HOUSE F REPRESENTATIVES

DEAN 2016

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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2690
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: Representative Shernee A. Tan

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Since President Rodrigo R. Duterte assumed the presidency on
July 1, 2016, the Philippine National Police has been aggressive in its
campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in the country. In its program dubbed
as the “Toktok-Hangyo” (knock and convince), press reports have
counted so far, more than five hundred drug users and pushers who had
been killed in police operations and more than one hundred twenty
thousand had voluntarily surrendered to authorities in various parts of
the country.

But the deluge of drug dependents and peddlers surrendering
brought to the fore the issue, “What can the government offer to them so
as not to return to their old vice?”

In his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Duterte
revealed that there are over three million people involved in drugs, either
as users or pushers. It is sad to note that a lot of drug dependents prefer
not to be rehabilitated due to the prohibitive cost of rehabilitation which
is beyond the reach of addicts from impoverished families.

The privately-owned rehabilitation centers charge their patients
ranging from P10,000.00 to P100,000.00 per month depending on the
facility and the type of rehabilitation while government facilities charged
P5,000.00 to P10,000.00.

But with the upsurge of drug-related killings, it is more compelling
to undergo rehabilitation than face extrajudicial death sentence.

There are only more than sixty (60) rehabilitation centers in the
Philippines and all of them have been operating on full capacity and have
turned away patients for lack of accommodation. It is therefore very
alarming if we consider the fact that the number of people who
voluntarily surrendered only constitutes a measly four percent (4%) of
the total number of people, who are hooked into drugs.


As the government cannot be able to exterminate and rehabilitate all of
them under the present situation, the time for us to act is now to mitigate, if
not to totally eliminate the problem.

It is also worthy to share the timely statement made by Vice-Governor
Dennis Pineda of Pampanga: “We cannot just make them surrender and leave
them hanging in the air. If we want to end the war against the prohibited drugs,
we should strive to make them useful citizens again.’ And this can be done by
building an accessible refuge where the victims of drug addiction can go and
help treat themselves.

This bill therefore seeks to establish a drug treatment and
rehabilitation center in every province under the supervision of the
Department of Health (DOH).

‘The victims of drug addiction are people just like us, who have physical,
emotional and psychological needs that should be addressed in order to help
them improve and change their lives.

The main objective of the treatment and rehabilitation center is to help
the addicts recover from drug abuse, and mental disorder. It has a team of
doctors and staff members who will provide treatment to patients suffering from
substance abuse and re-occurring disorders.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in the United
States, those who complete drug abuse rehabilitation are more likely to achieve
sobriety, have fewer run-ins with the law, experiences fewer relapses, and enjoy
better relations with family members, friends and colleagues than those who do
not participate in treatment.

It is a fact that establishing a treatment and rehabilitation center in
every province will be very costly to the government. Therefore, the Department
of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall undertake the construction of
such facility. The amount of ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00} shall be taken
from the allocation for infrastructure projects of each legislative district and
from each partylist representative. The size of the Center in each province will
vary according to the number of population. If no source of funding will be
identified to build such an important facility, even if this bill is enacted into law,
this will only add up to the reported 85 unfunded laws that require a total of
P500 Billion to be implemented.

‘The recovery of the patients and the long term benefits are far more
important and greatly beneficial for every Filipino than the costs and fees of
establishing and maintaining a treatment and rehabilitation center.

In view of the foregoing reasons, the approval of this bill is earnestly
sought.

Kusug Tausug Partylist


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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2690

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: Representative Shernee A. Tan

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A DRUG TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION
CENTER IN EVERY PROVINCE AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Establishment. - ‘There shall be established in every
province a drug treatment and rehabilitation center under the
supervision and control of the Department of Health (DOH).

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared the policy of
the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people and
also to value the dignity of every human person, who must be accorded
full respect for human rights. Toward this end, drug dependents must be
given an opportunity to be given proper treatment and rehabilitation in
an environment in which human beings can grow and regain self-
confide

SEC. 3. Fundamental Objectives and Responsibilities. - The
drug treatment and rehabilitation center shall provide comprehensive
rehabilitation services utilizing such accepted modalities as
multidisciplinary team approach, therapeutic community approach
and/or spiritual services with the goal of changing the patient’s
destructive thinking and behavioral pattern, teach them personal
responsibility, create a sense of human community and endorse a sense
of values and belief to help them combat drug addiction and eventually
prepare for social re-integration.

SEC. 4. Location of the Provincial Drug Treatment and
Rehabilitation Center. - The lot shall be donated or purchased by the
provincial government where the Center shall be constructed. The
province shall determine the site of the Provincial Drug Treatment and
Center.


SEC. 5. Design, Policies, Terms and Conditions. - The DOH
shall prepare the design of the structure, in consultation with the
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), with due
consideration to service facilities, and formulate policies, guidelines,
terms and conditions relative to the operation and maintenance of the
Center.

SEC. 6. Organization, Compensation and Qualifications;
Personnel and Staff. - The Secretary of the DOH shall appoint the
Chief of the Center who shall have the same qualifications, compensation
and powers generally exercised by the Chief of a Provincial Hospital

The Chief of the Center shall appoint the personnel and. staff
necessary as determined by the DOH Regional Director.

SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the
construction of the Center shall be charged against the appropriations of
the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Thereafter, such
sums as may be necessary for the continued operation and maintenance
of the Center shall be charged against the annual appropriations of the
Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD).

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations... Within ninety
(90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health shall,
in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) and Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), promulgate the necessary
rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of
general circulation

Approved,