Republic Act No 6955

AN ACT TO DECLARE UNLAWFUL THE PRACTICE OF MATCHING FILIPINO WOMEN FOR MARRIAGE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS ON A MAIL ORDER BASIS AND OTHER SIMILAR PRACTICES INCLUDING THE ADVERTISEMENT, PUBLICATION, PRINTING OR DISTRIBUTION OF BROCHURES, FLIERS AND OTHER PROPAGANDA MATERIALS IN FURTHURANCE THEREOF AND PROVIDING PENALTY THEREFORE

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. It is the policy of the state to ensure and guarantee the enjoyment of the people of a decent standard of living. Towards this end the State shall take measures to protect Filipino women from being exploited in utter disregard of human dignity in their pursuit of economic upliftment.

SEC 2. Pursuant thereto it hereby declared unlawful:

(a) For a person natural or juridical, association, club or any other entity to commit directly or indirectly any of the following acts:

(1) To establish or carry on a business which has for its purpose the matching of Filipino women for marriage to foreign nationals either on a mail order basis or personal introduction;

(2) To advertise, publish, print or distribute or cause the advertisement, publication, printing or distribution of any brochure, flier or any propaganda material calculated to promote the prohibited acts in the preceding sub paragraph:

(3) To solicit, enlist or in any manner attract or introduce any Filipino woman to become a member in any club or association whose objective is to match women for marriage to foreign nationals either on a mail order basis or through personal introduction for a fee

(4) A To use the postal service to promote the prohibited acts in subparagraph 1 hereof.

(b) For the manager or officer in charge or advertising manager or any newspaper, magazine, television or radio station, or other media, or of an advertising agency, printing company or other similar entities to knowingly allow, or consent to the acts prohibited in the preceding paragraph.

SEC 3 In case of violation of this Act by an association, club, partnership, corporation or any other entity, the incumbent officers thereof or have knowingly participated in the violation of this Act shall be held liable.

SEC 4 Any person found guilty by the court to have violated any of the acts herein prohibited shall suffer an imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and one (1) day but not more than an eight (8) years and a fine of not less than Eight thousand pesos (P8000) but not more than Twenty thousand pesos (20000): Provided that if the offender is a foreigner, he shall immediately be deported and barred forever from entering the country after serving his sentence and payment of fine.

SEC 5 Nothing in this act shall be interpreted as a restriction on the freedom of speech and of association for purposes not contrary to law as guaranteed by the Constitution.

SEC 6 All laws decree the orders instructions, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are thereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC 7 This Act shall take effect upon its publication for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved June 13 1990.