Too Busy to Read? Here's a Summary of 8 New Laws in the Philippines
The photo above was posted by ABS-CBN News as part of its public service. The news report introduces the article, thus: "Out of 40 national laws to have passed through the 16th congress, 36 lapsed into law from July 17 to 22 after former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and President Rodrigo Duterte neither signed nor vetoed the bills. Here are new, interesting laws that stood out: xxx." (LOOK: 8 new, interesting laws in the Philippines; ABS-CBN News; Posted at Aug 04 2016 06:52 PM | Updated as of Aug 05 2016 02:56 AM) Below are summaries of what these new laws provide.1. RA 10913
Drivers of moving vehicles, including those stopped temporarily at a red light, are not allowed to use mobile communication devices (texting or calling) or use any electronic entertainment or computing device.
2. RA 10916
No closed van, hauler or cargo trailer, PUV, shuttle service, or tanker truck shall operate, shall be allowed to run in any road, street or highway in the Philippines or allowed to be registered with the LTO without a standard speed limiter in accordance with the standards and specifications approved by the DOTC.
3. RA 10910
When you violate the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the People, represented by the government, have twenty (20) years to hunt you down.
4. RA 10909
It shall be unlawful for any business establishment to shortchange a consumer, even if such change is only of a small amount. Nothing under the law shall be construed as a restriction for business establishments to give an amount greater than the sufficient change. 5. RA 10883
Carnapping is the taking, with intent to gain, of a motor vehicle belonging to another without the latter’s consent, or by means of violence against or intimidation of persons, or by using force upon things.
Any person who is found guilty of carnapping shall, regardless of the value of the motor vehicle taken, be punished by imprisonment for not less than twenty (20) years and one (1) day but not more than thirty (30) years, when the carnapping is committed without violence against or intimidation of persons, or force upon things; and by imprisonment for not less than thirty (30) years and one (1) day but not more than forty (40) years, when the carnapping is committed by means of violence against or intimidation of persons, or force upon things; and the penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed when the owner, driver, or occupant of the carnapped motor vehicle is killed or raped in the commission of the carnapping.
Any person charged with carnapping or when the crime of carnapping is committed by criminal groups, gangs or syndicates or by means of violence or intimidation of any person or persons or forced upon things; or when the owner, driver, passenger or occupant of the carnapped vehicle is killed or raped in the course of the carnapping shall be denied bail when the evidence of guilt is strong.
6. RA 10905
All franchise holders or operators of television stations and producers of television programs are required to provide closed captions option in the broadcast of their programs including newscast, news programs and pre-scripted programs.
7. RA 10911
It shall be unlawful for an employer to: (1) Print or publish, or cause to be printed or published, in any form of media, including the internet, any notice of advertisement relating to employment suggesting preferences, limitations, specifications, and discrimination based on age;(2) Require the declaration of age or birth date during the application process; (3) Decline any employment application because of the individual's age; (4) Discriminate against an individual in terms of compensation, terms and conditions or privileges of employment on account of such individual's age; (5) Deny any employee's or worker's promotion or opportunity for training because of age; (6) Forcibly lay off an employee or worker because of old age; or (7) Impose early retirement on the basis of such employee's or worker's age.
It shall also be unlawful for a labor contractor or subcontractor, if any, to refuse to refer for employment or otherwise discriminate against any individual because of such person's age. (c) It shall be unlawful for a labor organization to: (1) Deny membership to any individual because of such individual's age; (2) Exclude from its membership any individual because of such individual's age; or (3) Cause or attempt to cause an employer to discriminate against an individual in violation of this Act. (d) It shall be unlawful for a publisher to print or publish any notice of advertisement relating to employment suggesting preferences, limitations, specifications, and discrimination based on age.
8. RA 10906
It shall be unlawful for any person, whether natural or juridical, to commit, directly or indirectly, any of the following acts; (a) Engage in any business or scheme for money, profit, material, economic or other consideration which has for its purpose the matching or offering of a Filipino to a foreign national for marriage or common law partnership on a mail-order basis or through personal introduction, email, or websites on the internet; (b) Exhibit, advertise, publish, print, or distribute, or cause the exhibition, advertisement, publication, printing, or distribution of brochures, flyers, or propaganda materials which are calculated to promote the prohibited acts in the preceding paragraph, or to post, advertise, or upload such materials through websites on the internet; (c) Solicit, enlist, or in any manner, attract or induce any Filipino to become a member in any club or association whose objective is to match Filipino nationals to foreign nationals for the purpose of marriage or common law partnership for a fee; and (d) To use the postal service or any website on the internet to promote the prohibited acts under this section. The above notwithstanding, legitimate dating websites, which have for their purpose connecting individuals with shared interests in order to cultivate personal and dating relationships, are not covered by this Act.
