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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Second Regular Session
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SENATE
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Introduced by Senator Manny Villar
AN ACT
PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS ON ACCOUNT OF
ETHNIC ORIGIN AND/OR RELIGIOUS BELIEF
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short TitZe. - This act shall be known as ”The Anti-Discrimination
Act of 2008.”
SECTION 2. Deciaration ofPoiicy, - It is the policy of the State to:
a) Maintain peace and order, protect life, liberty, and property, and promote the
general welfare for the enjoyment by all people the blessings of democracy;
b) Promote a just and dynamic social order that will insure the prosperity and
independence of the nation and free the people from poverty though policies
that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising
standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all;
c) Recognize and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities within
the framework of national unity and development;
d) Give highest priority to the enactment of measures that protect and enhance the
right of all the people to human dignity, reduce social, economic, and political
inequalities, and remove cultnral inequities by equitably diffusing wealth and
political power for the common good.
SECTION 3. Meaning of Discrimination. - The term “discrimination” as used
in this Act shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of ethnic
origin or religious affiliation or beliefs, which has the effect or purpose of impairing or
nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by them of their human rights and
fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field,
especially including but not limited to, employment, livelihood, housing, education and
basic services.
SECTION 4. De$nition of Terms.1) Ethnic origin includes race, national origin and ethnolinguistics origin.
a. Indigenous People shall, as provided under Section 3(h), Chapter I1 of
Republic Act No. 8371 otherwise known as “The Indigenous People’s Rights
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