FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENi1166 
S.No. ___ _ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Aliicle 15, Section 1, provides: 
The State recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation of the nation. 
Accordingly, it shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total 
development. 
Fundamental changes in the demographics and economics of family life in the country 
over the past twenty (20) years have had a profound effect on children and their parents. 
As the number of women working outside the home and the number of two-earner 
families have been steadily increasing, there is a need to support community-based family 
resource and support programs that promote healthy child development and increase parental 
competency. Investment in promoting the development of family resource and support programs 
will reap long term benefits for individual families and the nation as a whole. 
Hence, this bill seeks to establish a national center for information and technical 
assistance relating to all types of family resource and support programs.! 
I This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular session. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No: 1966 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL CENTER FOR INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL 
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ASSISTANCE RELATING TO ALL TYPES OF FAMILY RESOURCE AND SUPPORT 
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PROGRAMS 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Family Resource Act." 
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SECTION 2. Purpose. -It is the purpose of this Act to -
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1) stimulate the development and expansion of family resource and support 
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'programs that are prevention-oriented; 
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2) encourage early intervention of such programs with families to ameliorate 
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problem situations before such situations become crises; and 
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3) assist parents in enhancing their children's development to assure that their 
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children enter school prepared and ready to learn. 
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SECTION 3. Definition. - As used in this Act, the phrase "family resource and 
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support programs" means community-based services that offer sustained assistance to 
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families at various stages in their development. Such services shall promote parental 
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competencies and behaviors that wi111ead to the healthy and positive personal development 
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of parents and children through -
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1) the provision of assistance to build family skills and assist parents in improving 
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their capabilities to be supportive and nurturing parents; 
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2) the provision of assistance to families to enable such families to use other formal 
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and informal resources and opportunities for assistance that are available within 
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the communities of such families; and 
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3) 'the creation of supportive networks to enhance the childrearing capacity of 
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parents and assist in compensating for the increased social isolation and 
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vulnerability of families. 
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SECTION 4. Establishment of a National Center on Family Resource and Support 
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Programs. - The Secretary of Health shall establish, through grant or contract, a national 
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Center for the collection and provision of programmatic information and technical assistance 
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that relates to all types of family resource and support programs. Such center shall -
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1) establish a clearinghouse to develop and maintain a database on all types of family 
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resource and support programs; 
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2) develop and maintain a system for disseminating information on all types of 
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family resource and support programs and on the state of family resource and 
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support program development, including information concerning the most effective 
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model programs; 
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3) develop and sponsor a variety of training institutes and curricula for family 
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resource and support program staff; 
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4) identify several model programs representing the various types of family resource 
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and support programs to develop technical assistance materials and activities to assist 
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other agencies in establishing family resource and support programs; and 
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5) qevelop nationwide networks of family resource and support programs for the 
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purpose of sharing and disseminating information. 
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SECTION 5. Evaluation. - The Secretary of Health shall, through grants or contracts 
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awarded or entered into with independent auditors, conduct evaluations and related 
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activities, of family resource and support programs; including -
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1) evaluations of ongoing programs; 
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2) process evaluations focusing on implementation strategies; and 
3) the development of simple evaluation models for use by local family resource and 
support programs. 
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SECTION 6. Authorization of Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this 
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Act, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal 
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year. 
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SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
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remain valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
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