REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 8838

Introduced by Kabataan Party-List Rep. Raymond V. Palatino

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities states
“Disabled persons have the same rights as other people to take their proper
place in society. They should be able to live freely and as independently as
possible. This must be the concern of everyone—the family, community and
all government and nongovernment organizations.”

Television and motion pictures are undeniably today’s top sources of information
and entertainment. According to Nielsen Media Research, television remains the Filipinos’
preferred medium of getting their daily dose of information, whether in terms of news
content or advertising, Despite this, television and cinema remain inaccessible to Filipinos
with hearing impairment, as most television programs and films do not have closed
captions or subtitles that can help deaf persons to fully comprehend the content of news

and entertainment programs and films.

This bill seeks to require the broadcast of television programs and showing of
motion pictures and other audio-visual presentations with closed caption and providing
paired
ing or subtitling of television, home

penalties for violation thereof as a fitting response to the needs of hearing ji

individuals. Closed-caption is a method of cap!

leo programs and films for hearing-impaired or foreign language viewers without
interfering with the normal television picture and films, by coding captions as vertical
interval data signal which is decoded at the receiver and superimposed on the
television picture or on films of motion pictures.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. p yt

Hon. Raymond V. Palatino
Representative, Kabataan Party-List


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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._3838

Introduced by KABATAAN Party-list Rep. Raymond V. Palatino

AN ACT
REQUIRING ALL FRANCHISE HOLDERS OR OPERATORS OF TELEVISION STATIONS,
PRODUCERS OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS, HOME VIDEO PROGRAMS AND MOTION
PICTURES TO BROADCAST OR PRESENT THEIR PROGRAMS AND FILMS WITH
CLOSED-CAPTION AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the
Philippines assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
ensure that the needs and well-being of persons with physical infirmities will be
given particular attention by providing them the equal opportunity to have access
to information on matters of public concern and enjoy life as a person without

physical impairment does.

SECTION 2. Definition of closed-caption. — As used in this Act, closed-caption shall
mean a method of captioning or subtitling of television, home video programs and
films for hearing-impaired or foreign language viewers without interfering with the
normal television picture and films, by coding captions as vertical interval data
signal which is decoded at the receiver and superimposed on the television picture
or on films of motion pictures.

SECTION 3. Closed-captioning of new programs and motion pictures. ~ All franchise
holders, owners or operators of television stations, producers of television
programs, home video programs and motion pictures shall be required to have their
programs and films with closed-captions in order to benefit persons with hearing
impairment. Provided, however, that the words of the close-captioning will be in the
language spoken in the same program.


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SECTION 4. Penalties. - Any franchise holder or operator of television stations,
producer of television programs, home video programs and motion pictures, who
shall violate the provision of Section 3 shall be punished by a fine of not less than
fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) nor more than one hundred thousand
pesos (P100,000.00) or by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months nor
more than one (1) year or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of
the Court.

In case the offender is a corporation, partnership or association, or any other
juridical person, the president, manager, administrator, or the person-in-charge of
the management of the business shall be liable therefore. In addition, the license
or permit to operate its business shall be cancelled.

If the offender is an alien, in addition to the penalties herein prescribed, he shall,
after service of sentence, be deported without further proceedings on the part of the
Bureau of Immigration.

SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The National
‘Telecommunication Commission and the Movie and Television Review and
Classification Board, in consultation with concerned agencies and entities, shall
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of
this Act.

SECTION 6. Separability clause. - If any provision of this Act is hereby declared
invalid or unconstitutional, the other sections or provisions thereof shall not be
affected thereby.

SECTION 7. Repealing clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations
and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.

SECTION 8. ffectivity clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
following its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the

Official Gazette.

Approved,