il. 
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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILLIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
likely to continue the threats to the mother through other legal actions. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 15, Section 1 provides that: 
The State recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation of the 
nation. Accordingly, it shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its 
total development. 
Family violence does not necessarily cease when family victims are legally separated or 
otherwise not sharing a household. In fact, it even escalates following separation and the child 
custody and visitation arrangements become the new forum for the continuation of abuse or 
violence. 
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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
’(“4 AUG - p 3 11 7 
a3,pplit 
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BY 
i 
I 
OF THE PHILIPPWS 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T  
S.B. No. 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS FOR SUPERVISED VISITATION 
CENTERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Safe Havens for Children 
Violence Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declavation of Policy. - The S tate shall protect the rights and promote the 
welfare of children in keeping with the mandate of the Constitution and the precepts of the United 
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. 
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SECTION 3. Definition. -For the purposes of this Act the term: 
(1) “Secretary” means the secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development; 
(2) “Family violence” means any act or threatened act of violence, including any forceful 
detention of an individual, which - 
(b) is c ommitted such p erson i s o r  was related by blood or m amage o otherwise 
(a) results or threatens to result in physical injury; and 
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legally related or with whom such person is or was lawfully residing. 
(3) “Shelter” means the provision of temporary refuge and related assistance in compliance 
with applicable 1 aws and regulations governing the provision, on a regular basis, of shelter, safe 
homes, meals, and related assistance to the dependents of the victims of family violence. 
(4) “Related Assistance” means direct assistance to victims of family violence and then 
defendants for the purpose of preventing Eurther violence, helping such victims to gain access to 
civil and criminal courts and other community services, facilitating the efforts of such victims to 


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make decisions concerning their lives in the interest of safety, and assisting such victims in healing 
from the effects of the violence, with such assistance to include prevention services, peer 
counseling, and children’s counseling and support services, Related assistance shall include - 
(a) prevention services such as outreach and prevention services for victims and their 
and operate supervised visitation centers for the purposes of facilitating supervised 
visitation exchange. 
(a) Considerations - In awarding such grants, uhder subsection (a), the 
children, employment training, parenting and other education services for victims and t eir children, 
preventive health services within domestic violence programs (including nutrit on, disease 
prevention, exercise of substance abuse), domestic violence prevention programs fo , school age 
children, family violence public awareness campaigns, and violence prevention counseling services 
to abusers; 
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(b) counseling with respect to family violence, counseling or other supportive 
services by peers individually or in groups, and referral to community social services; 
(c) transportation technical assistance with respect to obtaining financial assistance 
under government programs, and referrals for appropriate health care services (including alcohol 
and drug abuse treatment), but shall not include reimbursement for any health care services; 
(d) legal advocacy to provide victims with information and assistance through the 
civil and criminal courts, and legal assistance; or 
(e) children’s counseling and support services, and child care services for children 
who are victims of family violence or the dependents of such victims. 
vihitation and 
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SECTION 4. Grants to Local Govevnment Units To Provide for Supervised Visitation 
Centers 


(i) In General - Amounts provided under a grant awarded under 
this Section shall be used to establish supervised visitation center: 
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SECTION 5. Reporting and Evaluation. - 
(1) Not later than sixty (60) days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report that includes information concerning - 
(a) the number of individuals served and the number of individuals turned away 
from services categorized by local government units and the type of presenting problems that 
underlie the need for supervised visitation or visitation exchange, such as domestic violence, child 
abuse, sexual assault, emotional 
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or other physical abuse, or a combination of such factors; 
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(b) the numbers of supervised visitations or visitation exchanges ordered during 
custody determinations under a separation or divorce decree or protection order, through child 
protection services, or through other social services agencies; 
(c) the process by which children or abused partners are protected during visitations, 
temporary custody transfers and other activities for which the supervised 
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created; 
and for the 
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center operated under the grant. The entities conducting such evaluations shall submi: 
evaluation of the center to both the center and the grantee. 
SECTION 6. Appropriation.- To carry out the provisions of this act, such sum as may be 
necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. Therealter, the sum 
necessary for the continuous operation of the programs shall be include in the annual appropriation 
of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. 
a narrative 
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SECTlON 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the reminder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid 
and subsisting. 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with, 
the provisionsfthis Act is-hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - 
This Act shall tale effect fifteen (15) days alter its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapei-s of general circulation. 
Approved, 
I1477