HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO.
Introduced by Rep. BERNADETTE  HERRERA-DY
AN ACT PROMOTING POSITIVE AND NON-VIOLENT DISCIPLINE
OF CHILDREN AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child defines
"corporal" or "physical" punishment as any punishment in which physical
force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort,
however light. IThe UN Committee also considers as corporal punishment
other non-physical but equally cruel degrading forms of punishment,
which includes "punishment which belittles, humiliates, denigrates,
scapegoats, threatens, scares or ridicules the child."
Corporal punishment is very common in the Philippines. The most
abusive acts were those inflicted by parents in the name of discipline.
Studies and surveys show that parents in the Philippines disciple and
punish their children through the use of corporal or physical punishment
such as spanking with hand, pinching, hitting with an object, twisting the
child's ear, pulling the hair, slapping the face or head, confinement in a
sack, or shaking.1 Filipino children also experience threats of physical
punishment and humiliating treatments such as being shouted at in front of
others, labeling and denigration. 3 85% of children surveyed said that they
were punished in the home, and 82% said that they were hit in different
parts of the body.
Corporal punishment is ineffective in disciplining children of all
ages. Most often, it produces anger, resentment, and low-self-esteem
among children.2 It also teaches the child that violence is an acceptable
behavior and is a solution to problems; thus, corporal punishment
perpetuates itself as children imitate the actions of adults.3 In fact, parents
3 Id. Citing Harper, Kate et.al (2005), Ending Physical and Humiliating Punishment of Children, A Manual for
Action, Save the Children, pp. 8-11
2 Id. Citing Paintal, Sureshrani (2007), Banning Corporal Punishment of Children: A Position Paper,
available at http://www.stoph itting.com/pdf/sureshrani.pdf
1 PLCPD, supra, noteI, citing World Health Organization, World Report on Violence and Health 63 (2002);
Save the Children-Sweden, What Children Say: Results of the Comparative Research on the
Physical and Emotional Punishment of Children in Southeast Asia and Pacific 12-19 (2006)
'1 Id. Citing Save the Children —Sweden (Unpublished; 2005), Research on corporal punishment in
Bagong Silang, Caloocan City and Cebu City.
July 5, 2022
4:24 pm
1269


admit that they feel guilty and sorry about punishing their children but
they are not aware of any other way of disciplining children except for
what they have learned from their own parents and grandparents. Parents
have expressed the need for alternative positive and non-violent methods
for disciplining children. 4
The proposed Positive and Non Violent Discipline of Children bill
aims to prohibit corporal punishment and all other form so humiliating or
degrading punishment of children in all settings and promote positive and
non-violent discipline of children. It borrows from and builds upon H.B.
8239 (17th Congress), which the House of Representatives approved on
Third and final reading, and in effect reintroduces the measure.
The bill seeks to strengthen the country's laws, policies and
programs in respecting child's rights, human dignity, physical integrity and
equal protection of law in compliance with the Philippine government's
obligation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The bill
specifically outlines all prohibited forms of physical and degrading or
humiliating punishment of children at home, in schools, in institutions, in
alternative care systems and in all other settings. The proposed prohibited
acts are: forcing the minor to kneel on stones, salt or pebbles; squatting;
public humiliation; deliberate neglect of child's physical needs; exposure
to substances that can cause discomfort; and imposing tasks that the minor
is incapable of doing such as forcing to skip sleep and verbal assaults.
In view of the foregoing, the urgent approval of this bill is earnestly
sought.
BERNADETTE HERRERA-DY
4 Id. Citing Save the Children-Sweden (Unpublished;2005), Research on corporal punishment in Bagong
Silang,
Caloocan City and Cebu City, Philippines; NORFIL (2005), Documentation of a consultation with the
Active Youth movement and Children and Youth Organization on physical and emotional
punishment of children, NORFIL, Quezon City, p.12


Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines
NINETEENTH
CONGRESS First
Regular Session
House Bill No.____________
Introduced by Rep. BERNADETTE  HERRERA-DY
AN ACT
PROMOTING POSITIVE AND NONVIOLENT DISCIPLINE,
PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM PHYSICAL, HUMILIATING OR
DEGRADING ACTS AS A FORM OF PUNISHMENT AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Positive and
Nonviolent Discipline of Children Act".
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State recognizes that the family,
being the foundation of the nation, is a basic social institution which public
policy cherishes and protects, and that parents are primarily responsible in the
rearing and nurturing of their children. To this end, the State shall, pursuant to
its constitutional mandate, protect and strengthen the family as a basic,
autonomous social institution, and support the natural, primary right and duty of
parents in the rearing of youth for the development of their moral character and
civic efficiency. As such, the State shall respect the rights of parents to rear their
children in whatever manner they deem appropriate for as long as it does not
violate the rights of the children.
The State likewise recognizes the vital role of the child and the youth in nation
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual,
intellectual, and social well being. Pursuant thereto, a child has the right to be
protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect
or negligent treatment, and maltreatment or exploitation, as a form of discipline
1269


while in the care of parents, legal guardians or any other person who has the
care of the child. Such treatment or punishment violates the child's rights,
human dignity and physical integrity.
As such, the State shall:
(a) Recognize and uphold the right of the child as human being,
individual, and member of a family and community, to equal protection of
the law;
(b) Promote positive and nonviolent discipline of children at home, in
school, in institutions, in alternative care systems, in workplaces and in all
other settings by encouraging behavior change in adults and establish the
necessary structures and mechanisms and mobilize resources to make this
possible;
(c) Defend the right of the child to assistance, including proper care and
nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty,
exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development;
(d) Protect the best interests of the child through measures that will ensure
the observance of international standards of child protection, especially
those expressed in international conventions and treaties to which the
Philippines is a party to, particularly the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of a Child (UNCRC);
(e) Respect the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents, guardians or
other persons legally responsible for the child, including those exercising
special or substitute parental authority as those provided for under
Presidential Decree No. 603, otherwise known as the "Child and Youth
Welfare Code", as amended; Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known
as the "Family Code of the Philippines", as amended; and Republic Act
No. 7610, as amended, otherwise known as the "Special Protection of
Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act"; to
provide, in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child,
appropriate direction and guidance in the exercise of the child's rights;
(f) Provide an enabling environment for parents to empower themselves
and fulfill their parental obligations to discipline their child through
positive and nonviolent means;
(g) Ensure that school discipline is administered in a manner that respects
the child's human dignity;
(h) Promote the principles of restorative justice in cases involving parents,
guardians or other adults caring for the child; and
(i) Protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury
from abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation,
while in the custody of parents, guardians, or any other person under
whose care the child is entrusted. Such protective measures shall include


effective procedures for the establishment of social programs to provide
necessary support for the child and for those who care for the child, other
forms of prevention, identification, reporting, referral, investigation,
treatment and follow-up of instances of child maltreatment, and, as
appropriate, for legal or judicial action.
This law is not meant to interfere with the primary responsibility of parents or
persons legally responsible for the child in the home setting to rear and
discipline their child as enshrined in the Constitution. Neither is it the intention
to give the state control over the parenting or disciplinary method of a parent.
SECTION 3.
Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:
(a) Child refers to a person who is below eighteen (18) years of age, or over but
is
unable to fully take care of one's self or protect one's self from abuse,
neglect, cruelty, 1
exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or
mental disability or condition as defined under Republic Act No. 7610, as
amended;
(b) Foster parents refer to persons duly licensed by the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide planned, temporary, or substitute
parental care to a child;
(c) Guardians refer to legal guardians, foster parents and other persons,
including relatives, with physical custody of a child;
(d) Institutions refer to residential and nonresidential child-caring agencies,
including youth homes, youth rehabilitation centers, drop-in centers, temporary
shelters and orphanages, and churches or religious centers, including places of
worship and parish centers;
(e) Parents refer to biological parents, stepparents, adoptive parents, or the
common- law spouse or partner of the parent;
(f) Persons legally responsible for the child, including those exercising special
or substitute parental authority refer to those provided for under Executive
Order No. 209 otherwise known as the "Family Code of the Philippines" as
amended; In case of death, absence or unsuitability of the parents, the following
shall exercise substitute parental authority in this order: (1) surviving
grandparent; (2) the oldest brother or sister, over twenty-one (21) years of age;
and (3) the child's actual custodian, over twenty one (21) years old. In case of
foundlings, abandoned, neglected, or abused children, parental authority is
entrusted to heads of children's homes, orphanages and similar institutions duly
accredited by the proper government agency.
School administrators and teachers, or the individual, entity or institution
engaged in child care shall have parental authority and responsibility of the
minor child while under   their supervision, instruction and custody.


(g) Physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment refer to any
form of punishment or discipline in which physical force is used and intended
to cause pain or discomfort or any nonphysical act that causes a child to feel
belittled, denigrated, threatened, or ridiculed;
(h) Positive and nonviolent discipline — refers to a holistic, constructive and
proactive approach to parenting or teaching that helps the child develop
appropriate thinking and behavior in the short and long terms by providing
tools that build self-discipline and emotional control, and to build a good
relationship with the child by understanding the child's needs and capabilities at
various ages and the behavior that is usual for the child at each stage of
development. This is achieved by providing a warm and caring environment,
building the child's competence and confidence, assisting the child in
understanding and abiding by rules, fostering healthy relationships, and
teaching the child life-long skills and
respect for human rights. Positive
and nonviolent discipline is based on the principles of child's rights and
development and effective teaching and parenting;
(i) Restorative justice refers to a principle which requires a process of resolving
conflicts with the involvement of the victim, the offender and the community. It
focuses on the harm that has been done to people and relationships which
create obligations and liabilities. The principle of restorative justice using
positive and nonviolent discipline seeks to rebuild and strengthen the
relationship between the parents and the child through mediation and
agreement in the aftermath of a traumatic or violent experience in the family;
and
(j) Service providers — refer to persons who, whether in public or private
settings, provide services to children. These include social workers, center
administrators and personnel, interns, parent-teacher association officers, house
parents, health care providers, day care workers, volunteers, security guards in
schools and centers, guards in a youth
detention home, law enforcement
officers, barangay officials and tanods, and jail officers.
SECTION 4. Promotion of Positive and Nonviolent Discipline. - The DSWD
shall, in consultation with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC),
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of
Education (DepEd), Commission on


Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Justice
(DOJ), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), formulate a
comprehensive program that shall be implemented to promote positive and
nonviolent discipline including prevention and response intervention programs.
A continuing information dissemination campaign shall be conducted
nationwide by the DSWD for the parents, DILG for the local government
officials and the DepEd for the teachers on how to practice positive and
nonviolent discipline.
All barangay personnel and service providers who will be involved in the
management of cases and the provision of interventions shall receive the
necessary capacity-building programs for the implementation of this Act.
SECTION 5. Protection of the Child from Physical, Humiliating and Degrading
Acts as a Form of Punishment. — No child shall be subjected to any form of
physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment as defined in
Section 3(g) in homes, schools, institutions, alternative care systems, the
juvenile welfare system, places of religious worship, and in all other settings
where there is direct contact with a child.
SECTION 6. Reporting Physical, Humiliating and Degrading Acts as a Form of
Punishment of a Child. — Reports of any physical, humiliating or degrading
acts as a form of punishment of a child may be filed by any person having
personal knowledge of the act or acts complained of.
All reports of the commission of physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a
form of punishment of a child shall be brought to the attention of the barangay
or the police or both.The police shall bring the report to the attention of the
barangay and, if needed, a health care provider: Provided, That for acts
committed in school settings, the reporting mechanism to be followed shall be
in accordance with the guidelines to be drafted under Section 10 (r) of this Act.
SECTION 7. Interventions. — Upon receipt of a report, the Punong Barangay
shall determine if the act committed falls under the definition of physical,
humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment of a child under Section
3(g) of this Act. If there is such determination, the Punong Barangay shall
inform the offender that there is a finding of commission of physical,
humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment. The Punong Barangay
shall ensure that the offender is familiar with, and 11 understands, positive and
nonviolent discipline, provide reading materials to the latter, and may:
(a) Refer both the offender and the offended party to mediation and
conciliation; and


(b) In extreme cases where the safety of the child is at stake, recommend
temporary protection orders, taking into consideration the best interest of the
child.
The Local Social Welfare Development Officer (LSWDO) shall be informed
that a case of physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment
of a child has been reported to the barangay. The LSWDO shall conduct an
assessment pursuant to Section 10 (e) of this Act. The process of coordination
between the barangay, Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC),
and the LSWDO shall be defined in the implementing rules and regulations of
this Act. In cases of repeat offenders, the Punong Barangay shall require the
offender to: (1) undertake seminars on positive and nonviolent discipline, anger
management, and child's rights; (2) undergo counseling or therapy; and/or (3)
avail of other rehabilitative services as may be applicable. The child shall also
be
provided
counseling
and,
if
necessary,
be
accorded
other
proper
interventions. In school settings, interventions shall be in accordance with the
guidelines to be drafted under Section 10 (r) of this Act.
Nothing in this Act shall prevent the filing of appropriate criminal cases if the
offense is punishable under the "Revised Penal Code", as amended, and other
special laws.
SECTION 8. Intervening Persons. — In every case of physical, humiliating or
degrading acts as a form of punishment, any person who, acting in good faith,
responds or intervenes without using violence or restraint greater than
necessary to ensure the safety of the victim, shall not be criminally, civilly or
administratively liable.
However, persons causing a child to lie or fabricate about incidents of physical,
humiliating and degrading acts shall be liable under existing civil and criminal
laws.
SECTION 9.Confidentiality. — All records pertaining to cases of physical,
humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment of a child, including
those in the barangay, the police, school, or public or private health care facility
shall be kept confidential and the right to privacy of the victim shall be
respected, except upon order of the court for the benefit of the child or to
prosecute the offender. Whoever publishes or causes to be published, in any
format, the name, address,telephone number, school or any identifying
information of a victim or immediate family member of the victim, without
consent, shall be penalized under existing laws.
The victim, or an immediate family member of the victim, may file an action
for damages against whoever publishes or causes to be published, in any
format, the name, address, telephone number, school or any identifying


information of a victim or immediate family member of the victim, without
prior consent.
SECTION 10. Duties and Responsibilities of Government Agencies. — To
achieve the policy and objectives of this Act, the duties and responsibilities of
the implementing agencies are as follows:
(a)
The DSWD, in coordination with the DepEd, other relevant
government agencies, the private sector, including academic institutions,
non government organizations (NGOs), and General Parents Teachers
Associations (GPTA) shall formulate a comprehensive program to promote the
positive and nonviolent discipline of children and the prevention of the use
of physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment of
children. The program shall include capacity building of service providers,
content development of reading materials and other promotional items,
parenting education on positive and nonviolent discipline of children,
child-friendly
reporting
mechanisms,
child
protection
and
support
services, and documentation, data management and monitoring systems.
(b) The DSWD shall integrate positive and nonviolent discipline of
children in the training of officials and staff of child-caring institutions. It
shall ensure that officials and staff institutions do not use physical,
humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment of children under
their custody. It shall also ensure that appropriate action is taken against
erring officials and staff of the institutions.
(c) The DSWD shall integrate positive and nonviolent discipline in the
capacity- building activities for the Local Social Welfare Development
Office (LSWDO) to enable them to provide counseling and appropriate
intervention programs for both offended child and offender.
(d) All LSWDOs shall adopt and implement programs and services to
promote the positive and nonviolent discipline of a child and the
prevention of the use of physical,humiliating or degrading acts as a form
of punishment of a child. They shall also provide assistance to victims of
physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment and their
families. It shall, together with the DSWD and the local government units
(LGUs), ensure the delivery of intervention programs such as seminars
and counseling for offenders.
(e) The LSWDO shall immediately conduct an assessment of every
reported instance of physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of
punishment of a child, and determine the appropriate interventions,
considering the best interest of the children at all times. The assessment
shall be completed within three (3) calendar days from the report of the
incident, without prejudice to the conduct of a more comprehensive case
study report. The interventions may include psychosocial interventions for
the children and their families, protective custody by the social worker,
temporary placement, medical, counseling and legal services for a child,


and for the offenders, counseling and seminar on children's rights, positive
and nonviolent discipline of children, anger management, mental,
psychological or psychiatric services, and referrals to other rehabilitative
services. The assessment shall be conducted and interventions shall be
provided by the LSWDO whether or not a criminal case is filed.
(f) The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) shall disseminate all
relevant information of this Act among concerned government agencies
and entities. It shall monitor the enforcement and the implementation of
all programs and services provided for under this Act. It shall also
mobilize the different inter-agency mechanisms within its national and
local structures to support the implementation of programs and services. It
shall, together with the Philippine Information Agency, devise and
implement an information campaign or program for popularizing the use
of positive and nonviolent discipline of children nationwide.
(g) The DepEd shall integrate positive and nonviolent discipline of
children in the training of school officials, teachers and personnel. It shall
ensure that school officials, teachers and personnel do not use physical,
humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment on any pupil or
student. The DepEd shall also integrate discussions on positive and
nonviolent discipline in the relevant subjects in the curriculum of students.
The rights of the child shall also be discussed along with their
responsibilities in the home, community, and school. It shall likewise
strengthen its Values Education in the K-12 curriculum to instill
obedience, courtesy and open communication to help foster parent-child
relationships.
(h) The Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCDC) shall
develop an appropriate approach on positive and nonviolent disciplining
of children 0-4 years old in child development centers. It shall integrate
positive and nonviolent discipline of children in the training of child
development workers and personnel of the child development centers.
(i) The DILG shall mandate the LGUs to strengthen and support local
structures involved in the protection of a child. It shall, together with the
DSWD and the LSWDO, encourage parents and individuals who are not
married but exercise parental authority to participate in training, seminars
or counseling on positive and nonviolent discipline, and child's rights, and
ensure the delivery of intervention programs for offenders. In accordance
with Section 7 of this Act, the DILG shall cause the printing and
distribution to barangays of reading materials on positive and nonviolent
discipline.
(j) The CHED and the TESDA shall integrate positive and nonviolent
discipline of children in the curricula of education, psychology, social
work, and other disciplines. They shall also ensure that appropriate
training on positive and nonviolent discipline is provided 8 for school
officials, teachers and other non-teaching personnel.


(k) The LGUs shall mobilize, strengthen and support local structures, such
as the Local Councils for the Protection of Children (LCPC), local special
bodies, Lupong Tagapamayapa, and children's welfare and protection
organizations in facilitating the reporting and prevention of, and response
to instances of physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of
punishment and promotion of positive and nonviolent discipline in their
respective localities. It shall, together with the DSWD and the LSWDO,
ensure the delivery of intervention programs such as seminars and
counseling for offenders.
(l) The LCPC shall support programs that promote the positive and
nonviolent discipline of children, prevent the use of physical, humiliating
or degrading acts as a form of punishment of children, and coordinate
with the LSWDO in responding to such cases.
(m) The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall make the
attendance of employers to positive and nonviolent discipline trainings as
a prerequisite to the issuance of employment permits for children.
(n) The DOH shall integrate early child development interventions in the
various health and nutrition programs and services with emphasis on
family-child interaction during well—and—sick child visits. It shall also
provide technical assistance to LGUs, through the DOH Regional Offices,
to enhance the capabilities of local health offices in the implementation of
early child development interventions, including the promotion of age
appropriate parent-child interactions to foster understanding of the child's
behavior and needs.
(o) The PNP shall promote positive and nonviolent ways of treating and
handling children in conflict with the law. It shall ensure that officials and
staff do not use physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of
punishment to a child under their custody. It shall integrate into their
training curriculum the training of all police officers on child-friendly and
child-sensitive procedures in handling children, and coordinate closely
with government and private organizations for effective investigation of
cases.
(p) The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) shall include in its programs the
prevention of physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of
punishment of children.
(q) The DSWD shall seek assistance from other relevant government
agencies such as the DOJ, Commission on Human Rights (CHR),
Philippine Information Agency (PIA), andthe National Commission on
Indigenous
Peoples
(NCIP)
to
perform
specific
duties
for
the
implementation of this Act.
(r) School administrators and teachers exercise special parental authority
over their students while under their supervision, instruction and custody.
As such, guidelines to be produced by DepEd shall recognize their
authority in the schools and in school-sanctioned events, and the need to


conduct their classes in an organized manner that is conducive to learning.
Thus, teachers have the authority to ensure that their students behave,
respond and treat their teachers and classmates in a respectful manner.
They have the right to call out disorderly or disrespectful behavior and
deal with the same consistent with the law and the guidelines to be
implemented.
The DepEd and ECCDC shall, within six (6) months from the effectivity
of this Act, in consultation with students' organizations, GPTA, and
teachers' unions, draft Guidelines on 15 the implementation of positive
and nonviolent discipline in school settings consistent with this 16 Act and
its Implementation Rules and Regulations (IRR).
Positive and nonviolent discipline actions imposed in accordance with the
said Guidelines shall not be considered as physical, humiliating or
degrading acts under Section 3 (g) of this Act.
(s) The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall ensure
sufficient number of guidance counselors who will serve as support
personnel in implementing positive and nonviolent discipline of students.
For purposes of this Act, the DBM shall, in accordance with Republic Act
No. 11036, otherwise known as the "Mental Health Act", endeavor to
meet the recommended ratio of one (1) guidance counselor for every two
hundred (200) students in public elementary and high schools.
SECTION 11. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations
of the concerned agencies. Thereafter, the amount needed for the continued
implementation
of
this
Act
shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act. For LGUs, the implementation of the programs may be
charged against the internal revenue allotment and other internally generated
funds of the LGU concerned.
SECTION 12. Periodic Review. - The DSWD with the DepEd, the TESDA, the
CHED, the DILG, the DOJ, the DOH, and other relevant government agencies,
LGUs, and civil society organizations (CSOs) shall, after three (3) years upon
effectivity of this Act, and every five (5) years thereafter, conduct a periodic
review and evaluate the implementation of this Act and submit its report and
recommendations to the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family
Relations and Gender Equality and the House of Representatives' Committee on
the Welfare of Children.
SECTION 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The DSWD Secretary,
in coordination with the Executive Director of the CWC and in consultation
with the DepEd, CHED, TESDA, DILG, DOH, other relevant government
agencies, LGUs, NGOs, teacher's union and at least two (2) child focused


organizations, shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR)
of this Act within six (6) months from its approval. They shall likewise ensure
that techniques in, and examples of, practicing positive and nonviolent
discipline shall be extensively enumerated, described and explained in the IRR.
SECTION 14. Suppletory Application. — For purposes of this Act, the Revised
Penal Code, as amended; the Child and Youth Welfare Code, as amended;
Republic Act No. 7610,
as amended, and other applicable laws shall have
suppletory application.
SECTION 15. Separability Clause. — If any section or provision of this Act is
held unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions shall not be
affected.
SECTION 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders and rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are 17 hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 17. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved