/; RECEIVED

Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES «re SEP 9
Quezon City te Oe
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session
House Bill No._ 4321
introduced by Rep. BERNADETTE “BH” HERRERA-DY

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE
AMONG HIGH RISK YOUTH

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol has been the cause of hundreds of accidents,
crimes and deaths each year. In some cases, sharing of drug paraphemalia can cause the spread
of a number of communicable diseases, including AIDS and Hepatitis C.

In Article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all states agree to protect
children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and to prevent children
from being exposed to the illicit production and trafficking of such substances.to effectively fulfill
this obligation, the government must take cognizance of the fact that there are certain youth
groups vulnerable or susceptible to substance abuse. These youth groups may not have any
access to formal institutional structures precisely because of their marginalized status. In order to
reach out to these disenfranchised sectors of the youth, community-based programs which target
high-risk youth must be put in place. More often than non-governmental organizations have the
‘experience and capacity to work at the grass-roots level.

The bill mandates Department of Health to make to make grants that would assist such
organizaitions in this noble cause, so that the youth may be saved from the debilitating effects of
substance abuse and become competent partners in development.

BERN. :TTE HERRERA-DY



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4321

Introduced by Rep. BERNADETTE “BH” HERRERA-DY

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE
AMONG HIGH RISK YOUTH

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 “Saving Young Substance Abusers Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-
building and shall promote their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social wellbeing.

SECTION 3. “High Risk Youth” Defined. — For purposes of this Act, the term “high risk youth”
means an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years, who is at high risk of becoming, or
who has become, a drug abuser or an alcohol abuser, and who —

(A) Is identified as a child of a substance abuser;

(B) Is a victim of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse;
(C) Does not attend school;

(D) Has become pregnant;

(E) Is economically disadvantaged;

(F) Has committed a violent or delinquent act;

(G) Has experienced mental health problems;

(H) Has attempted suicide;

(1) Has experienced long-term physical pain due to injury;
(J) Has experienced chronic failure in school;

(K) Is from a broken family;

(L) Is a child laborer;

(M)Is a street child or street gang member; or

(N) Lives in conflict areas.

SECTION 4. Grants to Public and Nonprofit Private Entities. - The Secretary of the
Department of Health shall make grants to public and nonprofit private entities for projects to
demonstrate effective models for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of drug abuse
alcohol abuse among high risk youth.

SECTION. 5. Priority of Projects. ~

(A) In making grants for drug abuse and alcohol abuse prevention projects, the Secretary shall
give priority to applications for projects directed at children of substance abusers, children
at risk of abuse or neglect, preschool children, children at risk of dropping out of school,


children at risk of becoming adolescent parents, children who do not attend school, child
laborers, street children, and children who are at risk of being unemployed.

(B) In making grants for drug abuse and alcohol abuse treatment and rehabilitation projects,
the Secretary shall give priority to projects which address the relationship between drug
abuse or alcohol abuse and physical child abuse, sexual child abuse, emotional child
abuse, dropping out of school, unemployment, delinquency, pregnancy, violence, suicide
or mental health problems.

(C)In making grants under this Act, the Secretary shall give priority to applications from
community based organizations for projects:

(1) To develop innovative models with multiple coordinated services for the
prevention or for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abuse or alcohol
abuse by high risk youth.

(2) To demonstrate effective models with multiple coordinated services which may
be replicated and which are for the prevention or for the treatment and
rehabilitation of drug abuse or alcohol abuse by high risk youth.

(3) That employ research designs adequate for evaluating the effectiveness of the
program.

SECTION 6, Strategies for Reducing Use. - The Secretary shall ensure that projects under
Section 4 include strategies for reducing the use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products by
individuals to whom it is unlawful to sell or distribute such beverages or products.

SECTION 7. Equal Distribution of Grants. — To the extent feasible, the Secretary shall ensure
the equal distribution of grants under this Act among urban and rural areas.

SECTION 8. Application for Grants. — In order to receive a grant for a project under this Act for
a fiscal year, a public or nonprofit private entity shall submit an application to the Secretary. The
Secretary may provide the provincial governor or the city mayor the opportunity to review and
comment on such application. Such application shall be in such form, shall contain such
information, and shall be submitted at such time as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional,
the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,