FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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13 :J? :fl 3 
Second Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 24 provides that: 
SEC. 24. The State recognizes the vital role of communication and 
information in nation building. 
As we head deeper into the Information Age it is imperative that our government 
maintain a cohesive working system bound together by a single time reference. Section 4 (c) of 
the Presidential Decree No. 78, as amended, designated the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical 
and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has been designated as the official time 
service agency of the Philippines. However such designation still failed to solve the problem of 
having multiple conversion and interpretation of time across our country, leading to 
inefficiencies in various services and processes. Though available, government offices still resort 
to different sources of time reference when observing their own schedules. In several occasions, 
difference in time had lead to unnecessary friction brought about by disparate interpretation of 
the schedules and their observance. 
A definite time reference such as the Philippines Standard Time (PST) would remove 
these inefficiencies brought about by the different interpretation of time, particularly among 
government offices. By enjoining all government offices to subscribe to the PST, all citizens 
would eventually follow suit and observe the same time reference in order to be able to avail of 
time-based government services. 


This bill seeks to establish statutorily the PST, mandate PAGASA to disseminate this 
information and enjoin all government offices to observe PST. By doing so, we would be able to 
synchronize government functions by having a unified time reference system. 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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AUG 13 1’2 ~ j j  
Second Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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GOVERNMENT OFFICES 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE STANDARD TIME TO BE OBSERVED IN ALL 
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Congress assembled: 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of representatives of the Philippines in 
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2008.” 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “One Time Philippines Act of 
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SECTION 2. Philippine Standard Time. - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and 
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) shall responsible for the establishment and 
maintenance of the Philippine Standard Time (PST). 
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SECTION 3. Dissemination - PAGASA shall provide for a system of disseminating the 
PST to all government offices on a regular basis. 
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SECTION 4. Use of PST. - All government agencies and instrumentalities, and local 
government offices, government-owned corporations and local government units are enjoined to 
maintain and observe their schedules using the PST. Socio-civic groups, non-government 
organizations and the private sector are exhorted to observe PST. 
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SECTION 5. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
hereby necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. 
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valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. Eflectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
/apm080808 
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