SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
"14 
(lEC 17 P5 :02 
SENATE 
S.B. NO. -2-519 
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay 
AN ACT IMPROVING ACCESS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY TO I'U13LIC AND 
PRIV ATE FACILITIES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7277 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MAGNA CARTA FOR DISABLED PERSONS 
EXPLANATOR Y NOTE 
Persons with Disability ("PWD") are one of the most vulnerable sectors in the Philippine 
society. The fact that many of the PWDs are living in poverty and the existence of systemic 
discrimination against them in the work place, among other institutions, prompted Congress 
to enact the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability ("Magna Carta"). 
The Magna Carta has since undergone several changes in view of the efforts of Congress to 
safeguard the rights and interests of PWDs and to address problems encountered ill the 
implementation of the Magna Carta. 
Recently, a mall chain was accused of discriminatory practices committed against a particular 
class of PWD. It appears that said mall had barred the entry of a PWD on the ground that he 
had in his company a guide animal, which is not allowed within the mall premises. Although 
the dog is not known as a vicious breed, the niall argued that thel'c is still a risk to the safety 
of other mall patrons. Instead of trying to lmderstand the condition of the PWD, the mall 
requested the police to bodily drag said PWD who was protesting the treatment of the mall on 
his person. 
The mall incident is not isolated. It has come to our attention that different establishments. 
pnblic or private have treated PWDs with guide animals differently. 
For the above reasons, there is a need to amend the law to accommodate PWDs needing 
special assistance of guide animals. 
III view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly recommended. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF TIlE PI-llLIl'PINES 
) 
Second Regnl!u' Session 
) 
'14 
GEC 17 P5 :02 
SENATE 
S.B. NO. ----2519 
In> '1,:1, L\) l3y,·'t :., 
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay 
1 
AN ACT IMPROVING ACCESS OF PERSONS WITH D[SABlLITY TO PUBLIC AND 
2 
PRIVATE FACILITIES, AMEND[NG FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO, 7277 
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OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MAGNA CARTA "OR D[SAI3LED PERSONS 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
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assembled: 
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SECTION 1, Paragraph (q) is hereby inserted under Section 4 ofR.A, 7277 as follows: 
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"Q,) GUIDE ANIMALS SHALL REFER TO ANIMALS THAT ASSIST 
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PWDS TO COPE WITH THEIR SPECIFIC DISABILITIES." 
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SECTlON 2, Section 25 ofR,A, 7277 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
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"Sec, 25, Barrier-Free Environment. -
The State shall ensure the attainment 
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of a barrier-free environment that will enable persons with disability to have 
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access in public and private buildings and establishments and such other 
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places mentioned in Batas Pambansa Bilang 344, otherwise known as the 
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"Accessibility Law", FOR PURPOSES OF THIS PROVISION, GUIDE 
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ANIMALS ACCOMPANYING PERSONS WITH DISABILITY SHALL 
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SIMILARLY ALSO BE ALLOWED ACCESS, 
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The national and local governments shall allocate funds for the provision of 
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architectural facilities or structural features for persons with disability in 
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government buildings and facilities," 
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SECTION 3. Section 27 of R.A. 7277 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
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"Sec. 27. Access to Public Transport Facilities. -
The Department of Social 
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Welfare and Development shall develop a program to assist marginalized 
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persons with disability gain access in the use of puhlic transport facilities. 
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Such assistance may be in the form of subsidized transportation fare. 
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The said department shall also allocate such funds as may be necessary for the 
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effective implementation of the public transpOli program for the persons with 
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disability. 
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IN TI-IE 
DEVELOPMENT OF 
ACCESS TO 
TRANSPORTATION 
PROGRAMS, THE NEEDS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY WHO 
DEPEND ON GUIDE ANIMALS SHALL BE CONSIDERED. 
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The "Accessibility Law", as amended, shall be made suppletory to this Act." 
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SECTlON 4. Section 34 ofR.A. 7277 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
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"Sec. 34. Public Transportation. -
It shall be considered discrimination for 
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the ti·anchisees or operators and personnel of sea, land, and air transportation 
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facilities 10 charge higher fare or to refuse to convey a passenger, his 
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orthopedic devices, personal effects, and merchandise by reason of his 
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disability. 
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AN UNREASONABLE DENIAL OF TRANSPORTATION TO GUIDE 
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ANIMALS OF THE CONCERNED PERSON WITH THE DISABILITY 
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SHALL BE CONSIDERED AS AN ACT OF DISCRIMINATION." 
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SECTION 5. Section 36 ofRA 7277 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
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"Sec. 36. Discrimination on the Use of Public Accommodations. -
(a) No 
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persons with disability shall be discriminated on the basis of disability in the 
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lLlll and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, 
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advantages or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any 
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person who owns, leases, or operates a place of public accommodation. The 
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following constitute acts of discrimination: 
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(I) denying a person with disability, directly or through contractual, licensing, 
or other arrangement, the opportunity to participate in or benefit from the 
goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of an 
entity by reason of his disability; 
(2) affording a person with disability, on the basis of his disability, directly or 
through contractual, licensing, or other arrangement, with the opportunity to 
participate in or beneEt from a good service, facility, privilege, advantage, or 
accommodation that is not equal to tbat afforded to other able-bodied persons; 
and 
(3) providing a person with disability, on the basis of his disability, dircctly or 
through contractual, licensing, or other arrangement, with a good, service, 
facility, advantage, privilege, or accommodation that is different or separate 
form that provided to other able-bodied persons unless sltch action is 
necessary to provide the persons with disability with a good, service, facility, 
advantage, privilege, or accommodation, or other opportunity that is as 
effective as thaI provided to others; 
(4) DENYiNG A PERSON WlTl-1 DJSABILlTY, ACCESS OR USE OF 
PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS ON THE GROUND THAT I-IE IS 
ACCOMPANIED BY A GUIDE ANIMAL. 


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For purposes of this Section, the term "individuals or class of individuals" 
refers to the clients or cllstomers of the covered public accommodation that 
enters into the contractual, licensing or other arrangement. 
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XX X." 
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SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The DSWD in coordination with relevant 
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government agencies shall issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations within 
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ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act. 
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SECTION 7. Separability Clause. If any provision or part of this Act, or the application 
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thereof to any person or circumstance be held unconstitutional or be invalid, such parts not 
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affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, rules and 
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regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
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are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 9. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved,