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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
1 
CJ 
i.;Ag 1” p , : 17 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 15 provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instill health consciousness among them. 
Noise pollution includes any displeasing man or machine-made sound that 
disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life. The World Health Organization 
(WHO) found that people die prematurely from heart disease triggered by long-term 
exposure to excessive noise. The WHO’S working group on the Noise Environmental 
Burden on Disease began work on the health effects of noise in Europe in 2003. It was 
found that that 2% of the population of Europe suffers severely disturbed sleep because 
of noise pollution and 15% can suffer severe annoyance. Chronic exposure to loud noise 
causes 3% of tinnitus cases, in which people constantly hear a ringing in their ears. 
Research published in recent years showed that noise can increase the amounts of stress 
hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol and noradrenalin in the body. This can increase 
even during sleep. The longer these hormones stay in circulation around the bloodstream, 
the more probable they are to cause life-threatening physiological problems. High levels 
of stress can contribute to heart failure, high blood pressure, strokes, and immune 
problems. 
Noise cannot directly kill, but it may add to a person’s stress. There are cases 
when stressful events can trigger a heart attack in someone with underlying heart disease. 
Stressed people are more likely to eat unhealthily, exercise less and smoke more, and 
these can increase the risk of developing heart disease in the first place. 


A major cause of noise levels is the use of vehicle theft alarm systems that emit a 
very loud alarm upon being triggered. Some systems do not stop without being disabled 
by their owner. This can cause severe noise pollution more so if the alarm goes off during 
nighttime. 
This bill seeks to address the problem of noise pollution caused by vehicle theft 
alarm systems that do not automatically stop after a given period. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
REGULATING THE USE OF VEHICLE 
THEFT ALARM SYSTEMS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Shovt Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Vehicle Theft Alarm Systems 
Regulation Act of 2009.” 
SECTION 2. Regulation of the use of vehicle theft alarm systems. - It shall be unlawful 
for any person to install, operate or use any vehicle theft alarm system that emits or causes the 
emission of an audible sound, which is not, or does not become, automatically and completely 
silenced within five minutes. The time period shall be calculated based upon the emission of the 
first audible sound and shall end five minutes thereafter notwithstanding any variation or 
stoppage in the emissions of audible sound. 
SECTION 3. Penalties. - Any person found to violate this Act shall be fined P5,OOO.OO. 
SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 5. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,