J 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
S. 
"04 JUN 30 RO :05 
.." 
I 
B. No. 
54 
- .. 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JlNGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Filipino youth today a myriad of issues that needs to be addressed at the 
grass root level. Poverty, lack of education, drug or substance abuse, vice, crime and 
unemployment are among the many problems that continue to batter them. Likewise, 
recent issues on the rising number of street-children in urban centers, child abuse, 
forced-labor and pedophilia are quite alarming, aggravating the plight of the youth. 
As an immediate step toward a long-range action plan for them, there is a need 
to establish an integrated youth center in the fifteen- (15) regions of the country. These 
youth centers are envisioned as halfway houses and/or transient shelters, or lodging 
facilities, with skills and training centers, to cater the youth in difficult circumstances who 
are in need of immediate attention. 
These centers shall also serve as one-stop youth activity centers, in terms of 
lodging and recreation facilities, venue for livelihood and skills training, community 
service and voluntary work; and extension offices andlor regional offices of the 
government's lead youth agency - the National Youth Commission. 
In view of the foregoing considerations, approval of this bill is earnestly 
recommended. 
1
GG Y EJERCITO ESTRADA 
< 
J Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
1 
S E N A T E  
!. 
S. B. No. 
- .  
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A YOUTH CENTER IN THE FIFTEEN (15) REGIONS OF THE 
PHILIPPINES AND APPROPRIATING FUND THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of the Representative of the Philippines in 
Congress assem bled. 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Youth Center Act of 
the Philippines.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to 
promote and protect the youth’s physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well- 
being. For this purpose, the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive 
approach towards youth development inculcating in them patriotism, nationalism and 
encouraging their involvement in national and community affairs, among others. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act. 
(a) Youth - refers to those persons whose age range from fifteen (15) to thirty 
(30) years of age. 
(b) Center - refers to the place established by this Act with recreational, 
educational, health and social programs and hosted or lodging-type facilities 
designed for full access and benefit of the youth in a particular region. 
SECTION 4. Establishment of Centers. - There is hereby established a youth 
center, hereinafter referred to as the Center, in fifteen (15) regions of the Philippines, 
under the direct supervision of the National Youth Commission, hereinafter referred to 
as the Commission, in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare & 
Development and its attached agencies, and the Department of the Education, Culture 


and Sports, the local government unit concerned, and the private sector which includes 
non-government youth organization. 
SECTION 5. Management of Cenfers. - All the centers shall be governed by an 
Advisory Board, hereinafter referred to as the National Board, as the national policy- 
making body. 
SECTION 6. Composition of the National Board, - The National Board shall 
have the following as members, namely: the Chairman of the Commission, as 
President; the appointive official from the private sector who participated in the built- 
operate-transfer (BOT) agreement or franchising agreement with the Commission, as 
Vice-president for Operation; two (2) Commissioners from the National Youth 
Commission and one (1 ) President of a nationwide non-government youth organization, 
as members. 
SECTION 7. Funcfions of fhe National Board. - The National Board shall 
perform the following duties and responsibilities: 
(a) Adopt though resolutions, policy guidelines, and implementing rules and 
regulation for all youth centers nationwide; 
(b) Promote inter-regional activities in line with the government's national youth 
program. 
(c) Enter into a joint venture agreements, built-operate-transfer, and other 
feasible economic undertaking with the private sector and other non- 
governmental youth organizations through standard bidding procedures; and, 
(d) Provide relevant infrastructure support such as communications link up 
among the fifteen- (15) youth centers. 
SECTION 8. Administration of Regional Center. - The Center at the Regional 
level shall be operated by a Chief Administrator, hereinafter referred to as the Chief, 
appointed by the Vice-president for Operations. The Chief shall have the following 
duties and responsibilities: 
(a) Implement the policies and decisions adopted by the National Board; 
(b) Administer the day-to-day operations of the Center which include reservation, 
(c) Encourage active participation among the youth organizations in the region as 
(d) Promote youth exchanges and tourism in the national as well as international 
schedule of activities and maintenance, among others; 
center workerslvolunteers; 
level; 


(e) To exercise such other duties and responsibilities in the promotions of youth 
development. 
SECTION 9. Function of the Center. - The Centers, with the pre-determined 
space by the National Board, shall serve as extensions of the fifteen- (15) regional 
offices of the Commission. They shall carry out the following functions: 
(a) Identify the needs, training and opportunities of the regions; 
(b) Initiate, develop and implement productive activities and work schemes for 
the youth in order to provide employment, community and social involvement 
and skills training, among others; 
(c) Promote and maintain linkages with regional government units and other 
instrumentality’s of government and the provincial, city and municipal councils 
for the youth and Sangguniang Kabatataan, at all levels, and other non- 
government organizations for youth programs/projects, facilities, professional 
advice services, volunteer training and community self-help projects; 
(d) Provide a half-way house transient shelter, or lodging facilities for youth in 
difficult circumstances such as parental abuse, pedophilia, forced labor and 
similar circumstances; and, 
(e)To exercise such other functions which are necessary to carry out the 
purpose for which the centers are established. 
SECTION 10. Site. - The National Board shall determine the location of the 
center in the region, taking into account the following factors, namely: 
(a) accessibility to regional government offices; 
(b) transport infrastructure and services; 
(c) within a twenty kilometer radius from potential tourist attraction; and, 
(d) economic feasibility. 
SECTION 1 I. 
Center Workers/ Volunteers. - The Chairman of the Commission 
or its regional representative may designated social workers and volunteers from the 
Commission as the workers of the extension office: Provided, however, That the 
Chairman may appoint other personnel who possess the necessary professional 
qualifications to work efficiently with the youth of the community. 
The Chairman or its regional representative may also call upon private volunteers 
who are responsible members of the community to provide technical, educational and 
other services and facilities for the youth. 


SECTION 1 2. Quali~~caPio~/~is~uali~ication 
for Chief Administrator. - No 
person who is related within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity to any 
appointive or elective official shall be appointed as Chief Administrator. 
SECTION 13. Exemptions from Dufies and Taxes. - The Center shall be 
exempted from the payment of customs duties, taxes and tariffs in the importation of 
equipment and supplies used actually, directly and exclusively by the Center pursuant 
to this Act, including those donated to the Center. 
SECTION 14. Rules and Regulafion. -Within sixty (60) days from the approval 
of this Act, the Commission, in coordination with other government agencies concerned, 
shall issue the rules and regulations to effectively implement the provision of this Act. 
Any violation of this section shall render the concerned officials liable under Republic 
Act No. 6713, otherwise known as the “Code and Ethical Standards for Public Officials 
and Employees” and other administrative and/ or criminal laws. 
SECTION 15. Coordination of Government Agencies. - The Commission, in 
coordination with the Department of Education Culture and Sports and the Department 
of Social Welfare and Development and other government agencies and local 
government units, shall assist in the effective implementation of this Act and provide the 
necessary support services. 
SECTION 16. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriation Act of the year 
following its enactment into law and every year thereafter. 
The sum necessary for the continuous operations of the centers shall be 
subsidized in part by the Commission and part by the private sector. 
SECTION 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules 
and regulations, inconsistent with this Act, are hereby amended or repealed 
accordingly. 
SECTION 18. €Hecfivify. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen days (1 5) from 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation 
Approved,