THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
i
'
 
SENATE 
, -  
Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
. . .  
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill proposes to require all franchise holders or operators of television 
stations, producers of television programs, home video programs and motion 
pictures to have their programs and films broadcast with closed caption and 
providing penalties for violation thereof. 
Closed-caption is 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. 
The passage of this bill will address a fundamental need of persons with 
hearing impairments who cannot enjoy audio-visual entertainments with their 
seemingly unbounded innovations. 
Wherefore, approval of this bill is urged. 
. .  


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S. No. 
1 
Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING ALL FRANCHISE HOLDERS OR OPERATORS OF 
TELEVISON STATIONS, PRODUCERS OF TELEVISION 
PROGRAMS, HOME VIDEO PROGRAMS AND MOTION 
PICTURES TO HAVE THEIR PROGRAMS AND FILMS 
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF 
BROADCAST WITH CLOSED-CAPTION 
AND PROVIDING 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION I. All franchise holders or operators of television stations, 
producers 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 so as to benefit persons with hearing impairment. 
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 2. 
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 I shall be punished by a fine of not less 
than fifty thousand pesos (P50,OOO.OO) 
nor more than one hundred thousand 
pesos (PlOO,OOO.OO) 
or by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months nor 
more than one (I) 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 canceled. 
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 3. The 
National Telecommunications Commission, 
in 
consultation with the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board and 
Videogram Regulatory Board, shall promulgate the necessary rules and 
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
SECTION 4. If any provision of this Act or the application thereof to any 
person or circumstances is held invalid, the other provisions of this Act and the 
application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be 
affected thereby. 
* 
SECTION 5. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations and other 
issuances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. 
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its 
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the official Gazette 
whichever comes earlier. 
Approved , 
.