Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol has been the cause of hundreds of accidents, 
crimes and deaths each year. In some cases, sharing of drug paraphernalia can cause 
the spread of a number of communicable diseases, including AIDS and Hepatitis C. 
The effects of substance abuse range from physical degradation to short and long 
term mental health risks like depression, paranoia and even psychosis. Eventually, 
addictive behavior can hamper young peoples’ personal and professional potentials 
and employability.  
In Article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all states agree to protect 
children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and to 
prevent children from being exposed to the illicit production and trafficking of such 
substances. To effectively fulfill this obligation, the government must take cognizance 
of the fact that there are certain youth groups more vulnerable or susceptible to 
substance abuse.  These youth groups may not have any access to formal institutional 
structures precisely because of their marginalized status.  
In order to reach out to these disenfranchised sectors of the youth, community-based 
programs which target these high-risk youth must be put in place. More often than not, 
non-governmental organizations have the experience and capacity to work at the 
grass-roots level.  
This bill mandates the Department of Health to make grants that would assist such 
organizations in this noble cause, so that the youth may be saved from the debilitating 
effects of substance abuse and become competent partners in development. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
August 3, 2023
2:05 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF 
DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG HIGH RISK YOUTH 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Saving Young Substance Abusers 
Act.” 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in 
nation-building and shall promote their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social 
well-being. 
Sec. 3. “High Risk Youth” Defined. – For purposes of this Act, the term “high risk 
youth” means an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years, who is at high 
risk of becoming, or who has become, a drug abuser or an alcohol abuser, and who – 
(A)
Is identified as a child of a substance abuser;
(B)
Is a victim of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse;
(C)
Does not attend school;
(D)
Has become pregnant;
(E)
Is economically disadvantaged;
(F)
Has committed a violent or delinquent act;
(G)
Has experienced mental health problems;
(H)
Has attempted suicide;
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(I)  
Has experienced long-term physical pain due to injury; 
(J)  
Has experienced chronic failure in school; 
(K)  
Is from a broken family; 
(L)  
Is a child laborer; 
(M)  
Is a street child or street gang member; or 
(N)  
Lives in conflict areas. 
 
Sec. 4. Grants to Public and Nonprofit Private Entities. – The Secretary of the 
Department of Health shall make grants to public and nonprofit private entities for 
projects to demonstrate effective models for the prevention, treatment, and 
rehabilitation of drug abuse and alcohol abuse among high risk youth. 
 
Sec. 5. Priority of Projects. – 
(A)  
In making grants for drug abuse and alcohol abuse prevention projects, the 
Secretary shall give priority to applications for projects directed at children of 
substance abusers, children at risk of abuse or neglect, preschool children, 
children at risk of dropping out of school, children at risk of becoming 
adolescent parents, children who do not attend school, child laborers, street 
children, and children who are at risk of being unemployed. 
(B)  
In making grants for drug abuse and alcohol abuse treatment and rehabilitation 
projects, the Secretary shall give priority to projects which address the 
relationship between drug abuse or alcohol abuse and physical child abuse, 
sexual child abuse, emotional child abuse, dropping out of school, 
unemployment, delinquency, pregnancy, violence, suicide, or mental health 
problems. 
(C)  
In making grants under this Act, the Secretary shall give priority to applications 
from community based organizations for projects: 
(1)  
To develop innovative models with multiple, coordinated services for the 
prevention or for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abuse or alcohol 
abuse by high risk youth. 
(2)  
To demonstrate effective models with multiple, coordinated services 
which may be replicated and which are for the prevention or for the 
treatment and rehabilitation of drug abuse or alcohol abuse by high risk 
youth. 


 
(3)  
That employ research designs adequate for evaluating the effectiveness 
of the program. 
 
Sec. 6. Strategies for Reducing Use. – The Secretary shall ensure that projects 
under Section 4 include strategies for reducing the use of alcoholic beverages and 
tobacco products by individuals to whom it is unlawful to sell or distribute such 
beverages or products. 
 
Sec. 7. Equal Distribution of Grants. – To the extent feasible, the Secretary shall 
ensure the equal distribution of grants under this Act among urban and rural areas. 
 
Sec. 8. Application for Grants. – In order to receive a grant for a project under this 
Act for a fiscal year, a public or nonprofit private entity shall submit an application to 
the Secretary.  The Secretary may provide the provincial governor or the city mayor 
the opportunity to review and comment on such application. Such application shall be 
in such form, shall contain such information, and shall be submitted at such time as 
the Secretary may by regulation prescribe. 
 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
 
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.  
 
Sec. 11. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,