FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEr:l,ATE 
S,No. 1592 
,.~a:M'i) IW' "~~ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Filipinos committing or attempting suicide are getting younger over the years. The 2001 
World Health Report revealed that in 53 countries where complete data were available, "suicide 
[turned out to be) a leading cause of death for young adults." 
Blame it mostly on the demands of rapid urbanization and economIC hardships. 
Psychiatrists say that life has become more stressful than ever. What complicates the situation is 
the continued refusal of many families to encourage troubled members to seek the advice of 
mental health professionals, as if the act itself is an admission of insanity. Psychiatrists point out 
that children are prone to depression which sometimes leads to suicide. These are caused by the 
children's separation from their parents when the latter go elsewhere to work; the restrictive, 
abusive, punitive, or highly critical parenting style that their elders adopt; the breaking of close 
relationships, and the oppression of society. Findings also show that if these events do not drive 
children to take their own lives, these may still cause these children to grow up as emotionally 
weak adults. 
In the US, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24, and 
that more teenagers and young adults died from suicide than from a combination of cancer, heart 
disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, and chronic lung diseases taken together. In the Philippines, 
reports allegedly claimed that suicides among Metro Manila students, particularly those 
attending prestigious schools, are rising at alarming rate, and seem to be following a trend of 
youth suicides in the US and Japan. 
The government, through the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education 
(DepEd), should take steps to raise awareness of youth suicide as a serious public health 


program. Suicide is not a crime, as most media reports tend to portray it. It is a serious disease 
that should be prevented. I 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
III Jll 19 ,)4 SO 
SENi'~2 
S.No. ___ _ 
MCfiVEO ~v : .. 
... __ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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• ANACT 
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TO PROVIDE YOUTH SUICIDE EARLY INTERVENTION AND 
PREVENTION EXPANSION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Youth Suicide Prevention 
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Act." 
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SECTION 2.Dejinition of Terms. -As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
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(A) "Eligible entity" means the State, political subdivision, public organization, or private 
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non-profit organization actively involved in youth suicide early interventIon and prevention 
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activities and in the development and continuation of nationwide youth suicide early intervention 
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and prevention strategies. 
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(B) "Best evidence-based" means programs that have undergone scientific evaluation and 
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gave proven to be effective. 
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(C) "Educational institution" means high school, vocational school, or an institution of 
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higher education. 
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(D) "Preventio\1" means a strategy or approach that reduces the likelihood or risk of 
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onset, or delays the onset, of adverse health problems or reduces the harm resulting from 
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conditions or behaviors. 
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(E) "Youth" means an individual between 6 and 24 years of age. 
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(F) "DOH means the Department of Health. 
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(G)"DOH Secretary" means the Secretary of Health. 
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SECTION 3. Statement of Policy. - It is recognized that youth suicide is a public health 
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tragedy linked to underlying mental health problems and that youth suicide early intervention 
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and prevention activities are national priorities. 
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SECTION 4. Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Strategies. -
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(A) In General. - The DOH shall award grants or cooperative agreements to eligible 
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entities to: 
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(1) Develop and implement nationwide youth suicide early intervention and 
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prevention strategies in schools, educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, 
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substance abuse programs, mental health programs, foster care systems, and other child 
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and youth support organizations; 
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(2) Collect and analyze data on nationwide youth suicide early intervention and 
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prevention services that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of such services and for 
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research, technical assistance, and policy development; and 
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(3) Assist provincial anG municipal governments, through nationwide youth 
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suicide early intervention and prevention strategies, in achieving their targets for youth 
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suicide reductions. 
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(B) Preference. -The DOH Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities that -
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(1) Provide early intervention services to youth in, and that are integrated with, school 
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systems, educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, substance abuse programs, mental 
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health programs, foster care systems, and other child and youth support organizations; 
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(2) Demonstrate collaboration among early intervention and prevention services 
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or certify that entities will engage in future collaboration; 
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(3) Employ or include in their applications a commitment to engage in an evaluative 
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process the best evidence-based or promising youth suicide early intervention and prevention 
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practices and strategies adapted to the 10c~1 community; 
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(4) Provide for the timely assessment of youth who are at risk for emotional disorders 
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which may lead to suicide attempts; 
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(5) Provide timely referrals for appropriate community-based mental health care and 
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treatment of youth in all child-serving settings and agencies who are at risk for suicide; 
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(6) Provide immediate support and information resources to families of youth who are at 
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risk for emotional behavioral disorders which may lead to suicide attempts; 
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(7) Offer equal access to services and care to youth with diverse social and economic 
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backgrounds; 
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(8) Offer appropriate services, care, and information to families, friends, schools, 
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educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, substance abuse programs, mental health 
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programs, foster care systems, and other child and youth support organizations of youth who 
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recently completed suicide; 
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(9) Provide continuous and up-to-date information and awareness campaigns that target 
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parents, family members, child care professionals, community care providers, and the general 
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public and highlight the risk factors associated with youth suicide and the lifesaving health and 
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care available from early intervention and prevention services; 
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(10) Ensure that information and ilwareness campaigns on youth suicide risk factors, and 
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early intervention and prevention services, use effective communication mechanisms that are 
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targeted to and reach youth, families, schools, educational institutions, and youth organizations; 
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(II) Provide a timely response system to ensure that child-serving professionals and 
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providers are properly trained in youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies and 
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that child-serving professionals and providers involved in early intervention and prevention 
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services are properly trained in effectively identifying youth who are at a risk for suicide; 
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(12) Provide continuous training activities for child care professionals and community 
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care providers on the latest best evidence-based youth suicide early interv,ention and prevention 
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services practices and strategies; and 
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(13) Work with interested families and advocacy organizations to conduct annual self-
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evaluation of outcomes and activities on the national level, according to standards established by 
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the DOH. 
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SECTION 5. Technical Assistance and Data Management. -
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(A) Technical Assistance and Data Management. -
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(1) In General. - The DOH Secretary shall award technical assistance grants and 
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cooperative agreements to govermnent agencies to conduct assessments independently or in 
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collaboration with educational institutions related to the development of statewide youth suicide 
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early intervention and prevention strategies. 
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(2) Authorized Activities. - Grants awarded under Section 3, Paragraph (1) shall be used 
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to establish programs for the development of standardized procedures for data management, such 
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as: 
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(a) Ensuring the quality of youth suicide early intervention and prevention 
strategies; 
(b) Providing technical assistance on data collection and management; 
(c) Studying the costs ,\nd effectiveness of nationwide youth suicide early 
intervention and prevention strategies in order to answer relevant issues of 
importance to national policymakers; 
(d) Identifying and understanding further the causes of and associated risk factors 
for youth suicide; 
( e) Ensuring the quality surveillance of suicidal behaviors and nonfatal suicidal 
attempts; 
(f) StUdying the effectiveness of nationwide youth suicide early intervention and 
prevention strategies on the overall wellness and health 
promotion strategies related to suicide attempts; and 
(g) Promoting the sharing of data regarding youth suicide with govermnent 
agencies involved with youth suicide early intervention and prevention, and 
nationwide youth suicide early intervention and prevention 
strategies for the purpose of identifying previously unknown mental health 
causes and associated risk-factors for suicide in youth. 
(3) Research. -
(a) In General. - The DOH Secretary shall conduct a program of research and 
development on the efficacy of new and existing youth suicide early intervention 
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techniques and techno10g,y, including clinical studies and evaluations of early 
intervention methods, and related research aimed at reducing youth suicide and 
offering support for emotional and behavioral disorders which may lead to suicide 
attempts. 
(b) Disseminating Research. - The DOH Secretary shall promote the sharing of 
research and development data developed pursuant to the preceding paragraph 
with the national agencies involved in youth suicide early intervention and 
prevention, and entities involved in nationwide youth suicide early intervention 
and prevention strategies for the purpose of applying and integrating new 
techniques and technology into existing nationwide youth suicide early 
intervention and strategies systems. 
SECTION 6. Coordination and Collaboration. -
(A) In General. - In carrying out this section, the DOH Secretary shall collaborate and 
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consult with -
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(1) National Center for Mental Health (NCMH); 
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(2) Department of Education PepEd); 
(3) National Youth Commission (NYC); 
(4) Other government agencies: national and local agencies; 
(5) Local and national organizations that serve youth at risk for suicide and their 
families; 
(6) Relevant national medical and other health and education specialty 
organizations; 
(7) Youth who are at risk for suicide, who have survived suicide attempts, or who 
are currently receiving care from early intervention services; 
(8) Families and friends of youth who are at risk for suicide, who have survived 
suicide attempts, who are currently receiving care l?om early intervention and prevention 
services, or who have completed suicide; 
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(9) Qualified professiona,ls who possess the specialized knowledge, skills, 
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experience, and relevant attributes needed to serve youth at risk for suicide and their 
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families; and 
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(10) Third-party payers, managed care organizations, and related commercial 
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industries. 
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(B) Policy Development. - The DOH shall coordinate and collaborate on policy 
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development with the following government and private entities enumerated in the preceding 
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paragraph, including the medical, suicide prevention advocacy groups, and other health and 
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education professional-based organizations, with respect to nationwide youth suicide early 
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intervention and prevention strategies. 
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SECTION 7. Rule o/Construction; Religious Accommodation. -Nothing in this Act shall 
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be construed to preempt any statute that does not require the suicide early intervention for youth 
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whose parents or legal guardians object to such early intervention based on the parents or legal 
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guardians' religious beliefs. 
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SECTION 8. Evaluation. -
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(A) In General. - The DOH Secretary shall conduct an evaluation to analyze the 
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effectiveness and efficacy of the activities conducted with grants under this Section. 
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(B) Report. - Not later than two years after the date of enactment of this section, the 
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Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of the Senate and House of Representatives 
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a report concerning the results of the evaluation conducted under paragraph 
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SECTION 9. Guidelines and Measures. - Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
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enactment of this Act, the DOH shall promulgate and issue necessary guidelines and measures 
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for the effective implementation ofthe provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 10. 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 remain 
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valid and SUbsisting. 
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SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation or part thereof, contrary to, or 
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inconsistent with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
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accordingly. 
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SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved. 
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