HOUSE OF
Republic of the Philippines 2
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE: RECE

IVED
Quezon City ‘

SEVENTEETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 933

Introduced by REP. RUWEL PETER S. GONZAGA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The children are one of the nation’s best assets. However, they are also our
most vulnerable human resource. Their susceptibility to danger cannot be
discounted hence their protection should be a topmost priority.

It is disheartening to note that syndicates who prey on children for organ
transplant trade sometimes go unchecked, which sends panic-stricken parents
helpless. While some missing children may have been retumed to their families, a
larger number are out there exposed to danger, exploited, or worst, killed and can
no longer be located.

Thus, in cognizance with the Constitutional mandate of promoting and
protecting the physical, moral and spiritual well being of the youth, and in response
to the need for a strategic procedure to facilitate prompt recovery of missing
children, this bill proposes to establish a National Center for Missing Children which
shall be tasked to provide information and coordinate public and private initiatives
towards reuniting missing children with their families.

In view of the foregoing, passage o} ll is earnestly sought.

f.
RUWEL wolf



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 533

Introduced by REP. RUWEL PETER S. GONZAGA

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING CHILDREN AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “National Center
for Missing Children Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of State Policy. - The following State policies shall be
observed at all times:

a) The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and
shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and
social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism,
and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.

b) The State shall defend the right of children to assistance, including
proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect,
abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their
development.

SEC.3. Determination of Age. — This Act shall apply to persons below the
age of eighteen (18) years old pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child. The age of the child may be determined from the child’s birth
certificate, baptismal certificate or any other pertinent documents. In the absence of
these documents, age may be based on information from the child himself or
herself, testimonies of other persons, the physical appearance of the child and other
relevant evidence. In case of doubt as to the age of the child, it shall be resolved in
her or his favor.

SEC. 4. National Center for Missing Children (NCMC). -. There shall be
created, under the supervision of the Department of Justice, the National Center for
Missing Children (NCMC).

The NCNC shall exercise the following powers and functions:

a) Establish and maintain missing children telephone hotlines that will
receive and disseminate in a timely manner to various local government units,
government agencies, law enforcement agencies, school districts, and the general
public, information regarding missing children which shall include pictures, bulletins,
police reports biographical references and other relevant data that can help efforts
to locate missing children;

b) Maintain a regularly updated computerized link nationwide about
missing children through established reporting systems or clearing houses;


c) Coordinate with public and private entities like the media and various
non-government organizations to locate and reunite missing children with their
families;

d) Disseminate information relating to innovative and model programs,
services, and legislations that will benefit missing and exploited children;

e) Conduct national incidence studies annually to determine the actual
number of children reported missing, the number of children who are victims of
abduction, and number of children who are recovered each year;

Seek technical and logistical assistance through public and private
grants which shall be used to:
é.. Educate parents, children, and local communities in ways to
prevent the abduction and sexual exploitation of children;
ii. Provide information to assist in the location and recovery of
missing children;

iii. Aid communities in the collection of materials which would be
useful in the identification of missing children;
iv. Increase knowledge of and develop effective treatment

pertaining to the psychological consequences to the family of
the missing child; and

v. Collect detailed data on the actual investigative practices
utilized by law enforcement agencies in missing children’s
cases.

9) Analyze, compile, publish and disseminate an annual summary of
recently completed researches and demonstration projects relating to missing
children with particular emphasis on:

i Effective models of national and local coordination and
cooperation in locating missing children;

ii. Effective educational methods designed to promote community
awareness of the problem to prevent abduction or sexual
exploitation of children; and

iii. Effective programs which provide counseling and treatment to
families of missing children or to children who had been victims
of abduction or sexual exploitation

h) Perform such other powers as may be necessary for the effective
implementation of this Act.

SEC. 5. Executive Council. — The powers and functions of the NCMC shall
be exercised by the Executive Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council, which
shall be composed of the following:

a) Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development

(DSWD), as Chairman;

b) Secretary of Justice; (DOJ)

c) Secretary of Education (DepEd);

d) Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (DILG); and

©) Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP);

f) Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR);

9) _ Director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);

h) Executive Director of the National Center for Missing Children

(NCMC);
i) Executive Director of the Council for the Welfare of Children
(CWC);
j) Two (2) representatives from non-government organizations (NGOs),
one to be designated by the Secretary of Justice and the other to be designated by
the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, as members.

SEC. 6. Executive Director. - The National Center for Missing Children
shall be headed by an Executive Director who shall, upon approval of the Council,
determine the organizational structure and staffing pattern of NCMC


SEC. 7. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial
implementation of this Act shall be taken from the current appropriations of the
Department of Justice. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for its
continued implementation shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations
Act.

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly

SEC. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,