· , 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF Tl-IE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF TI-JE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 
2542 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PREVENT MAIL, TELEMARKETING, AND INTERNET FRAUD TARGETING 
SENIOR CITIZENS AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, SENIOR CITIZENS, 
THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR CAREGIVERS ABOUT HOW TO IDENTIFY AND 
COMBAT FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 15, Section 4 provides: "The family has the duty to care 
for its elderly members but the State may also do so through just programs of social 
security. " 
Each year millions of individuals in the United States are victims of financial 
exploitation, including mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud. Many of those who fall 
prey to such exploitation are seniors. 
It is reportedly difficult to estimate the prevalence of fraud that targets senior 
citizens because cases are severely underreported and national statistics on senior citizens 
fraud do not exist. 
According to a 2009 report by the MetLife Mature Market Institute, the annual 
financial loss by victims of senior financial abuse in the United States is estimated to be 
at least $2,600,000,000. 
Perpetrators of mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud allegedly frequently target 
senior citizens because they are otten vulnerable and trusting people. 


As victims of such fraudulent schemes, many senior citizens reportedly pay a 
financial cost, having been robbed of their hard-earned life savings, and frequently pay an 
emotional cost, losing their self-respect and dignity. 
A 2003 report by American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) allegedly 
found that, though the crime of telemarketing fraud is grossly underrcported among 
senior citizens who have been victims of such fraud, senior citizens who are properly 
counseled by trained peer volunteers are less likely to fall victim to fraudulent practices. 
Thus, consumer awareness is supposedly the best protection from fraud. 
Therefore, this bill seeks to prevent mail, telemarketing, and internet fraud targeting 
senior citizens and to educate the public, senior citizens, their families, and their 
caregivers about how to identify and combat fraudulent activity. 1 
~~ )~ 
MIRIAM DEF~:C;;SANTI/GO 
1f 
1 This bill was originally filed in the U.S. Senate by Senators Gillibrand and Kohl during (he I J th 
Congress, 1 st Session. 
' 
2 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
'!4 
DEC 22 P4 :15 
SENATE 
r I 
____ 
S._N_O_. __ 2_5_4_2 ______ 
I_U._: _1':_1. __ 
"'_' /LfY 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
TO PREVENT MAIL, TELEMARKETING, AND INTERNET FRAUD TARGETING 
3 
SENIOR CITIZENS AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, SENIOR CITIZENS, 
4 
THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR CAREGIVERS ABOUT HOW TO IDENTIfY AND 
5 
COMBAT FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY 
6 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Senior Financial 
7 
Empowerment Act." 
8 
SECTION 
2. 
Centralized Service for 
Consumer 
Education 
on 
Mail, 
9 
Telemarketing, and Internet Fraud Targeting Senior Citizens. -
10 
(1) Requirement. -
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), after 
11 
consultation with the Department of Justice, the Secretary of Health, and the 
12 
Postmaster General, shall: 
13 
(a) periodically disseminate to senior citizens, and families and caregivers 
14 
of senior citizens, general information on mail, telemarketing, and 
15 
Internet fraud targeting seniors, including descriptions of the most 
16 
common fraud schemes; 
17 
(b) periodically disseminate to senior citizens, and families and caregivers. 
18 
of seniors, information on methods available to report fraud targeting 
19 
seniors, such as: 


1 
(i) referring complaints to law enforcement agencies, including the 
2 
Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of 
3 
Investigation; and 
4 
(ii) calling a telephone number established by the DTI for reporting 
5 
mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud; 
6 
( c) in response to a specific request by a party to the DTI inquiring about 
7 
any history of fraud committed by a particular entity or individual, 
8 
provide to such party any publically available information on any record 
9 
of law enforcement action for fraud against such entity or individual by 
10 
the DTI, and by any other agency that reports such actions to the DTI; 
11 
and 
12 
(d) maintain a Website to serve as a resource for information for senior 
13 
citizens, and families and caregivers of senior citizens, regarding mail, 
14 
telemarketing, and Internet fraud targeting senior citizens. 
15 
(2) Procedures and Commencement . . - The DTI shall establish and implement 
16 
procedures to carry out the requirements of paragraph (1), including 
17 
procedures: 
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(a) with respect to the frequency and mode of dissemination of information; 
19 
and 
20 
(b) that provide for the implementation of the requirements of such 
21 
paragraph not later than one year after the date of the effectivity of this 
22 
Act. 
23 
SECTION 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be declared 
24 
unconstitutional, any other provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and 
25 
effect. 
2 


1 
SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, 
2 
or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
3 
SECTION 5. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
4 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of genera! circulation. 
Approved, 
/fIdpdec20 14 
3