Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 1827)
The main purpose of Republic Act No. 1827 is to regulate lobbying in the Congress of the Philippines and the Commission on Appointments by prohibiting corrupt or undesirable methods, promoting high ethical standards, preventing harassing or unethical practices, and providing for the licensing of lobbyists and the suspension or revocation of such licenses.
Corrupt means include directly offering or receiving money, property, or anything of value conditioned on the passage or defeat of any measure before Congress without disclosing one's real interest in the measure to the members of Congress.
Offenders can be punished by imprisonment of not more than two years, a fine not exceeding five thousand pesos, or both.
Lobbying is defined as the practice of promoting or opposing the introduction or passage of legislation before either House of Congress or its committees, or promoting or opposing the confirmation of any pending appointment before the Commission on Appointments or its committees.
Any person of legal age and good moral character who is a citizen of the Philippines and follows the application and approval process may be licensed as a lobbyist.
A license is valid until December 31 of the year it is issued and requires a license fee of seventy-five pesos.
No person shall be employed as a lobbyist with compensation dependent upon the passage or defeat of legislation or upon the confirmation or rejection of appointments.
Lobbyists must file a sworn statement of expenses incurred during lobbying activities within ten days after the end of each calendar month of any session of Congress with the Secretaries of both Houses or the Secretary of the Commission on Appointments.
Failure to file reports can result in a fine of up to one thousand pesos or imprisonment of up to six months or both; filing a false statement can result in a fine between one thousand to five thousand pesos or imprisonment from six months to two years, or both.
Only duly licensed lobbyists whose names appear on the docket may practice lobbying; lobbying for hire based on contingency fees is prohibited; and written or printed arguments must be deposited with the Secretaries within five days of delivery to Congress members.
A license may be suspended or revoked upon verified complaint of unprofessional conduct, procuring the license by fraud or deceit, or error, after due process and court judgment.
Every principal employing a lobbyist must cause the lobbyist’s name to be entered in the docket within one week and file a detailed statement of expenses related to lobbying within thirty days after sine die adjournment of Congress.
Persons acting as lobbyists without being licensed are fined between five hundred to ten thousand pesos and disbarred from acting as lobbyists for three years from the date of conviction.
Persons who lobby solely by appearing before committees during regular sessions or by public addresses, newspaper publications, or written statements registered in committee records are not required to be licensed or pay fees.
Any payment or agreement to pay for such published articles must be reported by the owner or publisher of the publication to the Secretaries within ten days after publication; failure to comply incurs a fine from five hundred to ten thousand pesos.