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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
8 
JUL 1 ij P 3 :1.'14 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senate President Manny Villar 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article I, Section 11 of the Constitution provides:"The State values the 
dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights:" This 
constitutional guarantee behooves the State to enact protective measures against 
threats to the full exercise of individual rights. In line with the above constitutional 
provision, the A&-Violence Against Women and Children Act of 2004 (R.A. 9262) 
was enacted into law with the end in view of protecting women and children from 
abuse. 
Despite the foregoing, violence against women and their children still continue 
to be a sweeping social problem that has gained public awareness. Thus, to live up 
to the notion that the home is a safe and secure haven for families, women and 
children who have been physically, emotionally, psychologically and sexually 
abused, find it necessary to establish new residences in order to prevent their 
abusers from finding them and inflicting more harm. But due to easy public access 
to personal information through the use of government records, their devire to 
escape from their abusers usually fails, thereby depriving them from exercising their 
.individual rights to the fullest as they can no longer register to vote, obtain a driver's 
license, among other things. 
To address this problem, this proposed bill, therefore, seeks to establish the 
Address Confidentiality Program which is patterned after the United States of 
America wherein thirty-one (31) of its States have implemented the same since 
199 1. Through this Program, the Department of Justice (DOJ) will provide victims 
substitute mailirig address in order to keep their new home, work and/or school 
address secret and avoid further abuse. Thus, upon approval of their application to 
avail of the Program, they can exercise their rights and do all other legal and 
necessary activities without revealing their actual address. Moreover, they may 
also use the designated address for other mails which may include utility bills, 
bank statements, court summonses, among others. 
To ensure peace of mind to victims of violence while starting a new life in a 
peaceful and secure environment and helping them get back into the mainstream of 
society, the proposed Address Confidentiality Program which shall be administered 
by the Department of Justice (DOJ), should therefore be enacted. 
Hence, immediate passage of this proposed bill is earnestly sought, 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
8 JUL 16 P3:M 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senate President Manny Villar 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH THE 
ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM FOR 
VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 
AND THEIR CHILDREN, 
PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled 
SECTION 1. 
Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the 
“Address Confidentiality Program Act of 2008.”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. -It is hereby declared the policy of 
the State to value the dignity of women and defend the rights of children 
and to recognize their role in nation-building. Towards this end, the State 
shall ensure the protection of their fundamental rights by establishing the 
Address Confidentiality Program that will provide them confidential 
substitute mailing address, thus, help them get back into the mainstream 
of society. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following 
terms shall be defined as follows: 
[a] Address - a residential address, school address, or work address 
of an individual, as specified on the individual’s application to be a 
program participant under this Act; 
(b) Application Assistant - a regular employee of the Department of 
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or a duly designated 
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) personnel who shall 
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counsel, assess and assist the victims of violence against women 
and children in the completion of program applications, who has 
been trained, certified and registered by the 
Department of 
Justice (DOJ); 
(c) Certification - a notice certifying the eligibility to participate in the 
program; 
(d) Department of Justice - refers to DOJ; 
(e) Department of Social Welfare and Development - refers to DSWD; 
(0 Designated agencies - 
a government agency or a non-profit 
organization that provides counseling, shelter or other services to 
victims of violence against women and their children that has 
been designated by the DOJ as a place where eligible persons may 
apply to be a program participants; 
(g) Mailing Address- an address used for delivery by the Philippine 
Postal Office; 
(h] Program Participant - a person certified by the DOJ as eligible to 
participate in the Program; 
(i) Substitute Address - address assigned to a Program participant 
provided by the Department of Justice -(DOJ); and 
(j) Violence Against Women and their Children”-act or acts as defined 
in Section 3 of RA 9262. 
SEC. 4. Address Confidentiality Program. - The Department of 
Justice shall establish and administer the Address Confidentiality Program, 
hereinafter referred to as the Program, for victims of violence against 
women and their children that shall ensure their protection and safety by 
providing them with substitute address to be used when interacting with 
government agencies and a new mailing address which keeps their actual 
address confidential and free from the risk of discovery by third parties. 
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The Program shall cater to victims who intends to establish a new residence 
and for those who have already relocated to another place unknown to their 
assailants or abusers who may use public records to find them. 
SEC. 5. Criteria for Eligibility to the Program. The following shall 
be eligible to the Program: 
1. A victim attempting to escape from actual or threatened violence; 
2. Fears for her and or/her child /children’s safety; and 
3. Recently established a new residence address unknown to the 
abuser or is planning to move in the near future. 
SEC. 6. 
Filing and Submission of Application - Any person 
eligible to 
the Program shall submit the duly accomplished application 
farms with the DOJ in the manner and on the prescribed form containing 
the following: 
a. A sworn statement by the applicant that she is a victim of violence 
against women and their children and that she fears for her 
and/or her children’ safety; 
b. the mailing address and phone number where the applicant can be 
contacted by the DOJ; 
c. the latest address that the applicant request not to be disclosed; 
and 
d. duly accomplished address confidentiality program application 
form signed by the applicant and attested by the application 
assistant. 
SEC. 7. 
Program Certification -Upon 
receipt of the 
duly 
accomplished application form by the DOJ, the applicant is certified as a 
program participant and shall be issued an authorization card. Such 
authorization card shall include the programs participant’s name, date of 
birth, place of birth, new identification number , substitute mailing address, 
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expiry date of said certification and signature of the participant. The 
participant shall thereafter be notified by the DOJ of the approval of her 
application. Said 
program participant certification is renewable after every 
four years from its initial issuance. 
SEC 
8. 
Cancellation of Certification - Certification to 
the 
participant may be cancelled for any of the following 
program by the 
reasons: 
a,) the certification term has expired and an application for renewal 
has not been filed; 
b.) knowingly providing false or incorrect information when applying 
for certification; 
c.) changing one’s name without informing the DOJ; 
d.) changing 
the residential address 
from the one listed on the 
application without informing the DOJ; and 
e.) mail forwarded to the program participant is returned unclaimed 
for at least three times. 
SEC 9. Disclosure of Records. - 
The DOJ shall not make any 
records in a program participant ’s files available for inspection or copying 
unless directed by a court order to the person identified in the order. The 
information disclosed shall be maintained in strict confidentiality by the 
party receiving the information. 
It shall likewise make available for inspection or copying the,program 
participant’s residential or mailing address if the participant’s certificatjon 
has already been cancelled. 
SEC. 10. Designation of Department of Social Welfare and 
Development(DSWD) or Non-Government Organization (NGO). - 
The 
DOJ shall designate the’DSWD or NGO that provides counseling 
and 
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shelter services to victims of violence against women and their children to 
assist persons applying to be program participants. 
SEC. 11. Training Seminar for Application Assistant. - The DOJ 
shall undertake trainings/ seminars for designated application assistant to 
train them on the proper procedure to follow in counseling the would be 
program applicants. 
SEC. 12 . Penalty for Violation of Confidentiality of Program 
Participant’s Records. - A program participant’s application 
and of 
supporting materials are not a public record and shall be kept confidential 
by the DOJ. Any employee who willfully breaches the confidentiality of 
these records or willfully discloses the name, residential or mailing address 
of a program participant in violation of the provisions of this Act shall 
suffer the penalty of one( 1) year imprisonment and a fine of not more than 
five hundred (P500,OOO.OO) thousand pesos: Provided, However, That if ‘the 
violator is the program participant himself who falsely claims that 
disclosure of her residential or mailing address threatens her or her child’s 
safety shall likewise suffer the same penalty mentioned above. 
SEC. 13. Appropriation of Funds - The amount necessary for the 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year 
appropriation of the DOJ. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for 
its operation and maintenance shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 14. Implementing Rules 
- The Department of Justice,, in 
coordination with the DSWD, 
shall issue the necessary rules and 
regulations to effectively implement the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 15. Separability Clause - If for any reason, any provision of 
this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions 
not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 16. Repealing Clause - Any law, presidential decree, executive 
order, or issuance, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act is 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 17. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect after fifteen 
(15) days following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two 
newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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