NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 1, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution provides that public office is a public trust. 
Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with 
utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead 
modest lives. Although these precepts are laudable, the pervasiveness of graft and corruption 
remains a reality in Philippine society. 
The Office of the Ombudsman is tasked to investigate on its own or on complaint by 
any person, any act or omission of any public official, employee, office or agency, when such 
act or omission appears to be illegal, unjust, improper, or inefficient. Though zealous, the men 
and women of the Office of the Ombudsman, themselves government officials and employees, 
are not spared from challenges brought about by numerous harassment suits filed against 
them by disgruntled litigants.  Moreover, their personal safety and the safety of their family are 
at constant risk due to the high-profile cases they are handling. 
Furthermore, despite the enormity of their task of battling graft and corruption, the 
salary of Ombudsman employees is still not comparable to that of their counterparts in other 
government agencies and in other anti-graft and corruption bodies in the Asia-Pacific Region. 
With the enactment of this bill into law, it is believed that the enhancement of the 
welfare of the country’s graftbusters will strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman as an 
institution in its fight against graft and corruption. 
Considering all the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ 
March 16, 2023
7:00 pm
7682


NINETEENTH CONGRESS  
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session  
 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
AN ACT  
TO STRENGTHEN THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN, UPGRADE EMPLOYEE SKILLS 
AND AUGMENT COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, ENHANCE FISCAL AUTONOMY,  
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC 
ACT NO. 6770, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE OMBUDSMAN ACT OF 1989, AND  
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1.  Section 6 of R.A. No. 6770 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 6. Rank and Salary. – The Ombudsman and his Deputies 
shall have the same ranks, salaries and privileges as the Chairman and 
members, respectively, of a Constitutional Commission.  Their salaries 
shall not be decreased during their term of office. 
The members of the prosecution, investigation and legal staff of the 
Office of the Ombudsman shall receive salaries which shall not be less than 
those given to comparable positions in any office in the Government. 
THE MEMBERS OF THE PROSECUTION, INVESTIGATION, 
LEGAL AND PERMANENT ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OF THE OFFICE 
OF THE OMBUDSMAN SHALL RECEIVE THE SAME RANK, 
CATEGORY, 
PREROGATIVE, 
SALARIES, 
ALLOWANCES, 
EMOLUMENTS AND OTHER PRIVILEGES, INCLUDING THE SAME 
RETIREMENT AND OTHER BENEFITS, AS THOSE OF A JUDGE OF A 
COMPARABLE LEVEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING 
TABLE: 
OMBUDSMAN POSITIONS 
COMPARABLE 
POSITIONS 
IN 
JUDICIARY 
Assistant Ombudsman and other 
permanent employees with Salary 
Grade 29. 
Regional Trial Court Judge 
GIPO IV and other permanent 
employees with Salary Grade 28. 
Metropolitan Trial Court Judge 
GIPO III and other permanent 
employees with Salary Grade 27. 
City Trial Court Judge 
GIPO 
II 
and 
other 
permanent 
employees with Salary Grade 26. 
Municipal Circuit Trial Court Judge 
and Municipal Trial Court Judge 
7682


SECTION 2. Section 6 of R.A. No. 6770 is further amended by inserting Section 6-A, 6-B, 6-
C and 6-D to read as follows: 
 
 
“SECTION 6-A. RETIREMENT BENEFITS. MEMBERS OF THE 
PROSECUTION, 
INVESTIGATION, 
LEGAL 
AND 
PERMANENT 
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OF THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN AS 
PRESENTED IN THE TABLE IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION, WHO HAVE 
RENDERED AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15) YEARS OF GOVERNMENT 
SERVICE, THE LAST FIVE (5) OF WHICH ARE WITH THE OFFICE OF 
THE OMBUDSMAN, AND HAVE REACHED THE AGE OF SIXTY-FIVE 
(65), SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A RETIREMENT PENSION BASED ON 
THE HIGHEST MONTHLY SALARY, PLUS THE HIGHEST MONTHLY 
AGGREGATE 
OF 
TRANSPORTATION, 
LIVING 
AND 
REPRESENTATION ALLOWANCES, WHICH THEY WERE RECEIVING 
AT THE TIME OF THEIR RETIREMENT. 
 
THOSE WHO HAVE RENDERED SERVICE FOR THE SAME 
PERIOD AND WHO HAVE REACHED THE AGE OF SIXTY (60) AND 
OPT TO RETIRE SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO THE SAME BENEFIT. 
 
SECTION 6-B. CONDITIONS FOR ENTITLEMENT OF PENSION. 
– TO MAINTAIN ENTITLEMENT TO THE PENSION HEREIN PROVIDED, 
NO OMBUDSMAN LAWYER, DURING THE TIME HE/SHE IS 
RECEIVING SAID PENSION, SHALL APPEAR AS COUNSEL BEFORE 
ANY JUDICIAL OR QUASI-JUDICIAL AGENCY IN ANY CIVIL CASE 
WHEREIN THE GOVERNMENT OR ANY AGENCY, SUBDIVISION, OR 
INSTRUMENTALITY THEREOF IS AN ADVERSE PARTY, IN ANY 
CRIMINAL CASE WHEREIN ANY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE 
GOVERNMENT IS ACCUSED OF AN OFFENSE COMMITTED IN 
RELATION TO HIS/HER OFFICE, OR IN ANY ADMINISTRATIVE 
PROCEEDINGS TO MAINTAIN AN INTEREST ADVERSE TO THE 
NATIONAL OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR TO ANY OF ITS LEGALLY 
CONSTITUTED OFFICERS. 
 
WHEN AN OMBUDSMAN LAWYER OR ADMINISTRATIVE 
STAFF COVERED BY AND RECEIVING ANY BENEFIT UNDER THIS 
ACT SHALL ASSUME AN ELECTIVE OR APPOINTIVE POSITION IN 
GOVERNMENT, HE/SHE SHALL NOT, UPON ASSUMPTION OF 
OFFICE AND DURING HIS/HER TERM OR TENURE, RECEIVE THE 
MONTHLY PENSION OR ANY OF THE ALLOWANCES DUE HIM/HER. 
 
SECTION 
6-C. 
OTHER 
PERSONNEL 
BENEFITS 
AND 
PRIVILEGES. THE PROVISIONS OF OTHER LAWS TO THE 
CONTRARY 
NOTWITHSTANDING, 
THE 
OFFICE 
OF 
THE 
OMBUDSMAN 
MAY 
PROVIDE 
ITS 
EMPLOYEES 
WITH 
THE 
FOLLOWING BENEFITS: 
 
(1) 
HEALTH CARE SERVICES THROUGH A HEALTH 
MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION (HMO);  
 
(2) 
ACCIDENT INSURANCE POLICIES PROCURED BY THE 
OFFICE AT ITS OWN EXPENSE DURING TRAVELS 
WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR OFFICIAL 
DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS; 
 


(3) 
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR DESERVING EMPLOYEES ON 
OFFICIAL TIME AND AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OFFICE 
OF THE OMBUDMAN TO ENHANCE THEIR ACADEMIC 
GROWTH AND UPGRADE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND 
SKILLS. SCHOLARS UNDER THIS PROVISION SHALL BE 
SELECTED 
ON 
THE 
BASIS 
OF 
COMPETITIVE 
EXAMINATION AND SUCH OTHER GUIDELINES SET BY 
THE OFFICE;  
 
(4) 
A PROVIDENT FUND WHICH SHALL CONSIST OF 
CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN 
AND BY ITS LAWYERS AND EMPLOYEES TO A COMMON 
FUND WHICH MAY BE USED FOR THE BENEFIT OF 
SUCH LAWYERS AND EMPLOYEES, AND THEIR HEIRS; 
AND 
 
(5) 
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP FEES, MANDATORY 
CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION (MCLE) SERVICE 
FEES AND RELATED MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES OF 
EMPLOYEES HOLDING POSITIONS FOR WHICH A 
PROFESSIONAL LICENSE IS REQUIRED. 
 
 
SECTION 6-D. SPECIAL ALLOWANCES. TO CARRY OUT THE 
OBJECTIVES OF THIS ACT AND SUPPORT THE EFFORT TO FIGHT 
CORRUPTION, THE OMBUDSMAN, SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OF 
FUNDS, IS AUTHORIZED TO GRANT SPECIAL ALLOWANCES TO 
OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN 
TO AUGMENT SALARIES AND BENEFITS.  THE GRANT OF SPECIAL 
ALLOWANCES SHALL BE IN SUCH AMOUNTS AS CAN BE 
SUPPORTED BY THE FUNDING SOURCES IDENTIFIED IN THIS LAW 
AS WELL AS FROM ITS GENERAL FUND AND SAVINGS; PROVIDED 
THAT SUCH ALLOWANCES SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED 
PERCENT (100%) OF THE BASIC SALARY OF THE OFFICIAL OR 
EMPLOYEE CONCERNED. 
 
SECTION 3. Section 38 of R.A. No. 6770 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
 
SEC. 38. Fiscal Autonomy. The Office of the Ombudsman shall 
enjoy fiscal autonomy.  Appropriations for the Office of the Ombudsman 
may not be reduced below the amount appropriated for the previous years 
and, after approval, shall be automatically and regularly released. THE 
FUNDS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THE GRANT OF SPECIAL 
ALLOWANCES AND BENEFITS PROVIDED HEREIN AND TO ENSURE 
THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT SHALL BE TAKEN 
FROM THE FOLLOWING: 
 
(1) 
35% OF THE VALUE OR PROCEEDS OF FORFEITED 
ASSETS UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1379; AND 
 
(2) 
ALL 
OTHER 
INCOME, 
FEES 
AND 
REVENUES 
COLLECTED BY THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN. 
 
THE OMBUDSMAN IS AUTHORIZED TO RETAIN SUCH 
SHARES AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION AND DISBURSE SUCH FOR 
THE PURPOSE OF AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS ACT AS WELL 


AS FOR OTHER OPERATIONAL PURPOSES INCLUDING BUT NOT 
LIMITED TO CAPITAL EXPENSES, TRAININGS AND OTHER 
OPERATIONAL NEEDS. THE COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION 
SHALL INCLUDE IN ITS DISPOSITION THE SEGREGATION OF THE 
OMBUDSMAN’S SHARE IN THE FORFEITED ASSETS. 
 
SECTION 4. Rules and Regulations.– The Ombudsman shall issue, within ninety (90) days 
after the effectivity of this Act, the necessary rules and regulation relating to the administrative 
aspects of the provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. – If for any reason, any section or provision of this Act is 
declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders or rules and regulations, and other 
issuances which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended 
or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 7. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two 
(2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,