FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
12 PZ57 
I 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 13, provides: 
Section 13. The State recognizes the role of the youth in nation- 
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, 
intellectual and social wellbeing. 
It shall inculcate in the youth 
patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public 
and civil affairs. 
Service to the community is a responsibility of all Filipinos, regardless of their 
economic level or age. Serving other builds self-esteem and teaches teamwork, decision- 
making, and problem-solving. 
Students, from kindergarten to college, offer a powerful and largely untapped 
resource for community service. The government, therefore, should encourage students to 
engage in productive work with visible community benefits in a natural resource or 
human service setting, in order to 'give them a mix of work experience, basic and life 
skills education, training, and support services. 
Children who become engaged in community service early will understand better 
the responsibilities of citizenship and often continue to serve the community into 
adulthood. To this end, this bill seeks to establish a program that will expand 
opportunities for students to serve their communities. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
”. 
. 
I -  
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PROGRAM TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
FILIPINO STUDENTS TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representntives of the Philippines in 
Congress nssenzbled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Service to the 
Philippines Act of2008.” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. -The purposes of this Act are: 
(A) to eiiable the call to service to begin in the earliest grades, to grow into 
sustained coininunity action in secondary schools and colleges, and to become a lifelong 
habit; 
(B) to provide students with service oppoitunities; 
(C) to build on the existing organizational framework provided by educational 
agencies, schools, institutions of higher education, and communily agencies; 
(D) to promote the expansion of summer of this title 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. --For purposes of this Act: 
(A) The term “community-based agency” means a private non-profit organization 
that is representative of a comlnunity or a significant segment of a corninunity and that is 
engaged in meeting human, social, educational, or environmental community needs. 
(B) The tern1 “education institution” means elementary or secondary school, 
institution of higher education, or a community-based agency that provides educational 
services 
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(C) The term “appropriate government agency” means a public agency that is 
engaged in meeting human, social, educational, or environmental needs. 
(D) The term “participant” means a student or out-of-school youth who provides 
services pursuant to a program provided in this Act. 
(E) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Education. 
(F) The tenn “service opportunity” means a program or project enabling students 
to perrorm nieaningfiil and constructive service in agencies, institutions, and situations 
where the application of human talent and dedication may help to meet, human, social, 
educational, and environmental community needs, especially those relating to poverty. 
(G) The term “student” means an individual who is enrolled full-time or part-time 
in an elementary or secondary school or institution of higher education. 
SECTION 4. School and Campus Based Community Service. -~ The Secretary 
shall, in coordination with the Commission on Higher Education, National Youth 
Commission, Department of Social Welfare and Development and other appropriate 
government agencies and community-based agencies, establish a national program that 
will provide opportunities for students work with visible community. Such 
comprehensive program shall provide productive work with visible community benefits 
in a natural resource or human service setting and give participants a mix of work 
experience basic and life skills education, training and support services. 
,
.
 
SECTION 5. Incorporation in the Curriculuni. - Such program shall be 
incorporated into the curriculum as a separate subject and shall require students, before 
they are allowed to graduate from elementary, high school or college, as the case may be, 
to render community service by participating in the program. 
SECTION 6 .  Program Components. -The Secretary, in carrying out the program, 
shall: 
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(A) encourage cooperative efforts among education institutions, local government 
agencies, community-based agencies, business to provide service opportunities, including 
those that involve the participation of urban, suburban, and rural youth working together; 
(B) ensure that economically and educationally disadvantaged students are 
offered service opportunities; 
(C) describe the goals of the program, including goals that are quantifiable, 
measurable, and show benefits to the participants and the community; 
(D) formulate programs that - 
(1) provide an age-appropriate learning component for participants to 
reflect on service experiences; 
(2) give pre-service and in-service training for both supervisors and 
Participants involving representatives of the community where service- 
opportunities will he provided; and 
(3) provide evidence that participants will make a sustained commitment 
to the service project. 
(E) involve individuals of different ages, sexes, ethnic groups, and economic 
backgrounds serving together. 
SECTION 7. Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary shall formulate the 
necessary d e s  and regulations in carrying out the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 8. Appropriation. - The national goveinnient shall appropriate such 
amounts as may be necessary Lo carry out the provisions and objectives of this Act. 
SECTION 9. Sepnrahility Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive oi-der, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
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accordingly. 
or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act i s  hereby repealed, modified or amended 
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SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall talte effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved , 
A