1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by REP. BERNADETTE “DETTE” G. ESCUDERO 
AN ACT  
MODERNIZING AND RIGHTSIZING PAROLE AND PROBATION 
ADMINISTRATION (PPA) AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Probation was first introduced in the country through Act No. 4221 in 1935 
during the American colonial period but was later declared unconstitutional. Several 
subsequent initiatives sought to reestablish a probation system, culminating in the 
enactment of Presidential Decree No. 968, or the Adult Probation Law of 1976, which 
created the Probation Administration. The agency’s mandate was later expanded 
through Executive Order No. 292, or the Administrative Code of 1987, which renamed 
it the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA) and entrusted with it the supervision 
of parolees and conditional pardon grantees. 
In line with the ongoing efforts to strengthen the justice and parole system, 
this measure seeks to modernize and enhance the PPA by expanding its core functions 
and formalizing its organizational structure to improve efficiency, service delivery and 
accountability. It further aims to broaden the agency’s mandate beyond administering 
parole and probation to include supervision and rehabilitation of various categories of 
offenders. The measure also institutionalizes the development and implementation of 
correctional and rehabilitation programs, as well as the establishment of offices in all 
provinces and cities, to ensure nationwide access to these reform initiatives.  
The consideration of this measure is earnestly sought. 
HON. BERNADETTE “DETTE” G. ESCUDERO 
Representative 
1st District, Sorsogo
August 5, 2025
5:10 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by REP. BERNADETTE “DETTE” G. ESCUDERO 
AN ACT  
MODERNIZING AND RIGHTSIZING PAROLE AND PROBATION 
ADMINISTRATION (PPA) AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF 
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 Parole and Probation 
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Administration (PPA) Modernization Act. 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the Stale to improve the quality 
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of life of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) by ensuring their productive reintegration into 
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the community. 
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It is also the state's policy to promote and improve the social, moral, and economic 
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well-being, living, and working conditions of Parole and Probation Officers. To this end, 
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the State shall provide the resources needed for the enhancement, implementation, 
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maintenance, and continual improvement of the parole, probation, and other community-
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based rehabilitation and reintegration programs of PDLs. 
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SEC. 3. General Mandate. The PPA shall be the principal government agency 
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mandated to implement community-based correction and rehabilitation programs for 
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probationers, parolees, and conditional pardonees. It shall also provide opportunities for 
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their reformation and reintegration, instill among them a greater sense of responsibility, 
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and prevent repeat commission of offenses. It is also mandated to promote, subject to 
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appropriate safeguards and standards, the utilization of non-custodial alternatives to 
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incarceration, and foster greater community involvement in the treatment of offenders. 
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SEC. 4. Specific Functions of the Parole and Probation Administration. The 
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PPA, hereinafter referred to as the Administration, shall have the following functions: 
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(1) Administer the parole and probation system;
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(2) Conduct investigations on the following:
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a. Applications for probation as referred by the courts;
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b. Applications for parole and executive clemency as referred by the Board of 
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Pardons and Parole, and 
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c. Applications for probation by first-time minor drug offenders. 
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(3) Exercise general supervision over the following:  
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a. Probationers;  
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b. Parolees; 
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c. Conditional pardonees;  
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d. First-time minor drug offenders placed on probation;  
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e. Children-in-Conflict with the law (CiCLs) placed on probation as an 
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alternative to imprisonment; and  
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f. Persons serving community service in lieu of imprisonment. 
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(4) Monitor and evaluate the activities of persons released on recognizance; 
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(5) Design, develop, and implement correction and rehabilitation programs 
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that address criminogenic risks of offenders under its supervision;  
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(6) Act as representative of the Dangerous Drugs Board in voluntary 
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confinement cases;  
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(7) Exercise control and supervision over Volunteer Probation Assistants; and 
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(8) Such other functions as may hereafter be provided by law. 
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SEC. 5. Structural Organization. The PPA officials and its respective units shall 
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retain and continue to perform the powers and functions as provided under existing law, 
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in addition to the following new and supplementary duties: 
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(1) The Administration shall be headed by an Administrator who shall 
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immediately be assisted by two Deputy Administrators: one (1) Deputy 
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Administrator for Operations and one (1) Deputy Administrator for Administration. 
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The Administrator and Deputy Administrators shall be appointed by the President 
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upon the recommendation of the Secretary.  
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The Administrator shall have the rank, salaries, allowances, and retirement 
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privileges of a Director VI. The Deputy Administrators shall have the rank, salaries, 
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allowances, and retirement privileges of a Director V. 
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The appointees to the positions of Administrator and Deputy Administrators 
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must be Filipino citizens, at least thirty-five years of age, holders of a 
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doctoral/master's degree in public administration, or holders of a master's degree 
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or its equivalent in either criminology, social work, corrections, penology, 
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psychology, sociology, public administration, law, police science, police 
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administration, or related fields as may be determined by the Administrator and 
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should have at least five years of supervisory experience or be a member of the 
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Philippine Bar with at least five years of supervisory experience.  
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(2) The Administration shall have the following administrative units in the 
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Central Office to be headed by a Director who shall have the rank, salaries, 
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allowances, and retirement privileges of a Director II with qualification requirements 
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based on general Civil Service Commission (CSC) qualification standards, namely:  
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a) Administrative Service- to be responsible for the provision of 
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economical, efficient and effective services relating to personnel policy and 
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administration, conduct of personnel training and development programs, 
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development and implementation of strategic communications and public 
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information programs, procurement and supplies management, general 
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services pertaining to mailing, transportation, security and utility services, 
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and cashiering.  
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b) Financial and Management Service- to be responsible for the 
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budgetary, financial, and management matters of the PPA, including, but not 
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limited to development, implementation, and improvement of budgetary 
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methods and procedures, preparation, and submission of financial reports to 
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management and oversight agencies, maintaining basic and subsidiary 
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accounting records and books, and development of new and improved 
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management systems and staffing standards and manpower requirements of 
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the agency. 
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c) Planning Service- to be responsible for the provision of services 
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relating to the formulation of strategic and annual operational plans and 
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programs, consolidation and assessment of work and financial plans and 
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accomplishment reports, and monitoring and evaluation including 
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compilation, analysis, and integration of statistical data on operations and 
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program implementation to aid management in policy and decision making. 
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d) Legal Service- to be responsible for the provision of legal advice, 
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opinion, counsel and other legal services to the agency, including the 
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interpretation of laws and rules affecting the operations of the agency, 
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preparation, review, and interpretation of contracts and instruments to which 
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the agency is a party, assist in the promulgation of rules governing the 
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agency.  
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e) Technical Service- to be responsible as the arm of the agency to 
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the Board of Pardons and Parole particularly in administering the conduct of 
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pre parole executive clemency investigations, and supervision of parolees 
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and conditional pardonees. It will also be primarily responsible for the 
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evaluation and management of reports on applicants for Parole/Executive 
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Clemency.  
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f) Rehabilitation Program Management Service- to be responsible for 
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the formulation of policies and development of plans for the agency's 
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community-based rehabilitation and reintegration program and lead the 
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conduct of research, monitoring, and evaluation for effective and efficient 
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implementation and continual improvement. It will also ensure the 
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strengthened community involvement in the rehabilitation of clients and 
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generation and mobilization of resources.  
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g) Information Technology and Case Management Service- to be 
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responsible for formulating and developing ICT plans and programs that 
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support the agency's effective and efficient delivery of parole and probation 
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services and provide information management and technology solutions and 
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technical assistance to the various units of the agency. It will also provide 
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technical assistance to field offices in improving investigation and 
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supervision, caseload recording and casework services and manage case 
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documents of the clients. The Administrator and the Department of Budget 
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and Management (DBM) shall jointly determine the staff complement of each 
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service.  
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(3) The Administration shall continue to operate and maintain a regional 
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office in each of the administrative regions, including the National Capital Region, 
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and a probation and parole office in every province and city of the country. The 
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Regional Offices shall maintain the same aforementioned administrative units in 
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Section 5 of this Act, placed under the direct supervision of the Regional Director. 
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The regional offices of the Administration shall each be headed by a Regional 
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Director who shall immediately be assisted by an Assistant Regional Director. The 
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Regional Director and Assistant Regional Director shall be appointed by the 
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President. The appointees to the positions of Regional and Assistant Regional 
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Directors must be Filipino citizens, at least thirty years of age, holders of a 
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doctoral/master's degree in public administration, or holders of a master's degree 
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or its equivalent in either criminology, social work, corrections, penology, 
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psychology, sociology, public administration, law, police science, police 
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administration, or related fields as may be determined by the Administrator and 
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should have at least three years of supervisory experience or be a member of the 
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Philippine Bar with at least three years of supervisory experience.  
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A Regional Director shall have the rank, salaries, allowances, and retirement 
34 
privileges equivalent to the Salary Grade of a Director IV. An Assistant Regional 
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Director shall have the rank, salaries, allowances, and retirement privileges 
36 
equivalent to the Salary Grade of Director II.  
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(4) The Administration shall continue to operate and maintain its existing 
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offices prior to the enactment of this Act and create additional Parole and Probation 
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Office in each province and city of the country which shall be headed by a Chief 
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Parole and Probation Officer who shall be assisted by a minimum number of field 
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assistants and subordinate personnel in accordance with the caseload:  
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(1) Supervising Parole and Probation Officer  
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(2) Senior Parole and Probation Officer  
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(3) Parole and Probation Officer l  
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(4) Parole and Probation Officer 
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(5) Administrative Assistant I; and  
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(6) Administrative Aide VI  
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The Chief Parole and Probation Officer shall be appointed by the Secretary 
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of Justice upon the recommendation of the Administrator. The Supervising Parole 
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and Probation Officer, Senior Parole and Probation Officer, Parole and Probation 
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Officer I, and Parole and Probation Officer I shall be appointed by the Administrator.  
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A Chief Parole and Probation Officer shall receive a salary equivalent to Salary 
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Grade 25. A Supervising Parole and Probation Officer shall receive a salary grade 
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equivalent to Salary Grade 23. A Senior Parole and Probation Officer shall receive a 
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salary grade equivalent to Salary Grade 21.  
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A Parole and Probation Officer l shall receive a salary grade equivalent to 
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Salary Grade 18. A Parole and Probation Officer I shall receive a salary equivalent 
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to Salary Grade 15.  
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The appointees to the positions of Chief Parole and Probation Officer must 
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be holders of a bachelor's degree with majors in social work, sociology, 
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psychology, criminology. penology, corrections, police science, police 
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administration, or related fields as may be determined by the Administration and 
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has at least four years of experience in work requiring any of the above-
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mentioned disciplines, or four years of progressively responsible experience in 
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probation work or is a member of the Philippine Bar with at least four years of 
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supervisory experience.  
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The appointees to the positions of Supervising Parole and Probation Officer 
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must be holders of a bachelor's degree with major in social work, sociology, 
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psychology, 
criminology, 
penology, 
corrections, 
police 
science, 
police 
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administration, or related fields as may be determined by the Administration and 
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has at least three years of experience in work requiring any of the above-mentioned 
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disciplines, or three years of progressively responsible experience in probation work 
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or is a member of the Philippine Bar with at least 3 years of supervisory experience.  
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The appointees to the positions of Senior Parole and Probation Officer must 
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be holders of a bachelor's degree with majors in social work, sociology. psychology. 
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criminology, penology, corrections, police science, police administration, or related 
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fields as may be determined by the Administration and has at least two years of 
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experience in work requiring any of the above-mentioned disciplines, or two years 
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of progressively responsible experience in probation work or is a member of the 
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Philippine Bar with at least four years of supervisory experience. 
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The appointees to the positions of Parole and Probation Officer Il must be 
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holders of a bachelor's degree with major in social work, sociology, psychology, 
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criminology, penology, corrections, police science, police administration, or related 
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fields as may be determined by the Administration and has at least one year of 
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experience in work requiring any of the above-mentioned disciplines, or one year of 
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progressively responsible experience in probation work or is a member of the 
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Philippine Bar with at least one year of supervisory experience.  
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The appointees to the positions of Parole and Probation Officer I must be 
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holders of a bachelor's degree with a major in social work, sociology, psychology, 
5 
criminology, penology, corrections, police science, police administration, or related 
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fields as may be determined by the Administration. 
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SEC. 6. Duties and Responsibilities of the Administrator. The Administrator 
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shall retain and continue to perform the powers and functions as provided under existing 
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law, in addition to the following new and supplementary duties: 
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(1) Act as the executive officer of the Administration; 
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(2) Exercise supervision and control over all regional directors, assistant regional 
15 
directors, and parole and probation officers; 
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(3) Make annual reports to the Secretary of Justice, in such form as the latter 
17 
may prescribe, concerning the operation, administration, and improvement of the 
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parole, probation, and other community-based corrections system within the 
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mandate of the Administration; 
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(4) Promulgate, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Justice, the necessary 
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rules relative to the methods and procedures of the probation process, supervision 
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methods and procedures of parolees and pardonees, and monitoring and/or 
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supervision process of other clients; 
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(5) Appoint personnel to all positions in the Administration in accordance with 
25 
law, except those positions whose power to appoint is vested by law to a higher 
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official following this Act; 
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(6) Generally perform such duties and exercise such powers as may be necessary 
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or incidental to achieve the objectives of this Decree. 
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SEC. 7. Duties and Responsibilities of the Deputy Administrator. The 
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Deputy Administrator shall retain and continue to perform the powers and functions as 
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provided under existing law, in addition to the following new and supplementary duties: 
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1. Deputy Administrator for Administration who shall oversee the 
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development and implementation of administrative plans, programs, and policies of 
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the Administration, including the management of day-to-day operations such as 
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planning, financial. organizational management, human resource management and 
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development and general administrative services.  
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2. Deputy Administrator for Operations who shall be responsible for the 
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formulation of operational policies, development and implementation of programs 
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related to the Administration's core functions and services, including the provision 
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of guidance to the Regional Directors and Chief of Field Offices. 
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SEC. 8. Provision of Additional Personnel. The PPA shall maintain a sufficient 
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staffing pattern that will ensure productive capacity of the agency in the performance of 
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its mandates in an efficient and timely manner. Hence, it is authorized to create additional 
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plantilla positions, as the need arises, to meet its manpower requirements, subject to the 
1 
approval of the DBM. 
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Upon approval of this Act, the DBM shall rationalize the existing organizational 
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structure and staffing pattern of the Parole and Probation Administration to ensure that 
5 
resources needed for the enhancement, implementation, maintenance, and continual 
6 
improvement of the systems and procedures of the Parole and Probation Administration 
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will be achieved for the benefit of the latter's clientele. 
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SEC. 9. Modernization and Rightsizing Funding. The amount of Five Pesos 
10 
(P500,000,000.00) for the operation and administration of the PPA shall be chargeable 
11 
against funds for the purpose and other sources recommended by the DBM. Thereafter, 
12 
appropriations for the PPA shall be included in the budget proposals under the DOJ. 
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The DBM shall rationalize the existing organizational structure and staffing pattern 
15 
of the PPA in accordance with the provisions of this Act and relevant Compensation and 
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position classification laws, rules, and regulations.  
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Thereafter, the amount needed for the continued implementation of the 
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modernization and rightsizing program shall be included in the annual General 
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Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 10. In-duty Hazardous Pay. A Probation and Parole Officer who performs 
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the duty of investigating, supervising, and implementing rehabilitation or reformation 
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programs for probationers, parolees, pardonees, and other clients shall be entitled to 
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hazardous pay calculated at the rate of the regular wage plus twenty (20) percent for all 
26 
periods on duty. The differential shall be applicable only during the time of exposure. 
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SEC. 11. Local Government Support. Subject to existing laws, issuances. rules, 
29 
and regulations, the PPA shall be authorized to receive from local government units 
30 
financial assistance and other forms of support such as honoraria. office space. furniture, 
31 
equipment, office supplies, and additional personnel Complement. 
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Sec. 12. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act or the application of 
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such provision to any person or circumstance is declared invalid, the remainder of the Act 
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or the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected 
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thereby. 
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Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, administrative issuances, rules and 
38 
regulations, and orders or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are deemed repealed or 
39 
modified accordingly.  
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Sec. 14. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the 
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completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of 
42 
general circulation, whichever comes first. 
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Adopted, 
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