Bill setting standard Phl time passes Senate

MANILA, Philippines - A bill setting the Philippine Standard Time (PST) hurdled past the third and final reading in the Senate after a unanimous vote of 19-0.

Senate Bill 3284, co-authored by Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Antonio Trillanes IV and Edgardo Angara, mandates all national and local government offices to display PST on their official time devices in accordance with the official time provided by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

"All of these offices shall coordinate, at least once a month, with the PAGASA to synchronize their office timepieces and devices,” the bill noted.

The weather bureau will also be tasked to monitor, install and maintain synchronized time devices whose procurement wil be overseen by the Department of Science and Technology.

The National Telecommunications Commission will also require the participation of all government and private broadcast stations to ensure synchronization even in the most remote parts of the country.

Stations who will fail to comply with the law will be slapped by a fine not less than P30,000 but not more than P50,00 in the  first offense. A subsequent offense will merit a cancellation of franchises.

The law also institutionalizes the first week of the year as the "National Time Consciousness Week."