THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Scssioii 
SENATE 
757 
S. No. 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
RA 6713 constitutes the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public officials and 
Employees. Similarly, this bill seeks to set professional standards for the practice of political 
public relations More specifically, it seeks to achieve the following goals: 
1. To discourage and expose to public censure the persons who corrupt the 
integrity of channels of communication or the processes of government; 
2. To ensure that those engaged in political public relations conduct themselves 
professionally with truth, accuracy, fairness, and responsibility to the public; 
and 
3. To encourage such practitioners to improve their individual competence and 
advance the knowledge and proficiency of their profession through continuing 
research and education. 
This bill is based on the Code of Professional Standards for the Practice of Public 
Relations adopted in 1988 by the Public Relations Society of America. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Sessioi? 
SENATE 
S. No. *
4
 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
THE CODE OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE PRACTICE OF POLITICAL 
PUBLIC RELATIONS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repvesentntives of the Philippines in Congress 
Lissem bled: 
Sec. 1. Definition of Political Public Relations - Political Public Relations is defined as 
those areas of public relations that relate to: 
a. The counseling of political organizations, committees, candidates, or potential 
candidates for public office; and groups constituted for the purpose of influencing the 
vote on any ballot issue. 
b. The counseling of holders of public office; 
c. The management, or direction of a political campaign for or against a candidate for 
public office or for against a ballot issue to be determined by voter approval or 
rejection; 
d. the practice of practice of public relations on behalf of a client or an employer in 
connectioii with that client's or employer's relationships with any candidates or 
holders of public office, with the purpose of influencing legislation or government 
regulation or treatment of a client or employer regardless of whether the public 
relations practitioner is a recognized lobbyist; 
e. the couiiseliiig of government bodies, or segment thereof, either domestic or foreign 
Sec. 2. Public Interest- A practitioiier in political public relations shall conduct his or her 
professional life in accord with public interest. 


Sec. 3. Honesty and Integrity. A Practitioner shall exemplify high standards of honesty 
aiid integrity while carrying out dual obligations to a client or employer and to tlie democratic 
process. 
Sec. 4. Fair Dealing - A practitioner shall deal fairly with the public, with past or present 
clients or employers,, and with fellow practitioners, giving due to respect to the deal of free 
inquiry and to the others. 
Sec. 5. Accuracy and truth. A practitioner shall adhere to the highest standards of 
accuracy and truth, avoiding extravagant claims or unfair comparisons and giving credit for 
ideas and words borrowed from others. 
Sec 6. False Information. A practitioner shall not knowingly disseminate false or 
misleading information and shall act promptly to correct erroneous communications for which he 
or she is responsible. 
Sec 7. Corruption - A practitioner shall not engage to in any practice which has the 
puiyose of corrupting the integrity of channels of communication or tlie processes of 
govemmen t . 
Among the practices prohibited by this paragraph are those that tend to place 
representatives of media or goveiiimeiit under any obligation to the practitioner, or the 
practitioner's employer or client, which is in conflict with their obligations to media or 
goveiiiineiit such as: 
a. the giving of gifts of inore than nominal value; 
b. any form of payment or compensation to a member of the media in order to obtain 
preferential or guaranteed news or editorial coverage in the medium; 
c. any retainer or fee to a media employee or use o f  such employee if retained by a client 
or employer, where the circumstances are not fully disclosed to and accepted by the 
media employer; 
d. providing trips, for media representatives, that are unrelated to legitimate news 
interest; 


e. the use by a practitioner of an investment or loan or advertising commitment made by 
the practitioner, or the practitioner's client or employer, to obtain preferential or 
guaranteed coverage in the medium. 
This Code paragraph does not prohibit hosting media or government representatives at 
meals, cocktails, 01- news functions and events that are occasions for the exchange of news 
infoinlation or views, or the fLirtlierance of understanding, which is part of the public relations 
fLiiiction. Nor does it prohibit the bona fide press event or tour when media or government 
representatives are given the opportunity for an on-the-spot viewing of a newsworthy product , 
process, or event in which the media or government representatives have a legitimate interest. 
What is customary or reasoiiable hospitality has to be a matter of particular judgement in specific 
situations. In all of these cases, however, it is, or should be, understood that no preferential 
treatment or expected or implied and that completed independence always is left to the media or 
government representatives. 
Sec 8. Public Identification - A practitioner shall be prepared to identify publicly the 
name of the client of employers 011 whose behalf any public communication is made , 
Sec. 9 Undisclosed Interest- A practitioner shall not use any individual or organization 
professing to serve or represent an announced cause, or professing to be independent or unbiased, 
but actually serving another undisclosed interest. 
Sec. 10. 
Guarantee of Achievement - A practitioner shall not guarantee the 
achievement of specified results beyond the member's direct control. 
Sec. 11. Conflicting Interests - A practitioner shall not represent conflicting or 
completing interests without the express consent of those concerned, given after a full disclosure 
of the facts. 
Secl2. Personal Interest - A practitioner shall not place himself or herself iii a position 
where the practitioner's personal interest is or may be in conflict with an obligation to an 
employer or client, or others, without fbll disclosure of such interests to all involved. 


Sec. 13. Gifts and Other Considerations - A practitioner shall not accept fees, 
commissions, gift, or any other consideration from anyone except clients or employers for whom 
services are performed without their express consent, given after fdl disclosure of the facts. 
Sec 14. Damage to Professional Reputation - A practitioner shall not intentionally 
damage the professional reputation or practice of another practitioner. 
Sec 15. Responsibility of Strict Adherence - It is the responsibility of practitioners to 
abide by this Code of Professional Standards. 
Sec. 16. Good Faith - Practitioners shall represent clients or employers in good faith, 
and while partisan advocacy on behalf of a candidate or public issue may be expected, 
practitioners shall act in accord with the public interest and adhere to truth and accuracy and to 
generally accepted standards of good taste. 
Sec 17. Signed Material - Practitioners. shall not issue descriptive material or any 
advertising or publicity information or participate in the presentation or use thereof that is not 
signed by responsible persons or is false, misleading, or unlabeled as to its source, and are 
obligated to use care to avoid dissemination of any such material. 
Sec. 18. Disclosure of Remuneration - Practitioners have an obligation to clients to 
disclose what remuneration beyond their fees they expect to receive as result of their relationship 
such as commissions for media advertising, printing, and the like and should not accept such 
extra without their clients consent. 
Sec. 19. Improper Use of Position - Practitioners shall not improperly use their positioiis 
to encourage additional future employment of compensation. It is understood that successful 
campaign directors or managers, because of the performance of their duties and the working 
relationsliip that develops, may well continue to assist and counsel, for pay the successfd 
candid at e. 
Sec 20. Other Clients. Practitioners shall voluntarily disclose to employers or clients 
the identity of other employers or clients with whom they are currently associated, and whose 
interests might be affected favorably or unfavorably by their political representation. 


Sec. 2 1. Confidentiality of Information - Practitioners shall respect the confidentiality 
of information pertaining to employers 
or clients past, present , and potential, even after 
relationships cease, avoiding fhture associations wherein insider information is sought that would 
give a desired advantage over a practitioner 's previous clients. 
Sec 22. Undisclosed gift - In avoiding practices that might tend to comipt the processe 
of government, practitioners shall not make undisclosed gifts of cash or other valuable 
considerations that are designed to influence specific decisions of voters , legislators, or public 
officials on public matters. A business lunch or dinner or other comparable expenditure made in 
the course of communicating a point of view or public position , would provide useful 
background infoimatioii to an interested legislator or candidate. 
Sec. 23 Political Contributions - Nothing herein should be construed as prohibiting 
practitioners from malting legal, properly disclosed contributions to the candidates , party, or 
referenda issues of their choice. 
Sec 24 . Inquiry to Public Reputation - Practitioners shall not, through use of 
infoilnation known to be false or misleading conveyed directly or through a third party, 
intentionally inquire the public reputation of an opposing interest. 
Approved,