FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THJ: REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 707 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Illegal reproduction of copyrighted books and printed materials through 
photocopying, duplication and printing machines has harmful effects not only to 
the authors and publishers of said books but also to the country and citizenry. 
Authors would not only be deprived of the economic benefits in the form of 
royalties and revenue but it would also stop the sharing of knowledge and 
progress of thought because of the disincentive that would be created by such 
illegal practice. Proliferation of varied reading materials essential to the country's 
intellectual and economic growth would eventually cease to exist if the scenario 
remains unabated. 
It is a public knowledge that photocopying, duplicating and printing 
machines located near or within the premises of educational institutions are at 
times being used to illegally reproduce copyrighted books and materials with the 
presumed knowledge and consent of the school officials. 
The bill therefore seeks to eradicate the nefarious effects of illegal 
reproduction of copyrighted books and printed materials through the joint efforts 
of the schools, universities, etc., operators of photocopying, duplicating and 
printing machines and buyers or users by making the owners or the highest 
officers of concerned educational institutions liable criminally through the 
pertinent provisions of the proposed measure without prejudice to penalties 
already imposed by Copyright Law and Revised Penal Code and other 
appropriate laws. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
requested. 
Senator 


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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
707 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
DECLARING AS UNLAWFUL THE REPRODUCTION OF COPYRIGHTED 
BOOKS . AND 
PRINTED 
MATERIALS 
THROUGH 
PHOTOCOPYING, 
DUPLICATING, PRINTING MACHINES OR SIMILAR MEANS WITHOUT THE 
WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER, WHETHER THE 
PUBLISHER OR THE AUTHOR OR BOTH 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Illegal Reproduction - It shall be unlawful for any person to 
reproduce copyrighted books and printed materials through photocopying, 
duplicating, printing machines or ,similar means without the written consent of the 
copyright owner, whether the publisher, or the author, or both. 
SEC. 2. Penalty - Those who shall violate the preceding section shall 
suffer the following penalties, without prejudice to those imposed by pertinent 
provisions of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), the Intellectual Property Code 
(R.A. 8293) and other special penal laws: 
1) Imprisonment of twelve (12) years plus a fine ranging between 
P100,000.00 to P 250,000.00 imposed against the operator of an 
establishment illegally reproducing said materials for profit. In the event 
that the establishment is carried on by a corporation or any other juridical 
entity, the responsible officers thereof shall be made to suffer. 
2) Imprisonment of five (5) years and a fine of P50,000.00 imposed 
against the employees of said establishment, unless they can prove that 
they act through compulsion or any other form of coercion. 
3) Imprisonment of two (2) years and a fine of P10,000.00 imposed 
against anyone who shall buy any of the illegally reproduced materials as 
mentioned in this Act. 
4) Imprisonment of one (1) year or a fine of P 10,000.00 imposed against 
any person who shall violate the preceding article not for profit but for 
personal consumption. 


SEC. 3. 
All schools, universities and other educational institutions, 
through its highest officers, that allows the operation of photocopying, duplicating 
and printing machines within their premises, or within ten (10) meters from the 
said educational institutions shall be jointly and severally liable as principal for 
the illegal reproduction of copyrighted books and printed materials. 
SEC. 4. Within ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act, the 
Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ), in consultation and coordination 
with associations of publishers, writers and authors shall formulate and 
promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations of this Act. 
SEC. 5. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations and other 
issuances, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with or contrary to any 
provision of this Act are hereby deemed repealed or amended accordingly. 
SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official Gazette. 
Approved,