HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

RECEF

VED

JL 2016

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS eheicaNrno UNIT:
First Regular Session DER SEEN

H.B.No,__1663

Introduced by HONORABLE BELLAFLOR J. ANGARA-CASTILLO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Based on the latest data from the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), approximately 1.7 million
Filipinos are considered illegal drug users as of 2012. Data also showed that young
Filipinos aged 10-29, or those in basic and tertiary education, are the most vulnerable to
illegal drugs. Illegal drugs deter the country's development by corrupting Filipinos,
especially the youth, ruining both their health and their aspirations.

The severity of this issue must not be ignored as addiction to illegal drugs causes an
average death toll of 1,700 per year. According to DDB, drug syndicates thrive in close to
8,700 barangays, or 20 percent of all barangays in the country. To combat its proliferation in
the country, it is high time that a national integrated program be established to strengthen
the drive against illegal drugs.

This measure seeks to put up an exclusive fund, to be called the Anti-Illegal Drug Campaign
and Research (AIDCARE) Fund, which will be used to create a nationwide education and
awareness program on illegal drugs; to implement a mandatory training for local
government unit personnel involved with the enforcement, research, and policymaking on
illegal drugs; to establish a national helpline for drug abusers; and, to create a public
registry of drug dealers, pushers and traffickers. Such fund will be included under the
annual budgets of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of
Education (DepEd), Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), and Philippine Drug Enforcement
Authority (PDEA).

This measure acknowledges that while the government has declared war against illegal
drugs in order to maintain peace and order, it must also provide an opportunity for drug
abusers to reform their lives, as they are merely victims as well of drug lords who control
those involved in massive illegal drug trade in the country.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought

' orttthcgn tienre
Representative

Lone District, Province of Aurora


26

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES t
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

1663

H. B. No.

Introduced by HONORABLE BELLAFLOR J. ANGARA-CASTILLO

AN ACT
CREATING A NATIONAL ANTI-ILLEGAL DRUG CAMPAIGN AND RESEARCH
PROGRAM, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the “National AIDCARE Program’.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to maintain
peace and order and to promote general welfare of its people by creating an empathetic
hand that complements the iron fist of government crusade against illegal drugs through
creating a national program that would help reform drug abusers, who are victims of ill-
minded individuals involved in illegal drugs trade, through competent civil servants and
effective anti-illegal drugs policies.

SEC. 3. Anti-lilegal Drug Campaign and Research Fund. There Is hereby a National
Anti-lilegal Drug Campaign and Research Program (AIDCARE) Fund included under the
annual budgets of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of
Education (DepEd), Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), and Philippine Drug Enforcement
Authority (PDEA), in addition to the appropriations of these agencies under the General
‘Appropriations Act, for the implementation of the National AIDCARE Program.

Such fund shall be exclusively used for the following components:

a. Nationwide Education and Awareness Strategy on Illegal Drugs;

b. Mandatory Training for Local Government Unit (LGU) Personnel involved with
the enforcement, research, and policymaking on illegal drugs and other related
substances of abuse;

c. Nationwide Study on the Nature and Extent of Drug Abuse;

d. National Helpline for Drug Abusers; and

e. Public Registry of Drug Dealers, Pushers, and Traffickers

The amount of the National AIDCARE Fund shall be determined by the Department of
Budget and Management (DBM) in coordination with the DILG, DepEd, PDEA, and DDB.

SEC. 4. Creation of a Nationwide Education and Awareness Program on Illegal Drugs.
A Nationwide Education and Awareness Program on Illegal Drugs shall be created by the
DepEd that shall either be included in the K-to-12 curriculum or instituted as a regular and
frequent co-curricular activity or event done in all public schools covering all levels of basic
education.

The composition of the Nationwide Education and Awareness Program on Illegal Drugs
shall be reviewed, and if necessary, updated, by the DepEd annually to ensure its
effectiveness. Further, the DILG shail provide necessary resources, personnel and other
materials for the development of the Nationwide Education and Awareness Program

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SEC. 5. Development and Implementation of a Mandatory Training for Local
Government Unit Personnel. A training program shall be developed by the DDB, in
coordination with the DILG, to enhance the knowledge and to improve the capacity of Local
Government Unit (LGU) personnel on the subject of illegal drugs and related substances of
abuse. The syllabus of this training program shall be updated by the same agency annually.

The DILG and its provincial offices shall implement such training program, to be held at
least bi-annually, depending on the need of the LGU, as determined by the same agency.
Further, an annual evaluation to measure the proficiency of LGUs on the same subject shall
be created and published by the DILG.

SEC. 6. Nationwide Study on the Nature and Extent of Drug Abuse. A Nationwide Study
on the Nature and Extent of Drug Abuse shall be created and initiated by the DDB, in
cooperation with the DILG and PDEA. The methodology of this study shall be determined
by the DDB: Provided, That the same shall have a proportional sampling to provide a
balanced representation of all regions and provinces in the country.

The Nationwide Study must be annually submitted to the President and to Congress,
particularly to the Congressional Committee on Dangerous Drugs and to the Senate
Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs. The same shall be made accessible to
the public through an online website.

For purposes of this Act, the Nationwide Study on the Nature and Extent of Drug Abuse
shall, at least, provide results up to the municipal level.

SEC. 7. Establishment of a National Helpline for Drug Abuse. A National Helpline for
Drug Abuse shall be established and maintained by the DILG, in coofdination with PDEA
and DDB, that must be always operational and can be reached either through a phone
number, a real-time online website, or a mobile application.

The National Helpline should provide instructions to drug users or persons who contacted
the helpline on behalf of the drug user, particularly in referring affected individuals to
appropriate drug rehabilitation centers, or in emergency cases, provide immediate
paramedic response

SEC. 8. Creation of a Public Registry of Drug Dealers, Pushers, and Traffickers. in
order to produce a holistic National AIDCARE Program, a Public Registry listing of drug
dealers, pushers, and traffickers with final conviction by judicial courts shall be created and
maintained by the PDEA, in cooperation with the Department of Justice (DOJ), DILG,
Philippine National Police (PNP), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)

This Public Registry shall contain the information of these convicted drug dealers, pushers,
and traffickers and be accessible to all individuals.

SEC. 9. Review of Anti-illegal Drugs Programs. To prevent the redundancy of programs
on anti-illegal drugs and related substances of abuse, the DILG, DDB, and PDEA, shall
review similar programs and projects of all National Government Agencies, in order to
determine those that may duplicate components of the National Anti-iilegal Drugs Program

The same agencies shall recommend the rationalization of these identified programs to its
implementing agency, which shall then be reported to the President and to Congress,
particularly to the Congressional Committee on Dangerous Drugs and Senate Committee
on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.

SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The DILG, in consultation with the DBM,
DOJ, DepEd, PDEA, DDB, PNP, NBI, and other concerned agencies shall promulgate and
issue the IRR within sixty (60) days upon approval of this Act: Provided, That the failure of
DILG to promulgate the rules and regulations shall not prevent the implementation of this
Act upon its effectivity.

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SEC. 11. Reportorial Requirements. The DILG and the DepEd, in cooperation with PDEA
and DDB, shall submit an annual report on the implementation of the National AIDCARE
Program, particularly on the utilization of the National AIDCARE Fund, the National
Education and Awareness Program, the evaluation of LGUs resulting from the mandatory
training program, and the effectiveness of the nationwide helpline for drug users, to the
Offce of the Presklont, DEM the Congressional Commitee on Dangerous Drugs, and the
Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.

SEC. 12. Separability Clause. If any provision or part hereof is declared unconstitutional,
the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. All laws, Presidential Decrees, Executive Orders, rules and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

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