Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City Vie BSED
Lo ocr p 4
(3 RECEIVE!
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS Be 27 SEP 2013
one: 4

First Regular Session

House Bill No. 3026

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE AND PROVIDE SAFE
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS,

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution, in particular, Article 2, Sections 13 and 17, respectively,
state that: “The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall
promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual and social well-being. It shall
inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in
public and civic affairs,” and “The State shall give priority to education, science and
technology, arts, culture and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate
social progress, and promote total human liberation and development.”

These provisions highlight the importance of quality education in securing the
future of our children and our families. We stand a fighting chance to compete in the
global economy if we have a better educated citizenry and workforce and more
importantly, in maintaining a vibrant democracy.

One of the requisites in achieving such a goal is in providing safe school
environments for our children. To effectively provide quality education, the government
must provide students an environment conducive to learning,

A perennial problem in schools is the continued presence of violent students who
pose a threat to both teachers and other students. This is incompatible with a safe
learning environment which we want to provide since students are discouraged from

1


going to school. To make things worse, it also places those who are already at risk of
school failure due to other reasons in further jeopardy.

There must be greater cooperation between schools, parents, law enforcement,
the courts, and the community to make our schools safe from drugs and violence. This
is what this proposed bill wants to address by establishing innovative programs to
ensure and provide safe school environments.

Due to the reasons stated above, we therefore enjoin our colleagues to ensure
the expeditious passage of this bill into law.

DIOSDADO F-ARAGAL ARROYO oxorkancpenan. ARROYO
Second District, Camarines Sur Second District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._3026

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE AND PROVIDE SAFE
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS

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 "Safe School
Environment Act of 2013."

SECTION 2. Purpose. ~ It is the purpose of this Act to urge the Department of
Education and other educational agencies -

(A) To provide comprehensive services to victims and witnesses of school
violence;

(B) To remove violent and drug selling student offenders from school premises;

(C) To report violent crimes and drug dealing on school grounds to appropriate
law enforcement authorities;

(D) To involve parents, former armed forces personnel, and community
volunteers in efforts to improve school safety; and

(E) To develop innovative programs to improve the safety of our Nation's schools
and to better serve at-risk students.


SECTION 3. Authorization of Appropriations. — There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

SECTION 4. Program Authorized. -

(A) In General. — The Secretary of Education shall develop, establish, or conduct
as may be necessary to carry out this Act

(B) Nature. - The Secretary shall, for school implementation, focus on programs
that -

(1) Provide parent and teacher notification of crimes or drug activity
occurring at school;

(2) Provide for the suspension, delay, or restriction of driving privileges of
students who have a conviction, an adjudication in a juvenile proceeding,
ora finding in a school disciplinary proceeding, involving illegal drugs;

(3) Link educational institutions with community-based mentoring
programs in order to link individual at-risk youth with responsible,
individual adults who serve as mentors for the purpose of-

(a) Discouraging at-risk youth from using illegal drugs and
dangerous weapons, and from violence, criminal activity, and
involvement in gangs;

(b) Increasing youth participation in, and enhancing the ability of
such youth to benefit from, elementary and secondary education;

(c) Promoting personal and social responsibility;

(d) Encouraging at-risk youth participation in community service
and community activities; and

(e) Providing general guidance to at-risk youth.
(4) Include cooperative efforts between the Secretary of Education and the
Secretary of National Defense to share the training and salary costs of
former members of the Armed Forces, who shall be hired as teachers and
assigned to teach in public elementary schools and secondary schools;
(5) Enhance school security measures that may include-

(a) Equipping schools with metal detectors, fences, closed circuit
cameras, and other physical security measures;


(b) Providing increased police patrols in and around elementary
schools and secondary schools;

(c) Mailing to parents at the beginning of the school year stating
that the possession of a gun or other weapon, or the sale of drugs
in schools, will not be tolerated by school authorities; and

(d) Gun hotlines.

(6) Provide protections for victims and witnesses to school crime, including
protection for attendance at school disciplinary proceedings;

(7) Expel students who, on school grounds, sell drugs, or who commit a
violent offense that causes serious bodily injury of another student or
teacher, and

(8) Require referral to law enforcement authorities or juvenile authorities of
any student who on school grounds-

(a) Commits a violent offense resulting in serious bodily injury; or
(b) Sells drugs.

SECTION 5. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid
or unconstitutional, the reminder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 6. 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 7. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,