CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES FOURTEENTH CONGRESS Third Regular Session } SB No., _ _-,,3,,--,S,,-'·;:...:'1=-'_ 10 JAN 27 P5 :41 Prepared by the Committees on Cultural Communities; and Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development with Senators Trillanes IV, Villar, Madrigal and Cayetano (P), as authors AN ACT PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS ON ACCOUNT OF ETHNIC ORIGIN AND/OR RELIGIOUS BELIEF Be it enacted by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall 2 b~ known as "The Anti-Racial and Religious Discrimination Act of 2008". 3 SEC. 2. Declaration ofPolicy. - It is the policy of the State to: 4 (a) Maintain peace and order, protect life, liberty and property, and promote the 5 general welfare for the enjoyment by all people the blessings of democracy; 6 (b) Promote a just and dyuamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and 7 independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide 8 adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living and an 9 improved quality oflife for all; 10 II (c) Recognize and promote the rights of indigenous cultural communities within the framework of national unity and development; and 12 (d) Give the highest priority to the enactment of measures that protect and enhance the 13 right of all the people to human dignity; reduce social, economic and political inequalities; 14 and remove cultural inequities by equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the I5 common good. 16 SEC. 3. Meaning of Discrimination. - The term "discrimination" as used in this Act 17 shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of ethnic origin or 18 religious affiliation or beliefs, which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the 19 recognition, enjoyment or exercise by them of their human rights and fundamental freedoms