An Act Regulating and Modernizing the Practice of Pharmacy in the Philippines, Repealing for the Purpose Republic Act Numbered Five Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty-One (R.A. No. 5921), Otherwise Known as the Pharmacy Law

Sixteenth Congress
Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-seventh day of July, two thousand fifteen.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 10918

An Act Regulating and Modernizing the Practice of Pharmacy in the Philippines, Repealing for the Purpose Republic Act Numbered Five Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty-One (R.A. No. 5921), Otherwise Known as the Pharmacy Law

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

Article I
General Provisions

Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Pharmacy Act".

Section 2. Statement of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of pharmacists in the delivery of quality health care services through the provision of safe, effective, and quality pharmaceutical products, pharmaceutical care, drug information, patient medication counseling, and health promotion. The pharmacists’ professional services shall, therefore, be promoted as an indispensable component of the total health care system to ensure the physical well-being of the Filipinos.

Hence, the State shall develop and nurture competent, productive, morally upright, and well-rounded pharmacists whose standards of professional practice and service shall be excellent and globally competitive through regulatory measures, programs, and activities that promote and sustain their continuing professional development.

Section 3. Objectives. - This Act provides for and shall govern the:

Section 4. Scope of the Practice of Pharmacy. - A person is deemed to be practicing pharmacy, within the meaning of this Act, when with or without a fee, salary, percentage or other rewards, paid or given directly or indirectly, shall:

Activities under paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and (i) are exclusive to licensed pharmacists. However, nothing herein shall be construed as requiring other persons carrying out only the activities under paragraphs (e), (f), (g) and (h) to be licensed pharmacists, subject to any qualification that is imposed by other laws with respect to such particular activity.

All pharmacists are expected to abide by current standards such as the Philippine Practice Standards for Pharmacists, Good Laboratory Practice, Good Distribution Practice, Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Clinical Practice, which are deemed vital in the performance of their roles and functions in different practice areas.

The Professional Regulatory Board of Pharmacy, hereinafter created, subject to the approval of the PRC, as provided for by Republic Act No. 8981, otherwise known as the "PRC Modernization Act of 2000", and in consultation with the integrated and accredited professional organization (APO), may modify the above-enumerated acts, services, or activities, as the need arises, in order to conform to the latest trends and developments in the practice of the pharmacy profession: Provided, That such modifications are consistent with the enumeration above.

Section 5. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

Article II
The Professional Regulatory Board of Pharmacy

Section 6. Creation of the Professional Regulatory Board of Pharmacy. - There is hereby created a Professional Regulatory Board of Pharmacy, hereinafter called the Board, under the administrative control and supervision of the PRC, to be composed of a Chairperson and two (2) members, to be appointed by the President of the Philippines from a list of three (3) recommendees for each position ranked in the order of preference and submitted by the PRC from a list of five (5) nominees submitted for each position by the duly integrated APO of pharmacists.

Section 7. Qualifications of the Chairperson and Members of the Board. - The Chairperson and members of the Board, at the time of nomination, must:

Section 8. Powers, Functions, and Responsibilities of the Board. - The Board shall exercise the following powers, functions, and responsibilities:

Section 9. Term of Office of the Members of the Board. - The Chairperson and members of the Board shall hold office for a term of three (3) years from the date of appointment or until their successors shall have been qualified and appointed. They may be reappointed in the same office for another term of three (3) years immediately after the expiry of their term; Provided, That no member of the Board shall hold office for more than two (2) terms or not more than six (6) years; Provided, further, That the first Board appointed under this Act shall hold these terms cf office: the Chairperson for three (3) years, the first member for two (2) years, and the second member for one (1) year; Provided, finally, That an appointee to a vacancy shall serve only the unexpired portion of the term of office. The Chairperson and members of the Board shall duly take their oath of office before a duly authorized officer.

Section 10. Compensation and Allowances of the Board. - The Chairperson and members of the Board shall receive compensation and allowances comparable to the compensation and allowances received by the members of the other existing professional regulatory boards under the PRC, as provided for in the General Appropriations Act.

Section 11. Grounds for Suspension or Removal from Office of the Chairperson or Member of the Board. - The President of the Philippines may, upon recommendation of the PRC and after due process, suspend or remove the Chairperson or any member of the Board on any of the following grounds:

The PRC, in the conduct of investigation, shall be guided by Sections 7 and 15 of Republic Act No. 8981, the existing rules on administrative investigation, and the Rules of Court.

Section 12. Custodian of its Records, Secretariat and Support Services. - All records of the Board, pertaining to the applications for examinations, administrative and other investigative hearings conducted by the Board, shall be under the custody of the PRC. The PRC shall designate a Secretary who shall provide the Board with secretariat and other support services to implement the provisions of this Act.

Article III
Examination, Registration, and Licensure

Section 13. Licensure Examination Requirement. - Unless exempted therefrom, all applicants for registration for the practice of pharmacy shall be required to pass a licensure examination, as provided for in this Act and Section 7(d) of Republic Act No. 8981.

Section 14. Qualifications for the Licensure Examination. - An applicant for the Pharmacists’ Licensure Examination shall establish to the satisfaction of the Board that the following qualifications are met:

Section 15. Scope of Examination. - The Pharmacists’ Licensure Examination shall cover the following subjects on Pharmacy Science and Practice, Inorganic Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Organic Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Qualitative and Quantitative Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy and Plant Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Microbiology and Parasitology, Physical Pharmacy, Biopharmaceutics, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance and Instrumentation, Pharmaceutical Calculations, Drug Delivery Systems, Hospital Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy, Dispensing and Medication Counseling, Pharmaceutical Administration and Management, Public Health, Legal Pharmacy, and Ethics.

The Board, subject to the approval of the PRC, may introduce relevant changes on the subject areas, format, and content of the examination, as well as on the relative weight attributed to each examination subject, as the need arises, and in consultation with the duly recognized associations of pharmacy schools and the CHED.

Section 16. Holding of Examination. - The Pharmacists’ Licensure Examination shall be given two (2) times a year in places and dates as the PRC may designate in the Resolution providing for the master schedule of all licensure examinations pursuant to Section 7(d) of Republic Act No. 8981.

Section 17. Ratings in the Licensure Examination. - In order to be registered and licensed as a pharmacist, a candidate must obtain a general weighted average of seventy-five percent (75%), with no rating lower than fifty percent (50%) in any of the subjects.

An applicant who failed in the licensure examination for the third (3rd) time shall not be allowed to take the next succeeding examinations without having undertaken a refresher program in a duly accredited institution. The Board shall issue guidelines on the refresher program requirement.

Section 18. Report of Rating. - The Board shall submit to the PRC the ratings obtained by each candidate within three (3) working days after the last day of the examination, unless extended for just cause.Upon the release of the results of the examination, the PRC shall send by mail the rating obtained by each examinee at the given address using the mailing envelope submitted during the examination.

Section 19. Oath of Profession. - All successful candidates in the licensure examination shall take their oath of profession before any member of the Board, officer of the PRC, or any person authorized by law to administer oaths, prior to entering the practice of the pharmacy profession.

Section 20. Issuance of Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card. - A COR as a pharmacist shall be issued to those who passed the licensure examination, subject to compliance with the registration requirements and payment of the prescribed fees. The COR shall bear the registration number, the date of its issuance, and the signatures of the Chairperson of the PRC and the members of the Board, stamped with the official seals of the PRC and of the Board, certifying that the person named therein is entitled to the practice of the profession, with all the privileges appurtenant thereto. This COR shall remain in full force and effect until suspended or revoked in accordance with this Act.

A PIC bearing the registration number and dates of its issuance and expiry, duly signed by the Chairperson of the PRC, shall likewise be issued to every registrant, upon payment of the prescribed fees. The PIC shall be renewed every three (3) years, upon presentation of the Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) from the APO and proof of completion of the CPD requirements.

Section 21. Foreign Reciprocity. - Unless the country or state of which the foreign pharmacist is a subject or citizen, specifically permits Filipino pharmacists to practice within its territorial limits on the same basis as the subjects or citizens of the said foreign country or state under reciprocity and under international agreements, no foreigner shall be admitted to licensure examinations, given a COR to practice as pharmacist nor be entitled to any of the privileges under this Act.

Section 22. Practice Through Special/Temporary Permit (STP). - The practice of pharmacy in the Philippines shall be limited to natural persons only and shall be governed by the provisions of Republic Act No. 8981 and other issuances pertinent thereto: Provided, That any foreign citizen who has gained entry in the Philippines to perform professional services within the scope of the practice of pharmacy, including the following: (a) being a consultant in foreign-funded or assisted projects of the government; (b) being engaged or employed by a Filipino employer or establishment; (c) providing free services in humanitarian missions: and (d) being a visiting faculty member in any field or specialty in pharmacy shall, before assuming such duties, functions and responsibilities, secure an STP from the Board and the PRC, under the following conditions:

Section 23. Grounds for Non-registration. - The Board shall not register any successful examinee who has been:

In refusing the registration, the Board shall give a written statement setting forth the reasons therefor and shall file a copy thereof in its records. Should ground (d) be proven to be no longer existent, the Board shall issue a Board Resolution allowing the issuance of such COR.

Section 24. Reissuance of Revoked Certificate of Registration, Replacement of Lost or Damaged Certificate of Registration, Professional Identification Card or Special/Temporary Permit. - The Board may, upon petition, reinstate or reissue a revoked COR after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of its revocation. The Board may, in its discretion, require the applicant to take another licensure examination. The petitioner shall prove to the Board that there is a valid reason for such reinstatement. For the grant of the petition, the Board shall issue a Board Resolution, to be approved by the PRC.

A duplicate copy of the COR for display in Category B establishments may be issued. Replacement of lost or damaged COR, PIC or STP may be issued in accordance with the pertinent rules that shall be issued thereon.

Article IV
Regulation of the Practice of Pharmacy

Section 25. Vested Rights; Automatic Registration. - All pharmacists registered before the effectivity of this Act shall automatically be registered hereunder, subject to compliance as to future requirements.

The CORs, PICs or STPs held by such persons in good standing shall have the same force and effect, as though they were issued on or after the effectivity of this Act.

Section 26. Affixing RPh After a Registered Pharmacist’s Name. - Only duly registered and licensed pharmacists shall have the right to affix to one’s name, the title "Registered Pharmacist" or "RPh".

Section 27. Indication of Information. - A pharmacist shall be required to indicate the serial numbers, the date of expiry of the pharmacist’s PIC and APO Certificate of Membership on all pertinent documents signed by him/her.

Section 28. Registry of Pharmacists. - The Board and the PRC shall prepare and maintain a registry of the names, residences or office addresses, or both, status of registration and area of practice of all registered pharmacists, which shall be updated annually, in coordination with the APO. This registry shall be made available to the public upon inquiry or request, subject to such guidelines that shall be established therefor.

Section 29. Display of Certificate of Registration. - It shall be the duty of every pharmacist engaged in the practice, whether in private or under the employ of another, to display the original copy of one’s COR in a prominent and conspicuous place in the drug establishment in which one is employed in a professional capacity as pharmacist. When employed in establishments under Category B, as defined in Section 31 of this Act, the duplicate copy of the pharmacist’s COR shall also be displayed therein. - No pharmacist shall knowingly allow the COR to be displayed in an establishment where one is not ctually employed as a professional pharmacist.

Section 30. Dispensing/Sale of Pharmaceutical Products. - No pharmaceutical product, of whatever nature and kind, shall be compounded, dispensed, sold or resold, or otherwise be made available to the consuming public, except through a retail drug outlet duly licensed by the FDA.

Prescription drugs and pharmacist-only OTC medicines shall be dispensed only by a duly registered and licensed pharmacist, except in emergency cases, where the services of a registered and licensed pharmacist are not available: Provided, That a report shall be made to the supervising pharmacist within twenty-four (24) hours after the occurrence of the emergency so that product recording in the prescription books can be done.

Compounding and dispensing shall be done only by duly registered and licensed pharmacists, in accordance with current Good Manufacturing Practice, laboratory practice, Philippine Practice Standards for Pharmacists and dispensing guidelines. A registered and licensed pharmacist may refuse to compound, dispense or sell drugs and pharmaceutical products, if not in accordance with this Act and the abovementioned standards.

Licensed manufacturers, importers, distributors, and wholesalers of pharmaceutical products are authorized to sell their products only to duly licensed pharmaceutical outlets.

Section 31. Pharmacist Requirement. - Establishments/outlets which are required to employ and/or retain and maintain the professional services of duly registered and licensed pharmacists shall be classified as follows:

The FDA, in coordination with the Board, and the approval of the PRC, may add to, delete, reclassify, or modify the above list of establishments, as the need arises, in order to keep pace with the developments in the pharmacy practice.

A pharmacist working in a Category A establishment may be allowed to simultaneously work or render pharmacy services in Category B establishments, the maximum number of hours of which shall be determined, in accordance with such guidelines as may be established therefor by the Board, in coordination with the FDA, and other agencies, establishments, institutions, and regulatory bodies.

Procurement, storage, distribution, or dispensing of any pharmaceutical product in the national government and local government units shall be made only under the supervision of a duly registered and licensed pharmacist.

All units or sub-units of establishments, institutions, and regulatory bodies whether government or private with functions and activities that are exclusive for pharmacists, as defined in Section 4, paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and (i), shall be headed and managed by a qualified duly registered and licensed pharmacist: Provided, That an appointment in government service shall comply with the provisions of other pertinent laws.

Section 32. Responsibility for Quality of Pharmaceutical Products. - It shall be the duty of a duly licensed and registered pharmacist of a pharmaceutical establishment and outlet to ensure that all pharmaceutical products conform to standards of safety, quality and efficacy, as provided for in this Act and other pertinent rules and regulations and issuances. Owners, managers, or pharmacists in charge of the operation of pharmaceutical establishments and outlets shall be held jointly responsible for nonconformance with these standards.

It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, prepare, sell, or dispense any pharmaceutical product under a fraudulent name, or pretense or to adulterate any pharmaceutical product offered for sale.

In cases of pharmaceutical products sold in their original package, the seal of which has not been broken or tampered with, the liability that may arise because of their quality and purity rests upon the manufacturer or importer, the distributor, representative, or dealer who is responsible for their distribution or sale.

Section 33. Filling and Partial Filling of Prescription. - All prescriptions and pharmacist-only OTC medicines shall be filled, compounded and dispensed only by a registered and licensed pharmacist, in accordance with the Philippine Practice Standards for Pharmacists, Dispensing Guidelines and other standards pertaining to purity, safety and quality. Completely filled prescriptions should be surrendered to the pharmacist for recording.

Partial filling of prescription less than the total quantity indicated in the prescription shall be allowed, subject to dispensing guidelines as provided in the immediately preceding paragraph. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist dispensing the last quantity completing the prescription to keep the prescription according to proper prescription recording guidelines.

Prescription medicines may be dispensed only by a duly registered and licensed pharmacist and only with a valid prescription of a physician, dentist, or veterinarian.

Section 34. Physician’s Sample. - Pharmaceutical products given or intended to be given free to any health professional by a manufacturer or distributor or its professional service representative as part of its program or promotion shall not be sold to any pharmaceutical outlet or the consuming public.

The statement "Sample, Not for Sale", or its equivalent, shall appear conspicuously on the primary and secondary packaging of the drug or combination products (medical device and drug) classified as drug according to the primary intended mode of action to be given. It shall be unlawful to remove, erase, deface or mark the original labels of samples.

Pharmaceutical products classified as antimicrobials, including anti-TB medicines and other classifications of medicines, as may be prescribed by the FDA, shall not be given or distributed as physician’s samples.

Section 35. Prohibition Against the Use of Cipher, Codes, or Unusual Terms in Prescriptions and Prescription Substitution. - Pharmacists shall not compound or dispense prescriptions, recipes, or formulas which are written in ciphers, codes or secret keys or prescriptions of pharmaceutical products with unusual names which differ from those in standard pharmacopeias or formularies.

The pharmacist dispensing or compounding prescriptions shall not substitute the medicine called for in the prescription with any other drug, substance or ingredient, without prior consultation with, and written consent of the person prescribing, except in accordance with Republic Act No. 6675, as amended, otherwise known as the "Generics Act of 1988", and other pertinent laws and regulations.

Section 36. Label of Dispensed Medicines. - Upon every box, bottle, or package of medicines compounded or dispensed by a registered and licensed pharmacist based on prescription, there shall be pasted, affixed, or imprinted a seal or label bearing, among others, the name of patient and generic name of drug; brand name, if any, strength, expiry date, directions for use; and name and address of pharmacy, name of the doctor, the dispensing pharmacist and other requirements prescribed in the Philippine Practice Standards for Pharmacists and Dispensing Guidelines, Republic Act No. 9502, otherwise known as the "Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008", its implementing rules and regulations and such other guidelines that may be promulgated by the Board. Auxiliary labels containing special pharmacists" instructions for the patient shall be required as prescribed for dangerous drugs, external-use-only drugs, drugs with special storage and administration instructions and such other drugs as may be required by law.

Section 37. Recording of Patient Medication Profile. - All prescriptions dispensed in the pharmacy shall be recorded in an appropriate recording system indicating therein, among other things, the name and address of the patient, name of prescribes generic name and brand, dosage strength, quantity of drug and initials of pharmacist. It shall be open for inspection by the representatives of the Board or the FDA, or both, at any time of the day, when the pharmacy is open, and must be kept for a period of not less than two (2) years after the last entry.

All required information on dangerous drugs dispensed by a pharmacy shall be recorded in the Dangerous Drugs Book or an equivalent recording system as required by Republic Act No. 9165 and other applicable laws and issuances.

All referrals such as tuberculosis patients undertaken by the pharmaceutical outlets shall be recorded in the Referral Registry and shall be open for inspection by the Board, or representative of the Department of Health (DOH) or the FDA, or both, at any time of the day when the pharmacy is open, and must be kept for a period of not less than two (2) years after the last entry.

Section 38. Requirements for the Opening and Operation of Retail Pharmaceutical Outlet or Establishment. - The opening of a retail pharmaceutical outlet or establishment shall be subject to requirements provided for in this Act and the rules and regulations prescribed by the FDA.

The application for the opening and operation of a retail drug outlet or other similar business establishments shall not be approved, unless applied for by a Filipino registered and licensed pharmacist, either as owner or as pharmacist-in-charge, pursuant to the provisions of this Act.

Section 39. Handling of Pharmaceutical Products by Persons Other Than a Pharmacist. - For the purpose of this section, persons handling pharmaceutical products, other than the pharmacist, which shall include pharmacy owners who are non-pharmacists, medical representatives or professional service representatives, pharmacy support personnel, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy aides, persons who assist pharmacists in any part of a pharmacy operation, or any other person performing functions involved in the handling of pharmaceutical products, shall be duly certified by appropriate government agencies after undergoing an accredited training program.

No person, except pharmacy graduates, shall be allowed to render such services without undergoing a comprehensive standardized training program: Provided, That the job description is defined in the implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

Section 40. Administration of Adult Vaccines. - In addition to the requirement provided in Section 4, paragraph (g) of this Act, licensed and trained pharmacist who shall administer adult vaccines shall ensure that the vaccine to be administered shall have a doctor’s prescription which is not more than seven (7) days old and submit a monthly vaccination report and AEFI report to DOH regional offices using the prescribed form.

Article V
Accredited Professional Organization

Section 41. The Integrated and Accredited Professional Organization (APO) of Pharmacists. - The pharmacy profession shall be integrated into one (1) national organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which shall be recognized by the Board and the PRC as the one and only integrated and accredited professional organization of pharmacists.

A pharmacist duly registered with the Board shall automatically become a member of the integrated and accredited professional organization of pharmacists, and shall receive the benefits and privileges appurtenant thereto upon payment of the required fees and dues.

Membership in the integrated APO shall not be a bar to membership in other associations of pharmacists.

Section 42. Membership to the Integrated and Accredited Professional Organization. - All registered pharmacists must be members of the APO and must maintain membership throughout the duration of the practice of the profession. The PIC shall not be renewed if the requirements for membership with the APO are not met including credit units for attendance to duly accredited CPD.

All pharmacy support personnel must be registered as affiliate members of the APO and must likewise maintain membership throughout the duration of employment in pharmaceutical establishments and outlets.

Section 43. Specialty Boards in Various Areas of Pharmacy Practice. - Specialty Boards in various areas of pharmacy practice shall be created, subject to accreditation by the Board and the PRC. The Board shall issue guidelines in the accreditation of specialty boards in various areas of pharmacy practice, which shall include the standards of practice within different specialties, qualifications, and requirements for the certification of practitioners under each specialty, among others.

Article VI
Violations, Administrative Sanctions, and Procedures

Section 44. Revocation or Suspension of the Certificate of Registration and Cancellation of Special/Temporary Permit.— The Board shall have the power, upon notice and hearing, to revoke or suspend the COR of a registered pharmacist or to cancel an STP of a foreign pharmacist on any of the following grounds:

Article VII
Penal Provisions

Section 45. Penal Provisions. - Any person who shall commit any of the following acts shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than two hundred fifty thousand pesos (₱250.000.00), but not exceeding five hundred thousand pesos (₱500.000.00) or imprisonment of not less than one (1) year and one (1) day but not more than six (6) years, or both, at the discretion of the court:

Section 46. Other Penalties. - Any person who shall commit any of the following acts shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than one hundred thousand pesos (₱100,000.00), but not exceeding two hundred thousand pesos (₱200,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than thirty (30) days but not more than one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the court:

The penalties and liabilities herein provided shall be without prejudice to other sanction/s that may be imposed for violation of other applicable laws, policies, rules and regulations.

The owner/operator of the pharmaceutical establishments/outlets and the duly registered and licensed pharmacists/pharmacy support personnel are jointly liable for the willful violation of any provision of this Act.

Article VIII
Final Provisions

Section 47. Enforcement. - It shall be the primary duty of the Board and the PRC to effectively enforce the provisions of this Act. All duly constituted law enforcement agencies and officers of the national, provincial, city or municipal government or of any political subdivision thereof shall ensure the effective enforcement and implementation of the provisions of this Act.

Section 48. Appropriations. - The Chairperson of the PRC shall immediately include in its programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be charged against their current years’ appropriations and thereafter, in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Section 49. Transitory Provisions. - The incumbent Chairperson and members of the Board shall, in an interim capacity, continue to function as such until the Chairperson and members of the new Board, created under this Act, shall have been appointed and qualified.

Section 50. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within one hundred twenty (120) days after the approval of this Act, the Board, subject to the approval by the PRC, and in consultation with the APO, shall formulate and issue the rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

Section 51. Separability Clause. - If any clause, provision, paragraph or part hereof shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, such declaration shall not affect, invalidate, or impair the other provisions otherwise valid and effective.

Section 52. Repealing Clause. - Republic Act No. 5921, as amended, is hereby repealed. AH other laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and other administrative issuances or parts thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

Section 53. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

FRANKLIN M. DRILON
President of the Senate

FELICIANO BELMONTE, JR.
Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act was passed by the House of Representatives as House Bill No. 5616 on May 23, 2016 and adopted by the Senate as an amendment to Senate Bill No. 2436 on May 30, 2016.

OSCAR G. YABES
Secretary of the Senate

MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP
Secretary General
House of Representatives

Approved: July 21, 2016

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO, III
President of the Philippines