondary sex characteristics;
II) Sexual Orientation refers to the direction of emotional, sexual attraction, or 
conduct towards people of the same gender (homosexual orientation) or


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towards people of more than one gender (bisexual orientation), or towards
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people of different gender (heterosexual orientation) or to the absence of
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sexual attraction (asexual attraction);
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mm) Social Gass refers to groupings of individuais usually based on wealth,
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educational attainment, occupation, income, and membership in a
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subcuiture or social network;
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m)Statelessness refers to the standing of a person, known as a stateiess
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person, who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation
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of its law;
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oo)Stereotype refers to a generalized view preconception about the attributes
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or characteristics that are or ought to be possessed by, or the roies that are
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or should be performed by vulnerable communities or about an individuai's
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protected attributes, vulnerable communities or about an individual's
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protected attributes, regardless of whether such thoughts or beliefs
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accurately reflect reality;
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pp)Stereotyping refers to the practice of ascribing to a person or a vulnerable
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community specific attributes, characteristics, or roles by reason only of
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their protected attributes;
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qcOStigma refers to the dynamic devaluation and dehumanization of an
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individual in the eyes of others which may be based on attributes that are
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arbitrarily defined by others as discreditable or unworthy, and which resuit
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in discrimination when acted upon; and
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rr) Vulnerable Communities refer to communities or sectors that encounter
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stigma 6 and discrimination based on the grounds enumerated in Section 4.
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Sec. 4. Protected Attributes. - Discrimination that is directly or indirectly based
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on the actual or perceived characteristics, which include age, culture, indigenous,
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racial or ethnic origin, religious belief or activity, political inclination or conviction,
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social class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity,
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gender expression, marital or relationship status, disability, HIV status, profession or
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occupation, health status, language, physical features, employment status, maternity,
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pregnancy, educational attainments, deprivation of liberty , former incarceration,
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internal displacement, refugee status, statelessness, or other status is prohibited. For


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purposes of this Act, these personal characteristics shall be collectively termed as
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"Protected Attributes" or prohibited grounds for discrimination.
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The protected attributes that may be subjected to differentiation or any form
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of discrimination shall be interpreted in their most common or universal definitions
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and with due regard to the promotion of meaningful implementation to the policy of
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non-discrimination.
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In determining whether a person is distinguished by one or more of the
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protected attributes, identification shall, if no justification exists to the contrary, be
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based upon self-identification by the individual concerned.
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Sec. 5. Acts of Discrimination, Uniawfui. — Subject to Section 7 of this Act, the
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acts of discrimination include, but are not limited to, the following:
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a) Inflicting stigma.
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It shall be unlawful for any person to commit any acts that promote, encourage,
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inflict, and perpetuate stigma based on the grounds referred to in Section 4. Content
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in all forms of the media, including social media, in educational textbooks, or in other
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medium that aims to promote, encourage, inflict, and perpetuate stigma, by any
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means, is likewise prohibited.
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b) Inciting violence or sexual abuse against any person or group on the basis
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of the grounds referred to in Section 4.
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c) Denying civil and political rights.
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It shall be unlawful to deny a person enjoyment of his or her civil and political
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rights based on the ground referred to in Section 4. Further, any person shall be held
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liable for the commission of any of the following discriminatory acts involving the
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political rights of a person, which shall include but are not limited to:
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1) Preventing, impeding, prohibiting, obstructing or intervening in the
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exercise of political rights by another including, but not limited to,
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the right to vote in a national or local election, both regular or special,
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or in a plebiscite, both initiative or referendum;
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2) Imposing onerous terms before these political rights are granted,
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preserved or protected; or
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3) Subjecting another person who wishes to exercise a political right to
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any act of discrimination
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d) Denying economic, sociai, and cuiturai rights.
1) It shall be unlawful to deny a person enjoyment of economic, social, 
and cultural rights based on the grounds referred to Section 4; or
2) It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to refuse to acknowledge, 
respect, or value cultural practices, traditions, and heritage of 
persons or groups, whether explicit, through actions or polities, or 
implicit, through messages that downplay its existence or render it 
non-existent: Provided, That such acknowledgment, respect, or 
valuation shall not justify or result in any acts of discrimination 
against others based on protected attributes: Provided, further, That, 
the legal recognition of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Cultural 
Communities and the rights associated with such recognition shall 
nonetheless be subject to applicable laws, including but not limited 
to the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act (IPRA).
e) Denying the right to education.
It shall be unlawful for any person to:
1) Refuse admission to or expel a person from any educational or 
training institution on the basis of the grounds defined in Section 4, 
without prejudice to the right of educational or training institutions 
to determine the academic qualifications and non-academic training 
requirements of their students or trainees;
2) Grant or refuse to grant honors, scholarship/s, or other forms of 
assistance on the basis of the grounds defined in Section 4;
3) Impose disciplinary sanctions, penalties, restrictions, or prohibitions 
that infringe on the rights of the persons other than that which is 
reasonable on the basis of the grounds identified in Section 4;
4) Fail to make reasonable efforts to make facilities accessible to 
persons with disabilities; or
5) Subject a person to any act of discrimination and intolerance related 
to education and training.
11


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Further, the prohibition to deny the right to education of a person to
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discriminate on the basis of the protected attributes of their parents and/or legal
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guardians shall be unlawful.
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f) Denying the right to work.
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1) It shall be unlawful for any employer or head of a firm, company, or
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organization to:
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i) refuse or fail to employ a person for work of any type or kind
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which is available and for which the person is qualified, or
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impose on the person onerous terms and conditions, on the
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basis solely or partly of the existence of the protected
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attributes under Section 4 of this Act;
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ii) fail to take reasonable efforts to make facilities accessible to
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persons with disabilities;
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iii) deny or limit access of an employee to the same terms and
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conditions of work, opportunities for training, transfer or
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promotion, or to other benefits connected with employment,
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as are made available for other employees having the same
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qualifications and employed in the same circumstances or
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work of the same kind or type, or impose on the person
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onerous terms and conditions, on the basis of the protected
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attributes under Section 4 of this Act; or
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iv) dismiss, demote, reassign, or transfer an employee on the
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basis of the protected attributes under Section 4 of this Act,
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or subject an applicant for employment or an employee to any
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act of discrimination;
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2) It shall be unlawful for any person acting as job contractor or
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recruitment or placement agency, or agent in procuring workers for
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a principal or an employer to treat an applicant seeking employment
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less favorably than another person in the same circumstances who is
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likewise seeking employment on the basis of the protected attributes
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under Section 4 of this Act.
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3) Any person acting as principal or agent of an organization of 
employers or employees, or any person acting or purporting to act 
on behalf of such organization, shall be liable for discrimination by 
preventing or seeking to prevent another person to continue one's 
employment.
4) It shall likewise be unlawful for any person to:
i) Deny employment in government institutions, including police 
and military service, based directly or indirectly on the grounds 
referred to in Section 4;
ii) Refuse to enter into contract or agreement with persons or 
group of persons based solely or partly on the grounds 
provided in Section 4; or
iii) Deny an application for or revoke a professional license issued 
by the government, directly or indirectly, due to the grounds 
provided in Section 4 of this Act.
g) Denying the right to access to goods and services.
It shall be unlawful for any person, solely on the basis of the grounds in 
Section 4, to:
1) Refuse or fail on demand to supply goods or services available to the 
general public, such as but not limited to, private and public 
insurance, housing and other forms of accommodation, and medical 
and health insurance, including health maintenance organization 
(HMO)-provided medical plans, on the basis of the grounds referred 
to in this Act;
2) Refuse entry to or evict a person from any public or private 
establishment, facility, or utility that is open to the general public, 
such as but not limited to, restaurants, bars, hotels, shopping malls, 
gyms, facilities, and modes of transportation;
3) Refuse or fail on demand to supply those goods and services except 
on less favorable terms or conditions, not otherwise offered to others 
in the same circumstances: Provided, That the act of giving inferior
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goods or services shall also be deemed a denial of access or use of 
such goods or service;
4) Cause undue and unjust deferral of services; or
5) Deny application for a license, clearance, certification or any other 
document issued by government authorities or other entities, with no 
lawful, valid or reasonable grounds.
h) Denying the right to organize.
It shall be unlawful to prohibit, prevent, or revoke the accreditation, formal 
recognition, and/or registration of any organization, group, political party, 
institution, or establishment, in educational institutions, workplaces, 
communities, and other settings, based partly or solely on the grounds, as 
provided in Section 4 of this Act.
Discrimination is also committed when additional requirements beyond the 
customary are imposed directly or indirectly due to the grounds provided in 
Section 4 of this Act.
i) Infiicting harm on heaith and weii-being.
It shall be unlawful to subject any person, without full, free, informed, and 
prior consent, to any unnecessary medical or physical examination, 
psychological treatment, faith-based practices, and other similar procedures 
based solely or partly on any of the grounds referred to in Section 4 that 
aim to change identity or physical attributes or impose behavior or 
expressions.
j) Engaging in profiiing.
It shall be illegal for any person, including members of the military and law 
enforcement agencies, to engage in profiling based solely or partly on the 
protected attributes or grounds provided in Section 4 of this Act.
k) Harassing to curtaii freedom of movement, association or assembiy or 
extorting.
It shall be unlawful for any government agency, including local government 
units, police, military, and immigration agencies, to harass verbally or 
physically, to curtail freedom of movement, or to extort from a person or a
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group of persons on the basis of the protected attributes or grounds 
provided in Section 4 of this Act.
This prohibition applies to similar abuses committed by private persons.
l) Unlawfully detaining and confining a person.
It shall be unlawful to detain and confine a person or groups of persons 
based directly or indirectly on the grounds under Section 4.
m) Inciting and/or doing acts of hatred or violence.
It shall be unlawful to incite hatred or violence based on any of the grounds 
included in Section 4, by use of words or behavior, such as but not limited 
to delivering speeches or making utterances, and doing acts of hatred or 
violence against any person or group, or mocking or ridiculing the same 
person or group through the display of written material, publishing or 
distributing written material; the public performance of a play; distributing, 
showing or playing a recording; broadcasting or including a program in a 
program service, and possession of inflammatory material: Provided, That 
the test to determine incitement to hatred or violence should be whether 
the speech or work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, 
or scientific value.
n) Discrimination in publications and advertisements in media.
It shall be unlawful for a person to publish or display, or cause or permit to 
be published or displayed, a publication or advertisement that indicates or 
could reasonably be understood as an incitement to or act of discrimination, 
as provided in Section 4 of this Act.
o) Denying the right to expression.
It shall be unlawful to deny a person of his or her freedom of opinion and 
expression based on the grounds included in Section 4. This includes the 
expression of identity or personhood through speech, deportment, dress, 
bodily characteristics, choice of name, or other means, as well as the 
freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds 
through any medium.
p) Retaliating and coercing.
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No person, whether natural or juridical, shall discriminate against an 
individual who made a charge, assisted, reported, or testified, in any 
investigation, proceeding, and/or hearing under this Act.
No person, whether naturai or juridical, shall coerce, intimidate, threaten, 
and/or harass any individual regarding the latter's exercise or enjoyment of 
any right granted and/or protected under this Act.
q) Denying the right against wrongful portrayal.
It shail be uniawful for any person to portray, intimate, depict, or describe 
in learning institutions, instructional materials, teaching devices, books, and 
reference materials, especially in civics and history, and in mass media, 
including social media, certain individuals and/or group/s as inferior, or 
encouraging the commission of any of the acts of discrimination against any 
person and/or group as provided in this Act: Provided, That the test to 
determine wrongfui portrayal should be whether the work, taken as a whole, 
lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
Information regarding the dignity and diversity of the cultures, traditions, 
histories, and aspirations of the ICCs/Ips should be appropriately reflected 
in all forms of education, public information, cultural-educational exchange, 
and information education campaigns including the use of social media 
platforms.
r) Denying the right to reasonable accommodation.
1) Any person acting as principai or agent providing accommodation 
shail be liable for discrimination through the following acts;
i) 
Failing to make reasonable efforts to make facilities accessible 
to persons with disabilities sectors requiring them, such as but 
not limited to persons with disabilities;
ii) Disposing of such land or interest, housing and other 
accommodation to another person on less favorable terms and 
conditions than those which would otherwise be offered;
iii) Refusing or failing to accept or process the application for any 
land or interest thereof, housing and other accommodations;
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iv) Treating another person who is seeking to acquire or has
2 
acquired an estate, land or interest thereof, housing and other
3 
accommodation less favorably than to others in the same
4 
circumstances;
5 
v) Refusing to permit another person to occupy any estate, land,
6 
housing and other accommodation;
7 
Vi) Terminating any estate, land or interest thereof of another
8 
person or the right of another person to occupy any estate,
9 
land or housing and other accommodation;
10 
vii) Subjecting an applicant to any other act of discrimination in
11 
the acquisition, possession, utilization, lease or disposal of
12 
estate, land or interest thereof, housing and other
13 
accommodation; or
14 
viii) Denying accommodations against refugees, evacuees and
15 
internally displaced persons by reason of natural tragedy or
16 
armed conflict.
17 
2) Any person acting as principal or agent shall also be liable for
18 
discrimination by imposing or seeking to impose on another person
19 
any term or condition that limits the person or class of persons who
20 
may be the clients, visitors or guests of any estate, land, housing and
21 
other accommodation.
22 
The abovementioned acts or omissions shall also be discriminatory when they
23 
are committed against juridical persons on the basis of the actual or perceived
24 
protected attributes of their members, officers, board of directors or trustees, or their
25 
target constituencies.
26 
s) Other analogous circumstances
27 
Any analogous act, which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying
28 
the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise of the person's human rights and
29 
fundamental freedoms, consistent with relevant and universally accepted
30 
human rights instruments and other international conventions to which the
31 
Philippines have ratified, are also prohibited.
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Sec. 6. Persons Liable. - Any 
person, natural or juridical, or their
2 
representatives, including government instrumentalities and agencies, or government-
3 
owned and - controlled corporations, or any private corporation, institution or
4 
company who commit discrimination, through any of the unlawful acts provided in
5 
Section 5, shall be held liable under this Act.
6 
Any 
person, natural or juridical, 
or their representatives, who requests,
7 
instructs, includes, encourages, authorizes or assists another to commit acts of
8 
discrimination under Section 5 shall also be held liable under this Act.
9 
Any person, natural or juridical, who fails, without justifiable reason, to take
10 
appropriate action in response to reported incidents of discrimination shall also be held
11 
liable under this Act.
12 
The failure or refusal to act of a head of agency or government official or
13 
employee, or any person whose duty is to prosecute or otherwise act on a complaint
14 
for violation of this Act may be deemed prima facie as sanctioning the discriminatory
15 
act on the part of said head of agency, official, or employee, and the latter may
16 
consequently be held equally liable for discrimination under this Act.
17 
All government officers and workers are obliged to promote nondiscriminatory
18 
acts in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities.
19 
Sec. 7. Exceptions. —Any action or conduct, otherwise prohibited under Section
20 
4 and 5 of this Act, shall not be unlawful and shall not be considered as discrimination
21 
where a difference in treatment based on a protected attribute is reasonable and
22 
objective, and if the aim is to achieve a legitimate purpose.
23 
There is valid classification when the acts enumerated under this section do not
24 
contravene to the rights to due process and the equal protection, as guaranteed under
25 
the Constitution.
26 
a) Where any of the protected attributes is a bona fide occupational
27 
qualification (BFOQ) reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the
28 
particular business or where the differentiation is based on clearly
29 
established reasonable factors;
30 
b) Where distinction, exclusion, or preference in respect of a particular job is
31 
based on inherent requirement, which is a proportionate means of achieving
32 
a legitimate aim;
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c) Where the deeply held fundamental religious doctrines, dogma, or beliefs
2 
of a person or of a Body established exclusively for religious purposes
3 
require or compel such person or Body to perform acts or practice necessary
4 
to avoid injury to the religious sensitivities of adherents of that religion:
5 
Provided, That such acts or practices should be in accordance with law,
6 
public order, or public policy: Provided, further, that such acts or practices
7 
do not result in the disruption of public service or promote discrimination
8 
against protected sectors under this act; and
9 
d) Where the act or omission is done in good faith for the purpose of assisting
10 
or advancing a person or group of persons who need or may reasonably be
11 
supposed to need assistance or advancement in order to achieve an equal
12 
place in society with other members of the community, or of complying with
13 
the measures of equality or affirmative action programs as provided under
14 
Section 13 of this Act.
15 
The exceptions shall be without prejudice to the existing laws prohibiting
16 
discrimination on account of the protected attributes such as State principles and
17 
mandates underscored in relevant existing laws, rules and regulations.
18 
Sec. 8. Penaities. - Any person liable under Sections 4 and 5 of this Act shall
19 
be penalized by imprisonment of not less than nine (9) months but not more than
20 
twelve (12) years or a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos
21 
(P100,000.00) but not more than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00), or
22 
both, upon the discretion of the court.
23 
The penalty provided under this Section shall be imposed in its maximum period
24 
if any of the following circumstances occur;
25 
a) If the offender has been previously convicted under this Act;
26 
b) If the offender is a direct ascendant or descendant, a relative within the
27 
fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, a step-parent or a step-child or a
28 
guardian or a ward of the victim;
29 
c) If the offender is the manager or owner of an establishment which has no
30 
license to operate or whenever such license has expired or has been
31 
previously revoked;
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d) If the offender is a public official, officer, or employee: Provided, That the
2 
penalty of suspension shall also be imposed. An accessory penalty of
3 
perpetual disqualification to hold public office is likewise imposed on the
4 
public official, officer, or employee; or
5 
e) If the offended party is below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but
6 
are unable to fully take care of themselves from discrimination because of
7 
physical, mental, intellectual or sensory disability or condition.
8 
If the person liable for the discriminatory act is a juridical person, an accessory
9 
penalty of cancellation of Certificates of Registration and/or licenses shall be imposed.
10 
An offender who is a foreigner shall be deported immediately after service of
11 
sentence and shall be barred entry into the country.
12 
Whenever the courts determine that a fine shall be imposed pursuant to the
13 
criminal case filed under this Act, the fine thus collected shall be remitted by the court
14 
to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) which shall administer the fund for the
15 
assistance of victims of discrimination.
16 
Nothing in this Act shall preclude the victim from instituting a separate and
17 
independent action for damages and other affirmative reliefs.
18 
The Administrative remedies provided under this Act do not bar prosecution of
19 
civil claims in proper courts for an act of discrimination committed under this Act.
20 
If any crime penalized under the Revised Penal Code is committed in pursuit of
21 
discrimination, the penalty provided under the Revised Penal Code shall be applied
22 
and the discrimination committed shall be considered as an aggravating circumstance.
23 
Sec. 9. Restorative Measures - In addition, the court, administrative agency,
24 
or quasi-judicial body shall require the offender to undergo appropriate anti-
25 
discrimination training, such as gender and culture sensitivity training, human rights
26 
education, familiarization with and exposure to the plight of the victims, or any of the
27 
circumstances enumerated under this act. The offender may also be required to render
28 
community service.
29 
Sec. 10. Reparation to Victims. — In addition to existing laws and procedural
30 
23 rules or reparation to victims, the following measures shall be undertaken:
31 
a) The court, administrative agency, or quasi-judicial body shall follow the
32 
principles relating to the reparations to, or in respect of, victims, including
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restitution, compensation and rehabilitation. In their decisions, the court,
2 
administrative agency, or quasi-judicial body may, either upon request or
3 
on their own volition, in exceptional circumstances, determine the scope
4 
and extent of any damage, loss or injury to the victims, stating therein the
5 
principles on which they are acting;
6 
b) The court, administrative agency, or quasi-judicial body may make an order
7 
directly against a person convicted by a judgment that has become final and
8 
executory, specifying appropriate reparation to, victims, including
9 
restitution, compensation and guarantees of non-repetition, and public
10 
apologies; and
11 
c) Before making an order under this section, the court, administrative agency
12 
or quasi-judicial body shall invite and shall consider representations from,
13 
or on behalf of, the convicted person, victims or other interested persons.
14 
d) The DSWD shall provide rehabilitative counseling and treatment to
15 
offenders toward a better understanding of human rights. If necessary, the
16 
court shall direct the offender to submit to psychiatric treatment or
17 
confinement. Counseling shall also be provided.
18 
e) to victims for their recovery and well-being.
19 
Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as prejudicing the rights and
20 
remedies of victims under national or international laws.
21 
Sec. 11. Redress Mechanisms for Discrimination Cases.—
22 
a) Inclusion of Discrimination Concerns in All Police Stations. - The Women and
23 
Children's Desks now existing in all police stations shall also act on and
24 
attend to complaints/cases covered by this Act. In this regard, the police
25 
officers handling said desks shall undergo trainings on human rights and
26 
sensitization on the issues of violence and abuse on the basis of the grounds
27 
referred to in this Act.
28 
Complainant-minors can be represented by parents, guardians, social
29 
workers, or a non-government organization of good standing and
30 
reputation.
31 
b) Inter-agency Technical Council on Non-Discrimination and Equal
32 
Opportunity. - Pursuant to the government programs and policies herein
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provided, an Inter-Agency Council on Non-discrimination and Equal
2 
Opportunity, hereinafter known as the Council, shall be established. The
3 
Council shall be composed of the following agencies and organizations:
4 
1) Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as the lead agency, and
5 
2) representatives from the Department of Justice (DOJ),
6 
3) National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP),
7 
4) National Commission on Disability Affairs (NCDA),
8 
5) National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF),
9 
6) Philippines Commission on Women (PCW),
10 
7) National Youth Commission (NYC),
11 
8) Civil Service Commission (CSC),
12 
9) Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),
13 
10)Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG),
14 
ll)Department of Education (DepEd),
15 
12)Commission on Higher Education (CHED),
16 
13)Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA),
17 
14)Department of Health (DOH),
18 
15)Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),
19 
16)Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT);
20 
17)Philippine National Police (PNP); and
21 
18)At least three (3) representatives from Civil Society Organizations
22 
(CSOs) with proven expertise and track record on concerns regarding
23 
the protected attributes under Section 4 of this Act.
24 
The Council shall be constituted and shall act as an advisory and
25 
recommendatory body on establishing developmental programs that will promote non-
26 
discrimination and management of diversity, in consultation with CSOs with proven
27 
expertise and track record on concerns regarding the protected attributes under
28 
Section 4, and other stakeholders.
29 
The Chair of the CHR shall be the permanent Chair of the Council, and the
30 
Secretary of Justice as its permanent Vice-Chair. The Council members may designate
31 
their permanent representative who shall have a rank not lower than an Assistant
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Secretary or its equivalent, and shall receive emoluments as may be determined by
2 
the Council in accordance with existing budget and accounting rules and regulations.
3 
The CSOs forming part of the Council shall be identified by the government
4 
agency representatives of the Council. The representatives of the CSOs shall serve for
5 
a term of three (3) years renewable at the discretion of the chair upon
6 
recommendation of the Council for a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms.
7 
The Council shall meet at least once every quarter. The presence of the Chair
8 
or the Vice-Chair of the Council, and at least ten (10) other representatives of the
9 
Council members shall constitute a quorum to do business, and a majority vote of
10 
those present shall be sufficient to pass resolutions or render decisions.
11 
a) Role of the Civil Service Commission (CSC). — The CSC, in consultation with
12 
the Inter-agency Technical Council, shall modify the existing rules on
13 
grievance machinery to address discriminatory practices committed in, and
14 
by officers or employees of, government agencies, instrumentalities, and in
15 
government-owned-and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and other offices
16 
under its jurisdiction.
17 
b) Role of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). — The DOLE, in
18 
consultation with the Inter-agency Technical Council, shall promulgate the
19 
rules and regulations necessary to enhance anti-discrimination protection in
20 
workplaces, including the establishment of a grievance mechanism to
21 
address discriminatory practices committed in the workplace.
22 
Sec. 12. Secretariat to the Council. - The CHR shall establish the necessary
23 
secretariat for the Council consisting of personnel with the necessary technical
24 
expertise and capacity that shall be conferred permanent appointments, subject to
25 
civil service rules and regulations. The secretariat shall be headed by an Executive
26 
Director who shall be under the direct supervision of the Chair of the Council.
27 
The Secretariat shall perform the following functions:
28 
a) Coordinate and manage the day-to-day affairs of the Council;
29 
b) Assist in the formulation, monitoring, and evaluation of DIPTs and lECs;
30 
c) Provide technical assistance, support and advisory services to the council
31 
and its external partners;
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d) Assist the Council in identifying and building internal and external 
networks and partnerships;
e) Coordinate and support the efforts of the council and its members to 
mobilize resources; and
f) Provide administrative support to the Council.
Sec. 13. Programs to Promote Diversity, Equity andInciusion. — It shall be the 
duty of every person, natural or juridical, public or private, to ensure nondiscrimination 
and equal opportunity for all persons in relating to actual or prospective employees, 
students, tenants, customers or clients, and that no discriminatory acts, as defined 
herein, is committed by them or their agents in the areas defined under Section 5 of 
this Act.
The State shall endeavor to eliminate all forms of discrimination and shall 
therefore pursue initiatives and programs that seek to enable an environment free of 
stigma and discrimination, including ensuring reasonable accommodation is provided 
for disadvantaged and marginalized sectors. It shall direct the machinery and 
resources of the State to ensure non-discrimination and promote equality and shall 
encourage other sectors of the society to engage and participate in these efforts. The 
Inter-Agency Technical Council shall, by rules and regulations and in consultation with 
the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), develop, prescribe and administer incentive and 
award schemes to encourage public and private establishments to provide programs 
that promote nondiscrimination and contribute to the empowerment of vulnerable and 
marginalized groups. Further, it shall ensure the establishment of the following
programs:
a) Social Protection Program — The national government shall ensure the 
integration of the communities affected by or vulnerable to stigma and 
discrimination into the social programs of the government.
b) Diversity and Inclusion Programs and Trainings (DIPTs). — All 
government agencies, including government-owned and —controlled 
corporations, local government units (LCDs), and private establishments 
and entities shall develop plans of action to address discrimination and 
establish diversity and sensitivity programs and shall endeavor to 
provide or conduct trainings for their staff, employees, students.
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trainees, and constituents to ensure that discrimination and abuse are 
prevented and addressed, as follows:
1) Create an internal redress mechanism address cases of 
discrimination and grant administrative remedies or sanctions for 
such cases;
2) Conduct human rights education and training programs for public 
officials, including judges and candidates for judicial appointments, 
in coordination with the CHR. The DepEd, and the CHED, in 
particular, shall integrate teaching on the principles of equality and 
non- discrimination in formal and non-formal inclusive and 
multicultural education, with a view to dismantling notions of 
superiority or inferiority based on protected attributes and to 
promote dialogue and tolerance between different groups in society; 
and
3) Endeavor to provide or conduct human rights education, gender 
sensitivity, and culture sensitivity training programs for their staff, 
employees, students and trainees, and constituents to ensure that 
discrimination and abuse are prevented in their institutions.
c) Monitoring and Evaluation. - All government agencies and 
instrumentalities shall monitor the implementation of measures to 
promote non-discrimination and equality. Assessment of the steps taken 
and the results achieved in the elimination of discrimination shall be 
conducted annually. Annual reports in this regard shall be submitted to 
the Congress and the CHR.
d) Disaggregation of Data. — All 
government agencies 
and
instrumentalities shall ensure that all national strategies, policies, and 
plans shall use appropriate indicators and benchmarks, disaggregated 
on the basis of the prohibited grounds of discrimination.
The rights of individuals or groups of individuals, who may be 
distinguished by one or more of the prohibited grounds, to participate in 
the decision-making processes over the selection of measures to
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promote non-discrimination and diversity shall always be upheld by the
2 
government in the implementation of the programs enumerated above.
3 
e) Information and Education Campaign (lEC). — All government agencies
4 
and instrumentalities are mandated to develop and implement
5 
information dissemination on any of the prohibited forms of
6 
discrimination. They shall endeavor to produce and publish information
7 
campaign materials on discrimination.
8 
f) Affirmative Action. — The State shall develop a system of affirmative
9 
actions towards protecting the rights of ICCs/IPs, other cultural minority
10 
groups, and other vulnerable groups. Support and protection for
11 
research and development and learning materials on cultural heritage
12 
preservation and sensitivity for other vulnerable groups shall be provided
13 
to all State Universities and Colleges.
14 
All entities, agencies, corporations, companies, organizations, and
15 
educational/training institutions, whether private or public, shall ensure the
16 
implementation of this Section.
17 
Sec. 14. Enforcement — Criminal complaints brought under this Act shall be
18 
filed with the proper court. In addition to the criminal complaint, a person who has
19 
been subjected to any acts of discrimination as defined in this Act may file a complaint
20 
with the CHR. For this purpose, the CHR may investigate, motu proprio or on complaint
21 
by any person, acts or omissions in violation of this Act.
22 
In all cases under investigation, the Commission may issue legal and preventive
23 
measures, as well as provisional remedies. These measures or remedies shall include,
24 
but not limited to, general writs of injunction, restraining orders, status quo ante
25 
orders, cease and desist orders, protection orders, or such other orders to protect the
26 
life and security of persons, preserve evidence, protect properties, and other
27 
considerations to ensure the efficient investigation of the alleged violation of this Act.
28 
The Commission shall also direct the officer concerned to take appropriate
29 
action against a public officer or employee at fault or who neglected to perform an act
30 
or discharge a duty required under this Act. Refusal by any officer, without just cause,
31 
to comply with an order of the Commission or who neglects to perform an act or
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1 
discharge a duty required under this Act, shall be a ground for disciplinary action
2 
against the said officer.
3 
The CHR, consistent with its mandate under this Act, shall designate a focal
4 
commissioner and/or create an Anti-Discrimination Center/Office to be primarily
5 
responsible for formulating and implementing programs and activities relating to the
6 
right of all persons against discrimination, including the investigation and handling of
7 
complaints of violations of this Act.
8 
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, NCIP shall have concurrent
9 
jurisdiction with the CHR over the conduct of investigations on the basis of complaints
10 
filed by ICCs/IPs against natural or juridical persons believed to have violated ICCs/IPs
11 
rights.
12 
Sec. 15. Administrative Proceedings and Sanctions against Pubiic Officiais and
13 
Empioyees. — Pursuant to Section 13 of this Act, which makes it a duty of the CHR to
14 
investigate alleged cases of discrimination, a finding by the CHR, or the NCIP, in cases
15 
of discrimination or complaints filed against ICCs/IPs that a department, agency, or
16 
instrumentality of the government, a government-owned and —controlled corporation,
17 
or a local government unit has violated any provision of this Act and its implementing
18 
rules and regulations, shall carry with it a recommendation to the CSC and/or the DILG
19 
for the imposition of sanctions under administrative law, civil service, or other
20 
appropriate laws. Such recommendation shall include the names of the person directly
21 
responsible for the violation, and a statement that the sanctions be imposed upon the
22 
person directly responsible and the head of the agency or local chief executive.
23 
Nothing in this Act shall preclude the filing of a separate criminal or civil action
24 
in proper courts for an act of discrimination committed under this Act, nor the filing of
25 
complaints with government agencies exercising quasi-judicial functions.
26 
Sec. 16. Fines against Private Persons, Provisionai Remedy. — Upon a prima
27 
facie finding that any provision of this Act was violated and upon its issuance of a
28 
cease-and-desist order, the CHR may impose a fine of Twenty thousand pesos
29 
(P20,000.00), for every day that the act of discrimination complained of has not
30 
ceased. The fine collected shall be for the assistance of victims of discrimination.
31 
For purposes of this Section, the CHR may seek the assistance of the
32 
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Commission on Higher Education (CHED),
27


1 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Education (DepEd),
2 
and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), among
3 
others.
4 
Sec 17. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. — For the effective
5 
implementation of this Act, the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Anti-
6 
Discrimination (JCOC-AD) shall be created within sixty (60) days after the enactment
7 
of this act for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating the effective implementation
8 
of this Act as well as other Acts that affect the right of persons against discrimination.
9 
The JCOC-AD shall be composed of five members each from the Senate and
10 
the House of Representatives.
11 
The Senate Panel shall be composed of the Chair of the Committee on Social
12 
Justice, Welfare and Rural Development as Chair of the Senate Panel, the Chair of the
13 
Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, the Chair of
14 
the Committee on Cultural Communities, and the remaining seats to other members
15 
of the Senate regardless of the Committee with at least one member from the minority.
16 
The House of Representatives Panel shall be composed of the Chair of the
17 
Committee on Human Rights as Chair of the House of Representatives Panel, the Chair
18 
of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality, the Chair of the Indigenous Cultural
19 
Communities and Indigenous Peoples, and the remaining seats to other members of
20 
the House of Representatives with at least one member from the minority.
21 
The JCOC-AD shall be chaired jointly by the Chair of the Senate Committee on
22 
Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development and the House Committee on Human
23 
Rights. The position of Vice-Chair of the JCOC-AD shall be the Senate Committee on
24 
Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality and the House Committee on
25 
Women and Gender Equality. The Secretariat shall come from the Secretariat
26 
personnel of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
27 
All government agencies shall submit to the JCOC-AD annual reports on the
28 
monitoring and evaluation of measures to promote non-discrimination and equality
29 
which shall include recommendations for Congress.
30 
The JCOC-AD shall convene regularly, at least once a year, to review the annual
31 
reports from government agencies and to evaluate the effectivity and effective
28


1 
implementation of this Act and other relevant Acts. It shall invite the Inter-agency
2 
Technical Council in all its meetings.
3 
The JCOC-AD shall submit a report to Congress on its review and evaluation of
4 
relevant Acts and its recommendations.
5 
The JCOC-AD shall monitor the compliance of public institutions, agencies,
6 
corporations, companies and educational institutions, whether private or public, to the
7 
provisions of this act. Within three (3) years after the enactment of this Act, the
8 
JCOCAD shall conduct an audit of national and local policies that discriminate on the
9 
basis of the protected attributes as provided in this Act, and shall submit a report to
10 
the Congress, the Office of the President, and the Supreme Court.
11 
Sec. 18. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of
12 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).
13 
Sec. 19. Impiementing Ruies and Reguiations. — The Inter-Agency Technical
14 
Council, in consultation with appropriate CSOs and other stakeholders, shall
15 
promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) days
16 
from the effectivity of this Act. Further, this Act shall be fully implemented with or
17 
without the implementing rules and regulations.
18 
Sec. 20. Separabiiity Clause. — Should any provision of this Act or part hereof
19 
be declared unconstitutional, the other provisions or parts not affected thereby shall
20 
remain valid and effective.
21 
Sec. 21. Repealing Clause. — This Act shall be without prejudice to the existing
22 
special laws prohibiting discrimination on account of the protected attributes such as
23 
State principles and mandates underscored in R.A. No. 7277, as amended, entitled,
24 
"Magna Carta for Disabled Person", R.A. No. 8371 entitled, "The Indigenous Peoples'
25 
Rights Act of 1997", R.A. No. 9710 entitled, "The Magna Carta of Women", R.A. No.
26 
10911 or the "Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act", and P.D. No. 442, as
27 
amended, or the "Labor Code of the Philippines".
28 
All other laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or portions thereof, which are
29 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended, or modified
30 
accordingly.
31 
Sec 22. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
32 
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
29