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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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f~fh;t~ of t!l~ ~:t>\n"b(t 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
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s. No. 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of 
the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
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Substance abuse is the process of using legal or illegal drugs or other chemicals that have 
an impact on a person in a detrimental way, It is the misuse of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, 
prescription drugs, and other substances (such as paint thinners or aerosol gasses) that change 
how the mind and body work. The term can be used to apply to both criminal and non-criminal 
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acts, as substance abuse can refer to overindulgence of legal drugs as welL Someone may abuse 
alcohol in a way that never specifically causes him or her to break the law, but it may still have 
serious negative consequences and impacts both on the abuser's life and the lives of those around 
him or her. Substance abuse can also involve the use of illegal drugs and can often involve one 
or more instances of legal repercussions such as police arrest and incarceration. l 
Drug addiction appears to be on the rise in the Philippines. There are believed to be as 
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many as 6,7 million drug abusers according to figures from 2004. This is a dramatic increase 
from 1972, when there was only believed to have been around 20,000 drug users in the 
Philippines, The drug that is most abused in the Philippines continues to be alcohol. Filipinos are 
the second highest consumers of alcoholic drinks in South East Asia. Most of the drug users in 
the Philippines are young people. While there are no hard and fast statistics available, it is 
I http://www.wisegeek.com 


estimated that as many as 60,000 young people in the Philippines are dealing with drug 
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a lchon. 
Unfortunately, most substance abusers are left without proper medical assistance on how 
to deal with their addiction due to lack of affordability and accessibility of substance abuse 
rehabilitation centers. 
This bill seeks to enhance public safety and promote the health and welfare of indigent 
addicts and alcoholics whose families cannot afford to send them to a private rehabilitation 
center, by creating substance abuse rehabilitation centers in every city and province that will 
provide affordable and accessible rehabilitation services. 
2 http://aicohoirehab.com 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
1575 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE REHABILITATION 
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CENTERS IN EVERY CITY AND PROVINCE THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Accessible Substance Abuse 
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Treatment Act." 
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SECTION 2. Creation of Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Center. - The Department of 
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Health (DOH), in coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), 
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shall undertake the establishment of a substance abuse rehabilitation center in every city and 
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province in the country. 
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SECTION 3. Lead Agency . ...: The Secretiuy of Health, in coordination with the Secretary' 
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ofInterior and Local Government (DILG), shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the 
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effective implementation of the Act. 
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SECTION 4. Appropriations. - There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 
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be necessary to carry out this Act. 
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 


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SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,