THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPDLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
c. 
S.B. No. 
. 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
E~PLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2 provides: 
Section 13. The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in 
nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, 
spiritual and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism 
and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic 
affairs. 
Section 17. The State shall give priority to education, science and 
technology, arts, culture and sports to foster p atriotism and nationalism, 
accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and 
development. 
Quality education is necessary ,not only for the future of our children and our families, but 
for the future of our country. A better educated citizenry and workforce are essential to compete 
in the global economy and to maintain a strong democracy. 
A safe school environment is a prerequisite towards achieving that goal. 
If the 
government is to effectively provide quality education, it must provide students an environment 
conducive to learning. 
The continued presence in schools of violent students, who are a threat to both teachers 
and other students, is incompatible with a safe learning environment. 
Unsafe school 
environments discourage students to go to school and place those who are already at risk of 
school failure for other reasons in further jeopardy. 


Greater cooperation between schools, parents, law enforcement, the courts, and the 
community is essential to making our schools safe from drugs and violence. The purpose of this 
bill is to establish innovative programs to provide safe school environments. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
S.B. SENAT% 
No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING INNOVATWE PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE SAFE SCHOOL 
ENVIRONMENTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Safe Schools Act.” 
SECTION2. Purpose. - It is the purpose of this Act to urge the Department of 
Education, Culture and Sports and other educational agencies - 
(1) to provide comprehensive services to victims and witnesses of school violence; 
(2) to remove violent and drug selling student offenders from school premises; 
(3) to report violent crimes and drug dealing on school grounds to appropriate law 
enforcement authorities; 
(4) to involve parents, former armed forces personnel, and community volunteers in 
efforts to improve school safety; and 
(5) to develop innovative programs to improve the.sfaety of our Nation’s schools and to 
better serve at-risk students. 
SECTION 3. Authorization of Appropriations. - There are authorized to be appropriated 
such sums as may be necessary to cany out this Act. 
SECTION 4. Program Authorized. - 
(I) IN GENERAL - The Secretary of Education shall develop, establish, or conduct as 
may be necessary to carry out this Act. 


(2) NATURE - The Secretary shall, for school implementation, focus on programs 
that- 
(a) provide parent and teacher notification of crimes or drug activity occumng at 
school; 
(b) provide for the suspension, delay, or restriction of driving privileges of 
students who have a conviction, an adjudication in a juvenile proceeding, or a finding in a 
school disciplinary proceeding, involving illegal drugs; 
(c) link educational institutions with community-based mentoring programs in 
order to link individual at-risk youth with responsible, individual adults who serve as mentors 
for the purpose of - 
(i) discouraging at-risk youth from - 
(aa) using illegal drugs; 
(bb) violence; 
(cc) using dangerous weapons; 
(dd) criminal activity; and 
(ee) involvement in gangs; 
(ii) increasing youth participation in, and enhancing the ability of such 
youth to benefit from, elementary and secondary education; 
(iii) promoting personal and social responsibility; 
(iv) encouraging at-risk youth participation in community service and 
community activities; and 
(v) providing general guidance to at-risk youth; 
(d) include cooperative efforts between the Secretary of Education and the 
Secretary of National Defense to share the training and salary costs of former members of the 
Armed Forces, who shall be hired as teachers and assigned to teach in public elementary schools 
and secondary schools; 
(e) enhance school security measures that may include - 
(i) equipping schools with metal detectors, fences, closed circuit cameras, 
and other physical security measures; 


(ii) providing increased p olice p atrols in and around elementary schools 
and secondary schools; 
(iii) mailing to parents at the beginning of the school year stating that the 
possession of a gun or other weapon, or the sale of drugs in schools, will not be tolerated by 
school authorities; and 
(iv) gun hotlincs. 
(0 provide protections for victims and witnesses to school crime, including 
protection for attendance at school disciplinary proceedings; 
(g) expel students who, on school grounds, sell drugs, or who commit a violent 
offense that causes serious bodily injury of another student or teacher; and 
(h) require referral to law enforcement authorities or juvenile authorities of any 
student who on school grounds- 
(i) commits a violent offense resulting in serious bodily injury; or 
(ii) sells drugs. 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the reminder o f t  he 1 aw o f the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation c ontrary t 0, or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
/1421 JPS