HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

RECEIVED
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) — AUG 2016
OF THE PHILIPPINES ) pene
First Regular Session ) TIME: $100 Pa
HOUSE OR REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. No.
Sse. REGISTRATION UNIT

Introduced by Representative H. Harry L. Roque Jr.

AN ACT
REQUIRING GOVERNMENT OFFICES, BUREAUS, AGENCIES,
INSTRUMENTALITIES AND AFFILIATES, INCLUDING
GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS,
TO DISCLOSE CONTACT INFORMATION

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The Constitution, Article 3, Section 7 states that:

‘The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall
be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining
to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data
used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such
limitations as may be provided by law.

The government should be accessible to the public. To ensure that the public gets the

right information in getting in touch with any government agency, disclosure of their contact

details should be included first and foremost in their official stationeries.'

Gen

H. HARRY L. ROQUE JR.


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC)
OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE Se BOR ATS

Introduced by Representative H. Harry L. Roque Jr.

AN ACT
REQUIRING GOVERNMENT OFFICES, BUREAUS, AGENCIES,
INSTRUMENTALITIES AND AFFILIATES, INCLUDING
GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS,
TO DISCLOSE CONTACT INFORMATION
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 “Government Contact Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to be

accessible to the public in order to better administer its duties and responsibilities.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. ~ The term "government offices, bureaus, agencies,
instrumentalities, affiliates, including government-owned and controlled corporations” refer to

an administrative unit of the government, including all the agencies of the government.

SECTION 4. Government Offices, Bureaus, Agencies, Instrumentalities, Affiliates,
Including Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations to Include Addresses, Email
Addresses, Website Addresses, Phone Numbers, and Mobile Phone Numbers on Their
Stationeries. ~ All government offices, bureaus, agencies, instrumentalities, affiliates, including

government-owned and controlled corporations shall include its addresses, email addresses,


website addresses, phone numbers and mobile phone numbers, on their official stationeries. In
the case of correspondence originating from a regional or local office of a government agency,
the agency shall include the address and phone number of the regional or local office on the

stationery.

SECTION 5. Exception. ~ This shall not apply in any case in which compliance with
Section 4 would not be in the national security interests of the Republic of the Philippines, as

determined by the head of the agency,

SECTION 6. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions

hereof.

SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or portions
thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or

modified accordingly

SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette o in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,