FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to the International Intellectual Property Alliance OII'P), 
Cable 
Television piracy remains one of the most serious problems for the U.S. audiovisual 
industry in the Philippines. Hundreds of cable systems, especially those outside Manila, 
make unauthorized transmissions of new and recent Hollywood productions their 
standard fue. Cable piracy hurts all the legitimate markets for these products, including 
theatres and home video. 
Illegal Cable signal connection theft is a serious problem because it impacts on 
1. interfere with the picture quality of paying customers 
2. increase the likelihood of service failure 
3 .  deprive the cable operator and government agencies of needed revenues, and 
4. increase the cost of maintenance and paying customers. 
Cable Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) data showed that the 
Philippines had the second highest number of illegal cable and satellite TV subscribers 
among Asian countries, with revenue losses of local cable industry in the year 2005 of 
communities. It can; 
more;han PS billion. 
The local cable TV industry has been hounded by piracy, with an estimated P7 
billion lost to illegal connections. Illegal cable subscribers run to 2.5 million, out 
numbering the 1 .S million legal subscribers. 
Cable TV theft not only causes huge operational losses on the part of cable TV 
operators, but also greatly affeets the signal and standard of service it offers to their 
subscribers. The unauthorized tapping into the systems of cable TV operators poses a 
grave and severe threat to the existence and survival of the Cable TV industry. 
This measure was crafied in response to the clamor of CATV providers for a law 
that would shield stockholders against the high incidence of cable theft through 
unauthorized interception of CATV programming. 
At present, there is no specific law that addresses large scale pilferage of 
transmission and cable wires in the Philippines. However.,lauy penalizing unauthorized 
installation of water or electrical connections are in placed, these are: Republic Act No. 
7832 or the "Anti-pilferage of Electricity and Theft of Electric Transmission 
LinesMaterials Act of 1994" and Presidential Decree No. 1612 or the "Anti-Fencing 
Law". . 
Hence, the passage of this measure is highly recom ended. 
fi#=A,


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
S.B.. No. 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT PROHIBITING AND PENALIZING THE PILFERAGE AND THEFT, 
UNAUTHORIZED USE, INTERCONNECTION, OR RECEPTION OF ANY 
SIGNAL OR SERVICE OFFERED OVER A CABLE TELEVISION (CATV) OR 
CABLE INTERNET SYSTEM AND/OR NETWORK OR THROUGH ANY 
UNAUTHORIZED INSTALLATION, ACCESS OR CONNECTION THERETO 
THROUGH THE USE OF CABLE OR OTHER EQUIPMENT, AND 
PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled 
SEC. 1. Title. - This Act shall be referred to as "The Anti Cable Television and 
Cable Internet Piyerage Act of 2008. '' 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to protect the 
general public and legitimate operators of (a) cable television (CATV) systems andor 
networks that secure programming through the reception of local and foreign satellite, as 
well as other electromagnetic signals, and (b) cable internet services that provide access 
to the world wide web through the CATV systednetwork, from unauthorized connection 
or tapping to existing facilities through wire or electromagnetic means. Only subscribers 
duly authorized and/or registered with the CATV and/or cable internet service operator 
shall be allowed to receive any service or benefit offered andor operated over a CATV or 
internet systednetwork. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
a. Cable Television (CATV) Systemhetwork - refers to processes and 
facilities associated with the delivery of signals and programs provided for by 
broadcast television stations, local and foreign satellite program providers or 
CATV service operators, through origination, relay and reception of electronic 
or control signals of any design by wire, optical or other technological means 
for the purpose of providing multiple-channel CATV service to multiple 
subscribers within defined service areas. 
The term shall also include electronic equipment such as digital or analog 
receiver-decoder boxes, set-top and converter boxes, as well as but not limited 
to master antennae television, satellite master antennae television, direct 
broadcast satellite, multi-point distribution service, a television receive-only 
satellite program distributor and other providers of video and audio 
programming; 
b. Cable Internet System/Network - refers to the processes, including 
electronic equipment such as modems, associated with the access to the World 
Wide Web through the facilities of the CATV systednetwork; 


c. Cable Television (CATV) Service Operator - refers to any person, natural 
or judicial, public or private, granted a Certificate of AuthorityRrovisional 
Authority as provided under existing laws, rules and regulations, to install, 
operate and maintain a CATV systednetwork and service and is actually 
providing such service to its subscribers; 
d. Cable Internet Service Operator - refers to any person, natural or judicial, 
public or private, which was issued a registration certificate as provided under 
existing laws, rules and regulations, to provide and facilitate access to the 
world wide web through a CATV systednetwork and is actually providing 
such service to its subscribers 
SEC. 4. Prohibited Acts. - It is hereby declared unlawful for any person, whether 
natural or judicial, public or private, to: 
a. 
Intercept or receive, or assist in intercepting or receiving, any signal or 
service offered over CATV and cable internet systednetwork by 
tapping, making or causing to be made any unauthorized connection to 
existing facilities with drop, feeder, 38 and/or trunk lines, or through the 
use of electronic equipment such as digital or analog receiver-decoder 
boxes, set-top or converter boxes, modems, or any equivalent 
circumvention devices or methods that allow for unauthorized access or 
decoding of unencrypted or encrypted satellite program signals or other 
electromagnetic signal, or unauthorized access into the systednetwork 
of the cable internet service operator, or by the recording, manufacture, 
distribution, importation or sale, of intercepted or received CATV 
signals and cable internet service; 
Engage in the unauthorized importation, sale, lease, distribution or 
possession of electronic equipment such as digital or analog receiver- 
decoder boxes, set-top and converter boxes, modern or any equivalent 
circumvention devices or methods that allow for unauthorized access or 
decoding of unencrypted or encrypted satellite program signals or other 
electromagnetic signals, whether local or foreign, or unauthorized 
access into the systednetwork of the cable internet service operator; 
Knowingly use or receive any direct or indirect service or benefit From 
CATV and cable internet services through the commission of any of the 
preceding prohibited acts; and, 
Wantonly, maliciously or willfully damage, destroy or remove CATV 
and/or cable internet facilities and accessories of authorized CATV and 
cable internet service operators resulting into system disruption or 
network degradation 
b. 
C. 
d. 
SEC. 5. Prima Facie Evidence. - The presence of any of the following 
circumstances shall constitute prima facie evidence of the illegal tapping, interconnection 
or reception into the CATV or cable internet systednetwork, by the person benefited 
thereby, and shall be the basis for (a) the immediate disconnection by the CATV or cable 
internet service operator to such person after due notice; (b) the holding of a preliminary 
investigation by the public prosecutor and the subsequent filing in court of the pertinent 
information; and, (c) the lifting of any temporary restraining order or injunction which 
may have been issued against a CATV or cable internet service operator: 
a. 
The presence of drop cable, feeder andlor trunk lines from the CATV or 
cable internet systednetwork to the structure and facilities of the 
unauthorized person which has been confirmed by the CATV or cable 
internet service operator as not being a duly registered subscriber; 


b. 
The unauthorized tapping of drop cable, feeder and/or trunk lines into 
the CATV or cable internet systednetwork, and/or the unauthorized 
installation of electronic equipment such as digital or analog receiver- 
decoder boxes, set-top and converter boxes, or modems, by persons not 
duly authorized by the CATV or cable internet service operator; and, 
The unauthorized possession and use of electronic equipment such as 
digital or analog receiver-decoder boxes, set-top and converter boxes, or 
modem used to intercept CATV signals or access the cable internet 
systednetwork and which equipment have not been duly registered 
with the CATV or cable internet service operator or have been covered 
by the appropriate licenses and permits from the proper government 
regulatory agency or agencies in accordance with existing laws, rules 
and regulations. 
C. 
SEC. 6. Penalties, - Any person who willfully violates any provision of this Act 
or commits any of the prohibited acts in Section 4 hereof shall be punished by an 
imprisonment term of not less than two (2) years but not more than five (5) years, or a 
fine ranging from Fifty Thousand Pesos (PSO, 000.00) to One Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(P100, OOO.OO), or both, at the discretion of the court. 
SEC. 7. Information Dissemination. - The National Telecommunications 
Commission and the Cable Television Associations in the Philippines, shall collectively 
undertake a vigorous campaign to inform the consuming public of the existence of this 
Act, within sixty days (60) from its effectivity and at least once a year thereafter. 
SEC. 8. Rules and Regulations. - The National Telecommunications 
Commission, in consultation with the Cable Television Associations of the Philippines 
and other affected parties, shall within sixty days (60) after the conduct of due hearings 
which must commence within thirty working days (30) upon the effectivity of this Act, 
issue the implementing rules and regulations to ensure the efficient and effective 
implementation of the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 9. Recovery of Pilferage Losses. - Any duly authorized CATV or cable 
internet service operator may recover pilferage losses from such unauthorized persons 
found to have committed any of the prohibited acts in this Act in an amount equivalent to 
at least one (1) year basic subscription fees presently charged registered subscribers of 
such CATV or cable internet service operators. 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, ordinances, rules, 
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the 
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) national 
newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,