Time helps organize society. Time binds people and places together. Time helps us make sense of our world.
Time is a vital component of our social, legal, political, religious, military and economic activity. By synchronizing the official watches and clocks in the entire archipelago, all of us Filipinos can sing the national anthem at the same time during flag ceremonies, welcome a new year in unison, blend time sensitive chemical mixtures like medicines and food ingredients and synchronize security locks and other devices, run air, land and sea transportation lines to the beat, trade stocks from around the world from opening to closing of the bell, execute military undertakings with precision, celebrate and pray together during Easter, Ramadan or eid’l fitr Like all other first world countries, we shall value punctuality and practice the use of our time wisely to be more productive at home, school and the workplace.
It is in this regard that this proposed measure seeks to establish a Philippine Standard Time.
Table of Contents
- Short title
- Display of the Philippine Standard Time
- Monitoring, Maintenance and Dissemination of the PST
- Procurement of Equipment for the Automatic Dissemination of Time
- Participation of Media
- Violations
- Information Campaign
- Institutionalization of the “National Time Consciousness Week”
- Appropriations
- Implementing Guidelines
- Separability Clause
- Repealing Clause
- Effectivity
AN ACT TO SET THE PHILIPPINE STANDARD TIME (PS7) IN ALL OFFICIAL SOURCES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SYNCHRONIZED TIME DEVICES TO BE DISPLAYED IN KEY PUBLIC PLACES AND TO DECLARE THE FIRST WEEK OF EVERY YEAR AS NATIONAL TIME CONSCIOUSNESS WEEK
Introduced by Representatives MAGTANGGOL T. GUNIGUNDO, MARIA ISABELA G. CLIMACO, MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS, VICTORINO DENNIS M. SOCRATES, CRESENTE C. PAEZ, RACHEL MARGUERITE B. DEL MAR and ANGELO B. PALMONES;
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled:
Section 1: Short Title
This Act shall be known as “The Philippine Standard Time (PST) Act of 2010.”
Section 2: Display of the Philippine Standard Time
All national and local government offices shall display the Philippine Standard Time (PST) on their official time devices, including Bundy clocks, in accordance with the official time being provided by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) using its network time protocol. All of these offices shall coordinate, at least once a month, with the PAGASA to synchronize their official timepieces and devices.
Section 3: Monitoring, Maintenance and Dissemination of the PST
The PAGASA’s ‘Time Service Unit, in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) shall be tasked to monitor, maintain and disseminate the PST throughout the country. PAGASA shall operate and maintain a timekeeping system to perform this functions and shall endeavor to install and maintain sufficiently large and prominently displayed synchronized time devices in all their field stations and in key public places.
Section 4: Procurement of Equipment for the Automatic Dissemination of Time
The procurement of equipment necessary for the automatic dissemination of time with global positioning system (GPS shall be in accordance with the provisions of R.A. No. 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act). The Department of Science and ‘Technology (DOST) shall be the procurement overseer of said equipment.
Section 5: Participation of Media
‘The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shall require the participation of all government and private television and radio stations in order to ensure that such synchronization can be undertaken even in the most remote parts of the country.
Section 6: Violations
For any violation of the provisions of this Act, the Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission or the duly authorized representative may apply to the appropriate Metropolitan Trial Courts or Municipal Circuit Trial Courts for the territorial jurisdiction in which such violation occurs for the enforcement of this Act; and such court shall have jurisdiction to enforce obedience thereto by writ of injunction or by other process, mandatory or otherwise, restraining further violations of this Act and enjoining obedienc thereto.
Owners of private television and radio stations who shall fail to calibrate and synchronize their time devices with PST during their broadcast shall upon conviction, be penalized with a fine of not less than Thirty Thousand Pesos (P30,000.00) but not more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) and in case of second offense, revocation and cancellation of its franchise to operate.
The fine to be collected in furtherance of the violation of this Act shall be deposited in the general fund of the National Treasury.
Section 7: Information Campaign
All national and local government offices, including all schools, public or private, shall conduct a continuing information about the value of time and need for respect for the time of others, in order that the people may realize the imperative of synchronizing the official time.
Section 8: Institutionalization of the “National Time Consciousness Week”
The “National Time Consciousness Week” shall be institutionalized and celebrated every first week of the Year.
Section 9: Appropriations
The Secretary of the DOST and the Director of PAGASA shall immediately include in their respective agency’s programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Section 10: Implementing Guidelines
The PAGASA, in coordination with DOST, NTC, DOTC, DILG, DND and DOH, shall promulgate the necessary guidelines for the effective implementation of the calibration and synchronization of the time-keeping devices within fifteen (13) days from the effectivity of this Act.
Section 11: Separability Clause
The provisions of this Act are hereby deemed separable. If any provision thereof is declared invalid or unconstitutional, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the other provisions which shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 12: Repealing Clause
All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
Section 13: Effectivity
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
