———_—_.
HOUSE © 2° “RCSENT ATES

REECE
Republic of the Philippines are 27 JUL 2015
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI SD)
Quezon City, Metro Manila By:

SEVENTEETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session PE@ISTRATION UNIT
1298 LBS ano woe service
House Bill No,

Introduced by Honorable Florida P. Robes

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A DRUG TREATMENT AND
REHABILITATION FACILITY IN EVERY REGION OF THE COUNTRY AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Creation, There shall be established, under the Supervision of the
Department of Health, a Treatment and Rehabilitation Facility in every region of the country,
hereinafter referred to as the Facility.

SEC. 2. Location. The Location of the Facility shall be determined by the Secretary of
Health, in coordination with its Regional Offices, the Department of Public Works and
Highways and the Local Goverment concerned, based on accessibility and remoteness to vices
which may hamper the rehabilitation process.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms

a. Treatment includes development of specific cognitive skills related to thinking,
understanding, learning, and remembering that will help the patient adjust attitudes and
beliefs that lead to drug abuse and crime.

b. Rehabilitation refers to the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for
dependence on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription and all prohibited drugs as
defined in Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act;

SEC. 4. Objective. The establishment of the Facility shall be for the purpose of enabling
the patient to cease substance abuse, in order to avoid the psychological, legal, financial, social,
and physical consequences that such abuse, especially if it is extreme, can bring to him, his
family and the community as a whole, as well as improving the quality of life of patients after
treatment and rehabilitation.

SEC. 5. Treatments and Programs. The Facility shall provide the following
treatments and program

a, Residential treatment- refers to treatment where the patients remain at a residence,
typically for 6 to 12 months, wherein the treatment staff seek to influence the patient's

attitudes, understanding, and behaviors associated with drug use. It shall focus on
detoxification as well as providing intensive counseling and preparation for treatment in a
community-based setting.


b, Out-patient treatment - refers to treatment where patients attend multiple outpatient
sessions supervised by s behavioral health counselor done through individual or group drug
counseling.

c. Medical Treatment — involves the prescriptions of certain treatment medications
intended to reduce cravings for prohibited and illegal drugs and the risks associated with it which
may be administered by the doctors in the center or other accredited doctors to assist patients in
their recovery.

d, Mental Health Services — refer to a broad of array activities directly or indirectly
related to the promotion of well-being, the prevention of mental disorders, and the treatment and
rehabilitation of people affected by mental disorders,

e. Counseling Services ~ refer to interventions which could be individualized or group
and usually focused on reducing or stopping illicit drug or alcohol use by addressing
related areas of impaired functioning such as employment status, illegal activity, and
family/social relations and capitalizing on the social reinforcement offered by family and

peers

f, Legal Services ~ refer to services that come within the meaning of the practice of law
which include, but not limited to legal counseling, providing legal advice or acting as legal
counsel to drug abusers who come into contact with the criminal justice system as combining
criminal justice sanctions with drug treatment can be effective in decreasing drug abuse and
related crime.

g. Family Services — refer to therapies which are focused on the entire family system that
would help the family to recover from the devastating effects of living with drug addiction or
abuse.

h. Educational and Vocational Services — include but not limited to basic education and
livelihood trainings for those patients who are illiterate or those who would need some source of
Jivelihood after rehabilitation.

i, Such other services and programs that meet the needs of the individual patient.

SEC. 6. Who shall be treated.- The Facility shall not only treat patients who are
addicted to drugs, but also alcoholics and people who are addicted to other vices.

SEC. 7. Organization. The Facility shall be headed by a Director who will be assisted by
two (2) Deputy Directors. They shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health and be vested with
powers generally exercised by a Chief and Assistant Chiefs, respectively, of a government
hospital.

‘The Director shall also appoint such other personnel and support staff’ as may be
necessary for the effective operation of the Center subject to existing laws, rules and regulations
and based on an approved organizational structure

‘The overall management and supervision of all Centers shall be vested upon a Governing,
Board chaired by Chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board and members shall be the Secretaries
and head of the following agencies : Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local
Government, Department of Justice, Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare
and Development, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine National Police, National
Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation and the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office

XK


SEC. 8. Qualifications, No person shall be appointed Director or Deputy Director unless
he/she possesses the following qualifications:

a, At least thirty-five (35) years of age;

b. A physician of good repute; and

c. At least five (5) years experience in the care, treatment and rehabilitation of drug
dependents.

Other personnel and support staff shall also possess the qualifications required of their
positions, in accordance with civil service laws and government regulations.

SEC. 9. Salaries and Emoluments. Salaries and emoluments of the Officers and
Personnel of the Center shall be in accordance with existing law on salary standardization,

SEC, 10. Five-Year Development Plan, - The Facility, through its Director, shall be
authorized to embark on a Five-Year Development Plan in the fulfillment of the following:

a, To establish additional building facilities equipped with new and modern equipment
to serve and to cater to drug dependents of the region;

b, To initiate plans for the development of income generating programs for the ultimate
purpose of generating resources to provide charity services;

c. To provide hospital pharmacy services, free dispensaries and health stations: and
d. To provide educational facilities for interns and graduate and undergraduate students
of medicines.

SEC. 11, Government Support and Coordination. ~ The Secretary of Health is hereby
authorized to call upon any department, bureau, agency or instrumentality of the government for
such assistance as may be necessary to effectively implement this Act.

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The present Dangerous Drugs Board
in consultation with the Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local
Government, Department of Justice, Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare
and Development, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine National Police, National
Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation and the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office and all other concerned government agencies shall promulgate within sixty
(60) days the Implementing Rules and Regulations that shall be necessary to implement the
provisions of this Act.

SEC. 13. Appropriations. ~ The sum necessary for the effective implementation of this
Act shall be charged against the appropriations for the Department of health under the current
General Appropriations Act, Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the continued
operation of the Center shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 14, Repealing Clause, — All laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, and other
issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified.

SEC. 15. Separability Clause. ~ If for any reason any section or provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions thereof, shall not be
repealed or modified.

SEC. 16, Effeetivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its publication in
the Official Gazette or in any two newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bitl No, 1298

Introduced by Honorable Florida P. Robes

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘There is a famous statement which says, "Condemn the crime but not the criminal." This
clearly applies to those people who have abused the use of drugs, alcohol and other substances.
‘The path to drug addictions usually begins with a voluntary act ot out of curiosity. But over time,
the persons taking them are no longer able to control the desire because the brain is already
affected, However, drug addiction can be treated but itis not that simple. It is a chronic disease
which cannot be treated for a few days, Interventions can either be long ot short, depending on
the extent of addiction. In view of the alarming surge in the number of drug dependents in the
country, not to mention that even minors are not spared from the menace drug addiction may

bring to the society, it is the duty of the State to intervene.

Although the new administration is taking this problem to another level by campaigning
to kill drug pushers and users alike, this Author still believes that drug addiction, like any other
diseases, can be cured. With the creation of a facility that will focus on rehabilitating drug
addicts through proper treatment and therapies, there is optimism that the problem can be solved
in a more humane and democratic way, Drug addicts will be given a chance to re-enter society
and regain their normal lives ina safe and healthy manner. Hence, the immediate passage of this
Bill is earnestly sought.

FLORIDA B. ROBES