ANNEX 3: New Legislation and Highlights
Laws Short Title
RA 9523 An Act Requiring Certification
Of The Department Of Social
Welfare And Development
(DSWD) To Declare A "Child
Legally Available For Adoption"
As A Prerequisite For Adoption
Proceedings, Amending For
This Purpose Certain Provisions
Of Republic Act No. 8552,
Otherwise Known As The
Domestic Adoption Act Of 1998,
Republic Act No. 8043,
Otherwise Known As The Inter-
Country Adoption Act Of 1995,
Presidential Decree No. 603,
Otherwise Known As The Child
And Youth Welfare Code, And
For Other Purposes
RA 9775, Anti-Child Pornography Act of
2009
RA 9858 An Act Providing For The
Legitimation Of Children Born
To Parents Below Marrying
Age, Amending For The Purpose
The Family Code Of The
Philippines, As Amended
RA 10028 Expanded Breastfeeding
Promotion Act
RA 10152 Mandatory Infants and Children
Health Immunization Act of
2011
RA 10157 Kindergarten Education Act
Description
Requires the certification of the DSWD to
declare a child legally available for adoption.
This removes the need for a judicial order,
streamlining and making the process less
tedious for would be parents and orphaned
and abandoned children.
Criminalizes and provides for penalties for
child pornography. The law also provides
duties for internet services providers, internet
content hosts, as well as owners and
operators of establishments such as malls and
other businesses.
Provides for legitimation of children born to
parents below marrying age, removing the
stigma of being an illegitimate child.
Mandatory lactation stations for health
institutions. Also, Nursing employees are
granted break intervals in addition to the
regular time-off for meals to breastfeed or
express milk.
Provides for the immunization of all infants
and children for several vaccine preventable
diseases. This shall be free at any
government hospital or health center up to
the age of five.
Makes kindergarten compulsory and
mandatory, and as an integral part of the
 Laws Short Title
RA 10165 Foster Care Act of 2012
RA 10175 Cybercrime Prevention Act of
2012
RA 10354 Responsible Parenthood and
Reproductive Health Act of 2012
RA 10364 Expanded Anti-Trafficking in
Persons Act of 2012
RA 10410 Early Years Act of 2013
RA 10533 Enhanced Basic Education Act
of 2013
RA 10627 Anti-Bullying Act of 2013
RA 10630 An Act Strengthening The
Juvenile Justice System In The
Philippines, Amending For The
Purpose Republic Act No. 9344,
Otherwise Known As The
Description
basic education system.
Mandates a system that provides an
alternative family for children who are
neglected, abused, surrendered, dependent,
abandoned, under sociocultural difficulties,
or with special needs.
Provides as one of its offenses child
pornography, imposing a higher penalty in
addition to that provided in the Anti-Child
Pornography Act.
Provides for access to family planning,
improvement of health care facilities, and
age and development appropriate
reproductive health education.
Expands the definition of acts that constitute
trafficking, punishes attempted trafficking
(inparticular of children, increases the
penalties for violations, imposes additional
penalties for government agents involved in
trafficking, and strengthens the Inter-Agency
Council Against Trafficking (IACAT),
among others.
Strengthens the early childhood care and
development system. It provided for
additional funding and the strengthening of
the implementing agencies, particularly the
Early Child Care and Development Council.
Institutionalizes the K+12 education program
of the government, where schooling starts at
5 years old, and kindergarten is made
mandatory for entry into Grade 1.
Curriculum development and hiring of new
teachers was mandated. This is to align the
Philippine education system with other
global and Southeast Asian counterparts
Mandates all elementary and secondary
schools to adopt anti-bullying policies and
mechanisms to address the same, including
cyber bullying.
Strengthened and enhanced the Juvenile
Justice and Welfare Act by placing the JJWC
under the DSWD. It established regional
JJWCs, provides clearer and more
appropriate procedures in handling cases of
 Laws Short Title
“Juvenile Justice And Welfare
Act Of 2006” And Appropriating
Funds Therefor
RA 10661 National Children’s Month Act
RA 10665 Open High School System Act
RA 10679 Youth Entrepreneurship Act
RA 10742 Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth
Council) Reform Act of 2015
RA 10821 Children’s Emergency Relief
and Protection Act
RA 9754 Anti-Torture Act of 2009
RA 10353 Anti-Enforced or Involuntary
Disappearance Act of 2012
Description
children in conflict with the law, and
increases the budgetary allocations for the
JJWC and the implementation of the Act
Declared November of every year as
National Children’s Month, in line with the
adoption of the CRC on November 20.
Provides for an alternative secondary
education program to provide access to
secondary education through the open
learning modality.
Establishes a youth entrepreneurship and
financial literacy program to be included in
all levels of education.
Allows youth 15-30 years old to be part of
the Katipunanng Kabataan(Youth
Assembly). Interestingly, the law includes an
anti-dynasty provision - as part of the
qualifications, it requires that members of the
council and assembly not be related within
the second degree of affinity or
consanguinity to any incumbent national,
regional, or local elected official at the city,
municipality, or barangay level. The law also
creates Youth Development Offices in all
local government units.
Formulates a Comprehensive Emergency
Program for Children for handling disasters
and other emergency situations to protect
children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and
support their immediate recovery, in line
with accepted and practiced international
humanitarian standards.
Criminalizes acts of torture committed by
persons in authority or agents of persons in
authority (i.e., law enforcers and
government), but not those committed by
private individuals. It also prohibits secret
detention facilities. It also mandates the
principle of non-refoulment.
Criminalizes enforced disappearances
committed by agents of the State, or those
acting on orders from an agent of the State. It
makes public all detention facilities, and
makes the right of access to communication
and to immediate release an absolute right.
 Laws Short Title Description
RA 10588 Palarong Pambansa Act of 2013 Establishes the Palarong Pambansa Board
that will develop and recommend programs
and policies that will promote the Palarong
Pambansa and increase public awareness of
the event, persuade schools to participate and
improve their performance in sports and
physical education, and encourage the LGUs
to support and promote the Palarong
Pambansa as the country’s premier sports
event;
RA 10612 Fast-Tracked S&T Scholarship Act that offers scholarships to deserving
Act of 2013 students in these courses in their third year of
undergraduate study, based on their
competitiveness and merit. It also offers
additional incentives to attract the graduates
of this scholarship program into teaching
science, mathematics and technology courses
in a public or private high school.
RA 10618 Rural Farm Schools Act Establishes rural farm schools that are free
from tuition and other school fees,
RA 10620 Toy and Game Safety Labeling Provides guidelines and rules on labeling of
Act of 2013 toys
RA 10648 An Act providing Scholarship Provides for any public high school student
Grants to Top Graduates of all who belongs to the top ten (10) bracket of
Public High Schools in State the graduating class to a scholarship grant
Universities and Colleges and within the requirements provided by law.
appropriating funds therefor
RA 10676 Student-Athletes Protection Act Grants guidelines for student athletes and
provides for permissible benefits and
incentives.