FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
~~ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Advertising is a marketing tool which utilizes mass media in order to promote a 
product - 
usually a brand -with 
the ultimate objective of generating a positive action 
or response from the target market. Advertising has been integrated into our socio- 
economic culture and it is through advertising that we have come to know the many new 
product developments and innovations. 
Lately, advertising has found itself in the vortex of controversy over the 
scandalous misuse and abuse of the tool by government officials who have utilized the 
advertising resources of their agencies, municipalities, cities or province for what are 
largely perceived as self aggrandizing efforts stealthily disguised as public information 
activities. 
Much of the misuse and abuse of government advertising resources are connected 
to political objectives, the attempt to generate personal awareness and recall paid for by 
public funds. Even without an election in sight, the misuse and abuse are evident in those 
billboards, posters and streamers that proliferate - claiming how much we owe our 
public servants for building a road, a bridge or what not which we, not they, paid for. 
This bill would require every advertisement paid for with public funds by a state 
agency, bureau, department, or office to include a statement that indicates the source of 
the public funds used to pay for the advertisement. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
6 
SENATE 
S. B. NO. 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
REQUIRING THE DISCLOSURE OF THE SOURCE OF FUNDING 
OF PUBLICLY FUNDED ADVERTISEMENTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act may be known as the “Public Ad Disclosure 
Act ”. 
SECTION 2. Disclosure Requirement - Every advertisement paid for by Public 
Funds by a Government agency, bureau, department, or office shall include a legible 
disclaimer in at least 10 point roman boldface type or, if the advertisement is broadcast, 
read in a clearly audible tone of voice, that consists of a statement that indicates the 
source of the public funds used to pay for the advertisement in the following manner: 
(a) If the funds were from General Fund, then the statement shall 
indicate that the advertisement was paid for at taxpayer expense; 
(b) If the funds were from assessments or fees upon a particular 
category of the population in return for a particular product or service, 
then the statement shall indicate that the advertisement was paid for by the 
particular category of the population. 
SECTION 3. Penalties. - Any director, officer or agent of the Government who 
shall authorize, order or perform any of the acts or practices constituting in whole or in 
part a violation of Section 2 of this Act, shall upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not 
less than Ten thousand pesos (F‘l0,OOO.OO) but not more than One Hundred Thousand 
pesos (PlO0,OOO.OO) and imprisonment of not less than two (2) months but not more than 
one (1) year, or both upon the discretion of the court. 


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In addition to the penalties provided in the preceding paragraph, the culprit shall 
also suffer the penalty of special temporary disqualification. 
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SECTION 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 5 
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. 
SECTION6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
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