FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENj.'W 
S.No. 
~o14 
(l 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago IAECfIV!;P HV' .•. ,,~-. 
. . 
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EXPL1\NATORYNOTE 
There is no law which prohibits government surveys from obtaining incriminatory 
information from minors on matters concerning the minor's family. 
This bill protects family privacy on matters such as political affiliations or beliefs, 
psychological problems, sexual behavior, religious beliefs, and privileged communications. 
However, it does not prevent the investigations pursuant to law or applications for membership 
or eligibility in organizations or programs.' 
~'-
4;l1;.c4'v--. . D "~ 
~ 
.MIRIAM DEF'\}SOR SAN¥i'ACf' -
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEN~W 
S. No. 
US 14 
, 
'" C 1;~ ! ;' ;',', 
"·l· 2' 1 
dU 
. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago Ii!:Gf'IVFD !W 
I 
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AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR PROTECTION OF FAMILY PRIVACY 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION I. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Family Privacy Protection 
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Act." 
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SECTION 2. D~finition of a Minor. - For the purpose of this Act, a minor shall mean a 
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child less than eighteen (18) years of age. 
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SECTION 3. Family Privacy Protection.-
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(A) Restriction on Seeking Information from Minors. - Notwithstanding any other 
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provision of law and subject to Section 6, in conducting a program or activity funded by the 
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government, a person may not, without the prior written consent of at least one parent or 
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guardian of a minor, require or otherwise seek the response of the minor to a survey 
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questionnaire which is intended to elicit, or has the effect of eliciting, information about the 
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minor's family concerning any of the following: 
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(1) Parental political affiliations or beliefs; 
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(2) Mental or psychological problems; 
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(3) Sexual Behavior or attitudes; 
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(4) Illegal, antisocial, or self-incriminating behavior; 
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(5) Appraisals of other individuals with whom the minor has a familial 
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relationship; 
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(6) Relationships that are legally recognized as privileged, including those with 
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lawyers, physicians and members of the clergy; 
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(7) Religious affiliations or beliefs. 
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(B) General Exceptions. - Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any ofthe following: 
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(I) Information for the purpose of a criminal investigation or adjudication; 
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(2) Inquiry made pursuant to a good faith concern for the health, safety, or 
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welfare of an individual minor; 
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(3) Administration of the immigration, internal revenue, or customs laws of the 
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Philippines; 
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(4) Information required by the law to determine eligibility for participation in an 
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organization, program or for receiving financial assistance; 
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(5) Academic performance tests except to the extent that questions in such tests 
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would require a minor to reveal information listed under paragraph (A) hereof. 
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SECTION 4. Notification Procedures. - The head of any department or agency of the 
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government which provides funds for any program or activity involving the gathering of 
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information from a minor to any surveyor questionnaire shall establish procedures by which the 
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department or agency shall notifY minors and their parents of protections provided under this 
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Act. The procedures shall also provide for advance public availability of each questionnaire or 
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survey to which a response from a minor is sought. 
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SECTION 5. Compliance. - The head of each government department or agency shall 
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establish such procedure necessary to ensure compliance with this Act. Nothing in this Act shall 
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be construed to foreclose any individual from obtaining judicial relief. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereo~ is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid 
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and subsisting. 
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• 
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SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
2 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. Eifoctivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
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