Article  15, Section  1  of the  1987 Philippine Constitution provides:
"The State recognizes the` Filipino family as the foundation of the
nation.  Accordingly,  it  shall  strengthen  its  solidarity  and  actively
promote its total development."
Fundamental  changes  in  the  demographics  and  economics  of  family  life  in  the
country over the past 20 years have had a profound effect on children and their parents.
As  the  number of women  working  outside  the  home  has  been  steadily  increasing,
there  is  a  need  to  support  community-based  family  resource  and  support  programs  that
promote   healthy   child   development   and   increase   parental   competency.   Investment   in
promoting  the  development  of family  resource  and  support  programs  will  reap  long-term
benefits for individual families and the nation as a whole.
This bill seeks to establish a national center for information and technical assistance
relating  to  all  types  of family  resource  and  support  programs;  hence,  immediate  approval
hereof is earnestly recommended.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS                  )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES    )
First Regular session                           )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez                                  __
House Bill No.  5388
AN ACT
TO    ESTABLISH    A    NATIONAL    CENTER    FOR    INFORMATION    AND    TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE   RELATING  TO  ALL  TYPES  OF  FAMILY  RESOURCE  AND  SUPPORT
PROGRAMS
Be it erl?ct.ed by the Senate and  House of Representatives of the  Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SECTION 1. SAorf 77.I/e. -This Act shall be known as the "Fami-/y Resource Act, "
SEC 2. Purpose. - It is the purpose of this Act to -
(1 )  stimulate the development and expansion of family resource and  support programs
that are prevention oriented;
(2)  encourage  early  intervention  of such  programs with  families  to  ameliorate  problem
situations before such situations become crises; and
(3)  assist parents in enhancing their children's development to assure that their children
enter school prepared and ready to learn.
SEC 3.  Defi.ni.fi.on.  - As used  in this Act,  the term  "family resource and  support programs"
means  community-based  services  that  offer  sustained  assistance  to  families  at  various
stages   in   their  development.   Such   services   shall   promote   parental   competencies  and
behaviors  that  will  lead  to  the  healthy  and  positive  personal  development  of  parents  and
children through-
(1)   the provision of assistance to build family skills and assist parents in improving their
capacities to be supportive and nurturing parents;
(2)   the  provision  of assistance  to families  to  enable  such families  to  use  other formal
and informal resources and opportunities for assistance that are available within the
communities of such families; and
(3)   the creation of supportive networks to enhance the childbearing capacity of parents
and  assist  in  compensating  for  the  increased  social  isolation  and  vulnerability  of
families.
SIC 4. Es`tab_li=h.ap.eT\t Of Natio_pal C_enter on Family Resouroe and Support Programs. -
(a)  Es fab/i-shmenf.  -  The  Secretary  of  Health  shall  establish,  through  grant  or
contract,  a  national  center for the  collection  and  provision  of programmatic information  and
technical assistance that relates to all types of family resource and support programs.
(b) Funcfi.ons. - The national center established under subsection (a) shall serve as
a  national  information,  training,  technical  assistance  and  material  development  source  for
family resource and support programs. Such center shall-
1)   establish a clearinghouse to develop and maintain a data base on all types of
family resource and support programs;
2)   develop  and  maintain  a  system  for disseminating  information  on  all  types  of
family resource and support programs and on the state of family resource and


support  program  development,   including   information  concerning  the  most
effective model programs;
3)   develop  and  sponsor  a  variety  of training  institutes  and  curricula  for family
resource and support program staff,
4)   identify  several  model   programs  representing  the  various  types  of  family
resource and support programs to develop technical assistance materials and
activities to assist other agencies in establishing family resource and support
programs; and
5)   develop nationwide networks of family resource and support programs for the
purpose of sharing and disseminating information.
SEC 5.   Eya/uafJ.on. -The Secretary of Health shall, through grants or contracts awarded or
entered  into with  independent auditors,  conduct evaluations and  related  activities,  of family
resource and support programs, including -
1 )   evaluations of on-going programs;
2)   process evaluations focusing on implementation strategies; and
3)   the development of simple evaluation models for use by local family resource
4)   and support programs.
SEC  6.  Aufhort-zafi.on  of Approprt.atfons.  -  To  carry  out  the  provisions  of this  Act,  it  is
hereby  authorized  to  be  appropriated  from  the  National  Treasury  such  sums  as  may  be
necessary for each fiscal year.
SEC   7.   Saparab/.//.fy   C/ause.   -   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.
SEC 8. Fiepea/i'ng C/ause. -Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter
of  instruction,  administrative  order,  rule  or  regulation  contrary  to  or  inconsistent  with  the
provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.
SEC 9. Effect/.yi-fy C/ause. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,