FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENAT1J7 
S. No. ___ -'--
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 3, Section 7 provides that: 
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SEC. 7. The right of the people to information on matters of public 
concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to 
documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or 
decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for 
policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such 
limitations as may be provided by law. 
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The government should be accessible to the public. To ensure that the public gets the 
right information in getting in touch with any government agency, disclosure of their contact 
details should be included first and foremost in their official stationeries.! 
I This bill was originally filed in the Thirteenth Congress, Third Regular Session. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
\,-
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATn'7 
S. No. 
• 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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TO REQUIRE GOVERNMENT OFFICES, BUREAUS, AGENCIES, INSTRUMENTALITIES 
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AND AFFILIATES, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT -OWNED AND CONTROLLED 
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CORPORATIONS, TO DISCLOSE CONTACT INFORMATION 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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Congress assembled: 
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SECTION I. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the "Govermnent Contact Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State (0 be 
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accessible to the public in order to better administer its duties and responsibilities. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - The term "govermnent offices, bureaus, agencies, 
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instrumentalities, affiliates, including govermnent-owned and controlled corporations" refer to 
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an administrative unit ofthe govermnent, including all the agencies of the govermnent. 
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SECTION 4. Requirementfor Government Offices, Bureaus, Agencies, Instrumentalities, 
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Affiliates, Including Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations to Include Addresses, 
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Phone Numbers and Mobile Phone Numbers, on their Stationeries, - Each government offices, 
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bureaus, agencies, instrumentalities, affiliates, including govermnent-owned and controlled 
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corporations shall include its addresses, website addresses, phone numbers and mobile phone 
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numbers, on their official stationeries. In the case of correspondence originating from a regional 
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or local office of a govermnent agency, the agency shall include the address and phone number 
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ofthe regional or local office on the stationery. 
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SECTION 5. Exception. This shall not apply in any case in which compliance with 
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Section 4 would not be in the national security interests of the Republic of the Philippines, as 
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determined by the head of the agency. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and sUbsisting. 
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SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
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with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. EffectiVity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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