BSA-5103

SECTION 7. Independent Foreign Policy

 R.A. 8042 – Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995. An act to institute the policies of
overseas employment and establish a higher standard of protection and promotion of the welfare of
migrant workers, their families and overseas Filipinos in distress, and for other purposes. In the pursuit
of an independent foreign policy, and while considering national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national
interest and the right to self-determination paramount in its relations with other states, the State shall,
at all times, uphold the dignity of its citizens whether in the country or overseas, in general, and Filipino
migrant workers, in particular, continuously monitor international conventions, adopt/be signatory to and
ratify those that guarantee protection to our migrant workers, and endeavor to enter into bilateral
agreements with countries receiving overseas Filipino workers.

SECTION 9. Social Justice

 R.A. 9994 - Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. It is an act granting additional benefits and
privileges to senior citizens. Agencies involved are Department of Health, Department of Finance
(through Bureau of Internal Revenue), Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Labor and
Employment, Department of Education and Department of Social Welfare and Development. The
beneficiaries of this act are all senior citizens of the Philippines who are defined in the act as Filipino
citizens who are a resident of the Philippines, and are sixty (60) years old and above.

SECTION 11. Respect for Human Rights

 R.A. 9775 - Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009. It is an act defining the crime of child pornography,
prescribing penalties therefor and for other purposes. R.A. 9775 aims to protect every child from the
use of a child in pornographic performances and materials, and the inducement of coercion of a child
to engage or be involved in pornography through whatever means. Under R.A. 9775, the Inter-Agency
Council against Child Pornography was created. It is the council created to develop and implement the
necessary programs that will prevent any form of child pornography as well as protect, heal, and
reintegrate the child into the mainstream of society.

SECTION 13. Youth in Nation Building

 R.A. 10931 - Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017. The Universal Access to
Quality Tertiary Education Act is a law in the Philippines that institutionalises free tuition and exemption
from other fees in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs) in the
Philippines. The law also foresees subsidies also for private higher education institutions. It is intended
to give underprivileged Filipino students a chance to earn a college degree. It has the full title “An Act
Promoting Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education by Providing for Free Tuition and Other
School Fees in State Universities and Colleges, Local Universities and Colleges and State-Run
Technical Vocational Institutions, Establishing the Tertiary Education Subsidy and Student Loan
Program, Strengthening the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education and
Appropriating Funds”.

SECTION 14. Role of Women

 R.A. 8504 - Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998. An act promulgating policies and
prescribing measures for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in the Philippines, instituting a
nationwide HIV/AIDS information and educational program, establishing a comprehensive HIV/AIDS
monitoring system, strengthening the Philippine national aids council, and for other purposes. The
beneficiaries of this act are those persons suspected or known to be infected with HIV/AIDS and those
affected individuals and groups, including people living with HIV/AIDS positive.
 R.A. 9262 - Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Law. A special law that defines acts of
violence against women and their children, or VAWC; penalizes such acts; and provides protective
measures and remedies. Under RA 9262, VAW refers to "any act or a series of acts committed by any
person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or
had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child whether
legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which result in or is likely to result in
 BSA-5103

physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such acts,
battery, assault, coercion, harassment, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty".
 R.A. 9262 aims to value the dignity of women and children and guarantees full respect for human rights
and to recognize the need to protect the family and its members particularly women and children, from
violence and threats to their personal safety and security.

SECTION 15. Right to Health of the People

 R.A. 7875 - National Health Insurance Act of 1995. An act instituting a national health insurance
program for all Filipinos and establishing the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation for the purpose.
PhilHealth’s mandate is to provide health insurance coverage to all Filipinos. In partnership with Local
Government Units (LGUs), PhilHealth has enrolled millions of families who otherwise have no access
to health services. Since then, this program has been at the heart of PhilHealth’s program and now
forms the bulk of membership. To date, all families in the DSWD’s National Household Targeting
System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) are covered by PhilHealth.
 R.A. 7875 aims to provide all citizens of the Philippines with the mechanism to gain financial access to
health services, create the National Health Insurance Program, hereinafter referred to as the Program,
to serve as the means to help the people pay for health care services, prioritize and accelerate the
provision of health services to all Filipinos, especially that segment of the population who cannot afford
such services and establish the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, hereinafter referred to as the
Corporation, that will administer the Program at central and local levels.

SECTION 17. Priority to Education

 R.A. 7687 - Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994. RA 7687 provides for scholarships
to talented and deserving students whose families’ socio-economic status do not exceed the set cut-off
values of certain indicators. Qualifiers must pursue priority fields of study in the basic sciences,
engineering, other applied sciences, and science and mathematics teaching.
 The applicant must be a member of the top five percent (5%) of the high school graduating class,
regardless of gender, religion, and cultural affiliation, a resident of the municipality for the last four (4)
years prior to availing of the scholarship, as attested by the school records and of good moral character
and in good health.

SECTION 18. The Right to Labor

 R.A. 11058 - Occupational Safety and Health Standard. An act strengthening compliance with
occupational safety and health standard and providing penalties for violations thereof. This act aims to
ensure a safe and healthful workplace for all working people by affording them full protection against
hazards in their work environment and to minimize work-related death and accidents.

SECTION 20. Role of Private Sectors and SECTION 9. Social Justice

 R.A. 11055 - Philippine Identification System Act. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
establish a single national identification system referred to as the "Philippine Identification System" or
the "PhiISys" for all citizens and resident aliens of the Republic of the Philippines to promote seamless
delivery of service, to improve the efficiency, transparency, and targeted delivery of public and social
services, to enhance administrative governance, to reduce corruption and curtail bureaucratic red tape,
to avert fraudulent transactions and misrepresentations, to strengthen financial inclusion, and to
promote ease of doing business. It is also the declared policy of the State to recognize the indispensable
role of the private sector and to provide the most appropriate incentives to mobilize private resources
for the purpose of promoting the use and ensuring maximum efficiency of the PhilSys as envisioned in
this Act. The PhilSys shall primarily be established to provide a valid proof of identity for all citizens and
resident aliens as a means of simplifying public and private transactions. The PhilSys aims to eliminate
the need to present other forms of identification when transacting with the government and the private
sector, subject to appropriate authentication measures based on a biometric identification system.
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SECTION 23. Non-governmental Organizations

 R.A. 10693 - Microfinance NGOs Act. This is an act strengthening nongovernment organizations
(NGOs) engaged in microfinance operations for the poor. It is hereby declared the policy of the State
to pursue a program of poverty eradication wherein poor Filipino families shall be encouraged to
undertake entrepreneurial activities to meet their minimum basic needs including income security.
Towards this end, the State recognizes the indispensable role of nongovernment organizations (NGOs)
in fostering local enterprise development and social entrepreneurship, including the provision of
microfinance services to microenterprises. In pursuance of this policy, the State shall support and work
in partnership with qualified NGOs in promoting financially inclusive and pro-poor financial and credit
policies and mechanisms, such as microfinance and its allied services.

SECTION 24. Role of Communication and Information in Nation Building

 R.A. 10929 - An Act Establishing the Free Internet Access Program in Public Places in the
Country and Appropriating Funds Therefor. Under the new law, free Internet must be provided in
national and local government offices; public basic education institutions; state universities and
colleges; public hospitals and health centers; public parks, plazas, and libraries; public airports and
seaports; and public transport terminals. The free Internet service will also be separate from the service
for computer systems in government offices. Technical solutions that may limit or restrict access may
only be employed when there is clear and present risk or breach. Access to pornographic websites
shall be prohibited under the free Internet program. Government standards will also be established to
protect the rights and welfare of children. The Department of Information and Communications
Technology (DICT) has also been designated as lead agency to oversee the effective and efficient
implementation of the law.

SECTION 25. Autonomy of Local Government

 R.A. 7160 - Local Government Code of 1991. The Code, it added, will provide “a system of
decentralization with effective mechanisms of recall, initiative, and referendum, allocate among the
different local government units their powers, responsibilities, and resources, and provide for the
qualifications, election, appointment and removal, term, salaries, powers and functions and duties of
local officials, and all other matters relating to the organization and operation of the local units.” This
Code establishes the system and defines powers of provincial, city, municipal and barangay
governments in the Philippines. It provides for a more responsive local government structure instituted
through a system of decentralization whereby Local Government Units are delegated more powers,
authority, responsibilities and resources.

SECTION 27. Honesty and Integrity in the Government

 R.A. 9485 - Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007. An act to Improve Efficiency in the Delivery of Government
Service to the Public by reducing Bureaucratic Red Tape. Preventing Graft and Corruption, and
providing penalties therefor. This project aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local
government units in their delivery of basic public goods and services to the public through anti-red tape
practices, thus preventing graft and corruption in their respective jurisdiction. Specifically, it intends to
provide an orientation on the anti-red tape law and its contextualization in the local government units;
know and improve the LGUs’ existing systems and procedures; set up respective Citizen’s Charter to
serve as the LGU service standard in a manner as provided by the Anti-Red tape Act; and provide
venues for lawful enforcement through citizen’s feedback and alliance building within the community
and the corruption watchdog groups.