,< 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENfs02 
S. No. _--'-'--__ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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Presidential Decree No. 1986 which created the Movie and Television Review and 
Classification Board (MTRCB) does not authorize it to prescribe ratings for violence in 
television programming and mles for signals containing specifications for blocking violent 
programming in apparatuses with such technical capability. Neither thus Republic Act No. 7925, 
otherwise known as the Public Telecommunications Policy Act, give such authority to the 
National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for broadcast operations of public 
communications entities. 
On several occasions since 1975, the Journal of the American Medical Association has 
alerted the medical community to the adverse effects of televised violence on child development 
including an increase in the level of aggressive behavior among children who view it. A report 
dated May 1999 of the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation in the Unites States, reveals that 
there is irreflltable connection between the amount of violence depicted in the television 
programs watched by children and increased aggression among them. 
This bill prescribes television violence rating codes for children and prohibits violent 
programming on television during certain hours, For apparatus equipped with technical 
capability for blocking signals, the bill authorizes the MTRCB and the NTC to jointly prescribe 
rules for transmission.' 
• This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


FIFTEENTHCONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 1502 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
I 
AN ACT 
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LIMITING THE EXPOSURE OF CHILDREN TO VIOLENT PROGRAMMING ON 
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TELEVISION AND CABLE SYSTEMS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled. 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Children's Media Protection 
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Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. -It is the policy of the State to protect the welfare 
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of children by limiting their exposure to violent programming on television and cable systems. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term-
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(A) "Cable Operator" any person or group of persons who: 
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(1) Provides cable service over a cable system and directly or through one or more 
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affiliates owns a significant interest in such cable system; or 
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(2) Who otherwise controls or is responsible for, through any arrangement, the 
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management and operation of such a cable system. 
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(B) "Cable System" means any faculty consisting of a set of closed transmission paths 
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and associated signal generation, reception, and control equipment that is designed to provide 
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cable service which includes video programming and which is provided to multiple subscribers 
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within a community. Such term does not include: 
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(1) A facility that serves only to retransmit the television signals of 1 or more 
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television broadcast stations; 
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(2) A facility that serves only subscribers in one (1) or more multiple unit 
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dwelling under common ownership, control or management, unless such facility or 
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facilities use any public right-of-way; 
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(3) A facility of a common carrier, except to the extent such facility is used in the 
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transmission of video programming directly to subscribers; and 
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(4) Any facility of any electric utility used solely for operating its electric utility 
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system. 
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(C) "Programming" includes advertisements but does not include newscasts, news 
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interviews, and news documentation. 
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(D) "Public telecommunication entity" means any person, firm, partnership or 
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corporation, government or private, engaged in the provision of telecommunications services to 
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the public for compensation. 
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SECTION 4. Establishment of Television Violence Rating Code. - The Movie and 
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Television and Classification Board (MTRCB) and the National Telecommunications 
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Commission (NTC) shall jointly prescribe, in consultation with television broadcasters, cable 
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operators, con'cerned non-government organizations for children, and interested individuals from 
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the private sector, rules for rating the level of violence in television programming, including 
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rules for the transmission by television broadcast systems and cables systems of signals 
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containing specifications for blocking violent programming. 
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SECTION 5. Elimination of Violent Programming on Television During Certain Hours. 
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- The MTRCB and the NTC shall, within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, pass 
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rules and regulations prohibiting the broadcast on commercial television and public 
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telecommunications entities, including the broadcast by cable operators, from 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 
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P.M. inclusive of programming that contains very violent scenes for children in accordance with 
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the rating code established pursuant to the preceding paragraph. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and SUbsisting. 
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SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter 0'[ instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
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with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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