Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
TO EMPOWER THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED), THE  
COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED), AND THE TECHNICAL  
EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (TESDA) TO REQUIRE 
ALL THE SCHOOL HEADS TO REPORT ALL THE INCIDENTS OF STUDENT  
SUICIDE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS, WHETHER CONSUMMATED,  
FRUSTRATED, OR ATTEMPTED, AND TO PROVIDE A PROGRAM FOR 
STUDENT SUICIDE EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION 
Filipinos committing or attempting to commit suicide are getting younger over the 
years. A 2001 WHO Report revealed that in 53 countries worldwide, “suicide is a 
leading cause of death for young adults.” In the US, suicide is the third leading cause 
of death of young people aged 15-24. Studies show that more teenagers and young 
adults die from suicide than from a combination of cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth 
defects, stroke, and chronic lung diseases taken together. A 1993 World Health 
Organization (WHO) study on suicide prevention showed that out of the 848 suicides 
reported that year, an alarming 68.9% was committed by people aged 15 to 34.  
In the Philippines, unfortunately, no concrete steps have been taken to determine the 
causes of suicide among the Filipino youth. Psychiatrists point out that children and 
young adults are prone to depression which sometimes leads to suicide. This is 
caused by the children’s separation from their parents when the latter go to work; the 
restrictive, abusive, punitive, or highly critical parenting style their elders adopt; the 
breaking of close relationships, and the oppression of society. The government, 
through the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education 
(CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), 
should take steps to raise awareness of student suicide as a serious public health 
program.  
Suicide is not a crime, as most media reports tend to portray it. It is a serious problem 
that must be addressed. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
9127
March 23, 2021
1:13 PM


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
TO EMPOWER THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED), THE  
COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED), AND THE TECHNICAL  
EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (TESDA) TO REQUIRE 
ALL THE SCHOOL HEADS TO REPORT ALL THE INCIDENTS OF STUDENT  
SUICIDE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS, WHETHER CONSUMMATED,  
FRUSTRATED, OR ATTEMPTED, AND TO PROVIDE A PROGRAM FOR 
STUDENT SUICIDE EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Student Suicide 
Prevention Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is recognized that student suicide is a public 
health tragedy linked to underlying academic oppression, and that early intervention 
and prevention programs relating to student suicide are national priorities. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — For the purposes of this Act, the term: 
(A) “Student” means any person enrolled in the primary, secondary, college or 
vocational levels;
(B) School” means any public or private educational institution that offers either 
primary, secondary, college or vocational education. 
(C) “School Head” means the chief operating officer or the chief administrator of a 
school. 
(D) “DepEd” means the Department of Education. 
(E) “CHED” means the Commission on Higher Education. 
(F) “TESDA” means the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. 
(G) “Secretary” means the DepEd Secretary. 
(H) “Chairperson” means the CHED Chairperson. 
(I)
“Director” means the TESDA Director-General. 
(J) “Office” means either to DepEd, CHED, or TESDA, as the case may be.
(K) “Task Force” means the Task Force on Student Suicides.
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SECTION 4. Establishment of Task Force on Student Suicide. —  
(A) In General. — The Secretary, the Chairperson, and the Director shall establish a 
Task Force within the DepEd, CHED, and TESDA to carry out the following: 
(1) Collect information from every school head regarding incidence of student 
suicides;   
(2) Study that information and make findings, conclusions, and recommendations 
regarding that information; and 
(3) Submit reports to Congress in accordance with this Section. 
(B) Information Included. — The information referred to in subsection (1) shall include 
the following: 
(1) The prevalence of incidents of student suicide; 
(2) The demographics of students who committed or attempted to commit 
suicide; 
(3) The factors that influence the decision of students to commit or attempt to 
commit suicide; 
(4) The circumstances surrounding student suicide, including the age, sex, time, 
place, manner or instrument used to commit suicide, and whether consummated, 
frustrated, and attempted; 
(5) Trends and variations in the matters set forth in paragraphs (B)(1) through 
(B)(4) of this Section. 
 
SECTION 5. Student Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Strategies. — 
(A) In General. — The DepEd, CHED, and TESDA, in coordination with the 
Department of Health (DOH), shall: 
(1) Develop and implement nationwide student suicide early intervention and 
prevention strategies in various schools; 
(2) Collect and analyze data on nationwide student suicide early intervention and 
prevention services that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of such 
services and for research, technical assistance, and policy development;  
(3) Assist the school heads through nationwide student suicide early intervention 
and prevention strategies, in achieving their targets for student suicide 
reductions. 
(4) Assist the school heads for the timely assessment of students who are at risk 
for emotional disorders which may lead to suicide; 
(5) Assist the school heads in providing timely referrals for appropriate 
community-based mental health care and treatment of students who are at risk of 
committing suicide; 
(6) Assist the school heads in providing immediate support and information 
resources to families of students who are at risk of emotional behavioral 
disorders which may lead to suicide attempts; 
(7) Assist the school heads in offering equal access to services and care to youth 
with diverse social and economic backgrounds; 
(8) Assist the school heads in offering appropriate services, care, and 
information to families and friends of students who recently committed suicide; 
(9) Provide continuous and up-to-date information and awareness campaigns 
that target parents, family members, child care professionals, community care 
providers, and the general public and highlight the risk factors associated with 
student suicide and the life-saving health and care available from early 
intervention and prevention services; 


 
 
(10) 
Ensure that information and awareness campaigns on student suicide 
risk factors and early intervention and prevention services use effective 
communication mechanisms that are targeted to and reach the students, families, 
and schools; 
(11) 
Provide a timely response system to ensure that guidance counselors 
and teachers are properly trained in student suicide early intervention and 
prevention strategies and that guidance counselors and teachers involved in 
early intervention and prevention services are properly trained in effectively 
identifying students who are at a risk for suicide; 
 
SECTION 6. Mandatory Reports. — Not later than five (5) months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the DepEd, CHED, and TESDA shall require all the school 
heads to report all the incidents of student suicide, whether consummated, frustrated, 
or attempted, within their respective schools, from the date of the establishment of the 
school up to the present time.  
Subsequently, the school heads shall submit an annual report of student suicide 
incidence, whether consummated, frustrated, or attempted, if there is any, to the Task 
Force. 
Not later than one (1) year and annually thereafter, the Task Force shall submit a 
report to the proper committees in the Senate and the House indicating the schools 
with the most and least number of student suicides, whether consummated, frustrated, 
or attempted. The Task Force shall further report its methodologies, findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations in the assessment of student suicide. 
 
SECTION 7. Registration of Student Suicide. —Not later than one (1) year and 
annually thereafter, the Task Force shall also submit to the Civil Registrar a database 
of incidence of student suicide. The Civil Registrar shall maintain the database of 
student suicide incidence according to age, sex, manner or instrument used to 
commit the suicide, and whether consummated, frustrated, or attempted.  
 
SECTION 8. Failure of the School to Report. — In case the school failed to report any 
incident of student suicide, the DepEd, CHED, and TESDA are hereby authorized to 
fine the concerned school, without prejudice to the filing of the administrative and 
criminal charges against the school and/or the school head under existing laws.  
 
SECTION 9. Scholarship Fund. – The fine to be imposed by the DepED, CHED, and 
TESDA shall be constituted as a scholarship fund under a program to be established 
by their Office. 
 
SECTION 10. Authorization of Appropriation. — To carry out the provisions of this Act, 
such sums as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the 
National Treasury. 
 
SECTION 11. Rules and Regulations. — Not later than ninety (90) days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, the Chairperson, and the Director shall 
establish within their Office the Task Force and issue such rules and regulations as 
are necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 12. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 


 
 
remain valid and subsisting.   
 
SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary 
to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or 
amended accordingly. 
 
SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,