EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
)
l;‘.i '
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
)
First Regular Session
)
'19 
,IUL 15
,'\9 53
S E N A T E
S. No.
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
PROTECTING CONSUMERS FROM UNREASONABLE FEE INCREASES BY 
PROVIDING 
FOR A CONSUMER GROUP REPRESENTATION 
IN THE 
GOVERNING 
BOARDS 
OF 
GOVERNMENT 
REGULATORY 
BODIES, 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE THEIR RESPECTIVE CHARTERS, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Prices of basic services have steadily been on the rise. The public remains 
helpless in the face of these rising costs basically because there is not enough 
representation of their issues and concerns on government regulatory bodies that 
approves various increases in prices.
It is the public who are the end users of various services and yet they are the 
ones who do not have representation in policy and decision making regarding these 
services. This proposal seeks to address this malady by providing for consumer 
group representation in various government regulatory bodies. Among these boards 
are:
1. Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board
2. Toll Regulatory Board
3. Energy Regulatory Commission
4. Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System
5. Local water utilities Administration, and


6. National Telecommunications Commission.
Once enacted, this law will give way to better consumer protection through the 
diligent consideration of their concerns in the decision making of the stated boards. 
Moreover, they will have a say especially in the issue of price increases that these 
boards are considering and approving.
In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
RAMOpr BONG REVILLA, JR.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
o : f ,p of* I’ ~
'19 JUL 15 A9 53
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
PROTECTING CONSUMERS FROM UNREASONABLE FEE INCREASES BY 
PROVIDING 
FOR A CONSUMER GROUP REPRESENTATION 
IN THE 
GOVERNING BOARDS OF GOVERNMENT REGULATORY BODIES, AMENDING 
FOR THE PURPOSE THEIR RESPECTIVE CHARTERS, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. 
Tide. - This Act shall be known as the "Consumer Group
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Representation in Reguiatory Bodies Act".
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Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. - Pursuant to the constitutionai mandate that the
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right of the people and their organizations to effective and reasonabie participation at
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all levels of social, political, and economic decision-making shall not be abridged, and
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the State shall, by law, facilitate the establishment of adequate consultation
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mechanisms, the State shall:
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a) Prevent the concentration of power and information in a few
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persons/government organizations;
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b) Adopt and implement a policy of full public disclosure of all is
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transactions involving public interest thereby promoting transparency
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and accountability; and
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c) Ensure the protection and advancement of consumer welfare by
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mandating the inclusion of consumer group representatives in the
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Governing Boards of government regulatory bodies.
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Sec. 3. Consumer Group. -  for purposes of this Act, a consumer group shall
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refer to a representative organization, registered under the Securities and Exchange
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Commission (SEC), which has been established and organized to cater to a national
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constituency, and whose mandate includes the protection of the interests and rights
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of consumers in a specific sector that is being regulated by a government regulatory
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body.
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Sec. 4. Coverage. -  The Governing Boards of the following government
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regulatory bodies shall include at least one (1) member who shall represent the
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consumer group belonging to the sector being regulated by the government regulatory
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body concerned:
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a) Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board, created by
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Executive Order No. 292;
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b) Toll Regulatory Board, created by Presidential Decree No. 1112;
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c) Energy Regulatory Commission, created by Republic Act NO. 9136;
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d) Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System, created by Executive Order
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No. 1036;
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e) Local Water Utilities Administration, created by Presidential Decree No.
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198 as amended; and
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f) National Telecommunications Commission, created by Executive Order
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No. 546;
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Such member of the respective governing boards of the aforementioned
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government regulatory bodies shall be called the Consumer Group Representative.
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The Consumer Group Representative shall perform the same functions, shall
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have the same voting rights, shall be paid the same salaries, remunerations and
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emoluments, and enjoy the same privileges as those enjoyed by the other members
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of the Governing Board of the government regulatory authority concerned.
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Sec. 5. Qualifications o f Consumer Group Representative. -  No person shall be
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appointed as a Consumer Group Representative unless he is a natural born citizen of
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the Philippines, at least thirty (30) years of age, able to read and write, a bona fide
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member of the Consumer Group which he seeks to represent for at least two (2) years
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prior to his appointment, and has never been convicted of any administrative, civil or 
criminal offense involving moral turpitude.
The Consumer Group Representative should also have at least five (5) years of 
known advocacy in the consumer sector he represents.
If, at any time during his appointment, the Consumer Group Representative 
ceases to be a bona fide member of his respective consumer group through expulsion, 
resignation, or any manner of removal sanctioned by its organizational by-laws, the 
position of Consumer Group Representative shall automatically be declared vacant and 
shall be filled up accordingly by initiating the appointment process as herein provided.
Sec. 6. Appointing Authority. - The President of the Republic of the Philippines 
shall choose from a list submitted by the affected sector of the concerned Board.
Sec. 7. Impiementing Ruies and Reguiations. - The Department of Budget and 
Management (DBM) and the government regulatory agencies as enumerated under 
Section 4 of this Act shall formulate and issue the necessary implementing rules and 
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within sixty (60) days after the 
effectivity of this Act. .
Sec. 8. Separabiiity Cause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting.
Sec. 9. Repeaiing Cause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly.
Sec. 10. Effectivity Cause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,