HOUSE YF REPRESENTATIVES

RECEIVED
one 08 AUG 2016

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS __). sive OA Ke
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )

First Regular Session ) BY: Tol

REGISTRATION UNIT
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | gil) s AND INDEX SERVICE

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No. 2588
EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill was originally introduced as House Bill No. 1056 during the 15" Congress
where it was approved by the Committee on Public Information and substituted by House Bill
No. 6709, approved on 2" reading, approved on 3” reading and was transmitted to the
Senate where it was not acted upon. It was re-flied during the 16” Congress where It was
once again approved by the House of Representatives.

This bill seeks to require the broadcast of television programs and showing of motion
pictures and other audio-visual presentation with closed caption and providing penalties of
Violation thereof to respond to the needs of the hearing impaired individual

Closed-caption is a method of captioning or subtiting of television, home video
programs and films for hearing-impaired of foreign language viewer without interfering with
the normal television picture and films, by coding caption as vertical interval data signal
which is decoded at the receiver and superimposed on the television picture or on films of
motion pictures.

With the advances of information technology and the relevance of television
programs, motion pictures, and other audio-visual presentation as tools of leaming, there is
a need to enable persons with hearing impairments to take advantage of such technology
and enjoy audio-visual entertainments with their seemingly unbounded innovations.

This proposed measure aims to address such need by making it compulsory for all
franchise holders of operators of television stations, producers of television programs, home
video programs and motion pictures to have their programs and films broadcast with closed
captions.

In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Mf).

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES }
First Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

duced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No, 2983

AN ACT
REQUIRING THE USE OF FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE INSETS FOR LOCAL NEWS
PROGRAMS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 22 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO.
7277, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “MAGNA CARTA FOR PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES (PWDs)”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1, Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7277, as amended, otherwise known as the
"Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)’, is hereby further amended to read as
follows:

“SEC, 22, Broadcast Media. ~ ALL FREE-TO-AIR [T]Television stations [shall
be encouraged] ARE REQUIRED to provide [a] FILIPINO signf-Jianguage insets,
AND WHERE POSSIBLE, CLOSED CAPTIONS or subtitles in at least [one (1)]
TWO (2) newscast program$ a day and special programs covering events of
national significance.

“THE FREE-TO-AIR TELEVISION STATIONS MAY LIKEWISE OPT TO
PROVIDE FOR FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE INSETS IN OTHER PROGRAMS
SUCH AS THOSE PERTAINING TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS, LIVELIHOOD AND
THOSE CATERING TO CHILDREN.”

SEC.2. _ Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, letters of instruction, resolutions,
orders, ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 3. Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation

Approved,