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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
Second Regular Session 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article IT, Section 15 provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instill health consciousness among them. 
Noise pollution includes any displeasing man or machine-made sound that 
disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life. The World Health Organization 
(WHO) found that people die prematurely from heart disease triggered by long-term 
exposure to excessive noise. Coronary heart disease caused 101,000 deaths in the United 
Kingdom in 2006, and the study suggests that 3,030 of these are caused by chronic noise 
exposure. Deepak Prasher, a professor of audiology at the University College London, 
told the New Scientist magazine that the new data provide the link showing there are 
earlier deaths because of noise. The WHO'S working group on the Noise Environmental 
Burden on Disease began work on the health effects of noise in Europe in 2003. 
In addition to the heart disease link, it found that 2% of Europeans suffer severely 
disturbed sleep because of noise pollution and 15% can suffer severe annoyance. Chronic 
exposure to loud noise causes 3% of tinnitus cases, in which people constantly hear a 
ringing in their ears. Research published in recent years showed that noise can increase 
the amounts of stress hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol and noradrenalin in the body. 
This can increase even during sleep. The longer these hormones stay in circulation 
around the bloodstream, the more probable they are to cause life-threatening 
physiological problems. High levels of stress can contribute to heart failure, high blood 
pressure, strokes, and immune problems. 


The WHO came to its figures by comparing households with abnormally high 
exposure to noise with those in quieter homes. It also studied cases of people with 
problems such as coronary heart disease and tried to work out if high noise levels had 
been a factor in acquiring the problem. This data was then joined with maps indicating 
the noisiesl cities in Europe. Noise cannot directly kill, but it may add to a person’s 
stress. There are cases when stressful events can trigger a heart attack in someone with 
underlying heart disease. Stressed people are more likely to eat unhealthily, exercise less 
and smoke more, and these can increase the risk of developing heart disease in the first 
place. A major cause of noise levels is the use of powered equipment in residential areas 
where homes and residents are not equipped to deal with the increased noise levels 
particularly at nighttime. 
This bill seeks to address the problem of noise pollution in residential areas by 
regulating the use of powered equipment. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
REGULATING THE USE OF POWERED EQUIPMENT 
IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Powered Equipment Noise 
Regulation Act of 2008.” 
SECTION 2. Regulation of the use of powered equipment intended for repetitive use. - 
Between the hours of 1O:OO p.m. and 7:OO a.m. of the following day, no person shall operate any 
lawn mower, backpack blower, lawn edger, riding tractor, or any other machinery, equipment, or 
other mechanical or electrical device, or any hand tool which creates a loud, raucous or 
impulsive sound, within any residential zone or within 500 feet of a residence. 
SECTION 3. Penalties. -Any person found to violate this Act shall be fined P5,OOO.OO. 
SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisioiis of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 5. Efectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
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Second Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article 2 Section 17 of the Constitution states: 
SEC. 17. The State shall give priority to education, science and 
technology, arts, culture and sports to foster patriotism nationalism, accelerate 
social progress and promote total human liberation and development. 
Education has always been a priority for Filipinos. Families have always worked hard to 
male sure that our children get basic education in order to secure a better future for them. The 
governinent likewise strives to provide our children with free basic education from elementary to 
the secondary level. However, the coverage of the curriculum for elementary and secondary level 
has fallen behind in the ever increasing international standard of education. A notable absence in 
our curriculum is the lack of a solid financial literacy development program. 
Financial literacy is the ability of individuals to make appropriate decisions in managing 
their personal finances. Raising levels of financial literacy is now a focus of government 
prograins in countries including Australia, Japan, the United States and the UK. The 
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) started an inter- 
governmental project in 2003 with the objective of providing ways to improve financial 
education and literacy standards through the development of common financial literacy 
principles. 
An international OECD study was published in late 2005 analyzing financial literacy 
suweys in OECD countries. A selection of findings included: 
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In Australia, 67 per cent of respondents indicated that they understood the concept of 
compound interest, yet when they were asked to solve a problem using the concept oiily 
28 per cent had a good level of understanding. 
A British survey found that consumers do not actively seek out financial information. The 
information they do receive is acquired by chance, for example, by picking up a pamphlet 
at a bank or having a chance talk with a bank employee. 
A Canadian survey found that respondents considered choosing the right investments to 
be more stressful than going to the dentist. 
A survey of Korean high-school students showed that they had failing scores - that is, 
they answered fewer than 60 per cent of the questions correctly - on tests designed to 
measure their ability to choose and manage a credit card, their knowledge about saving 
and investing for retirement, and their awareness of risk and the importance of insuring. 
against it. 
A survey in the US found that four out of ten American workers are not saving for 
retirement. 
Filipinos very well can relate to these findings as only a few people are informed about 
our financial options. As a result, most of our countrymen are unable to avail of financial reliefs 
provided by our government which can help them prepare for their future. 
This bill seeks to encourage educational institutions and the private sector to develop 
fiuancial literacy programs that will arm our students 'with the knowledge to properly mauage 
their finances and make informed financial decisions. 
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