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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'SENATE 
S.No. 1878 
Introduced by Senator Miriam D!,)fensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 13 provides that: 
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 
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for community service. The government, therefore, should encourage students to engage in 
productive work with visible community benefits in a natural resource or hlunan 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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MIRIAM DEF 
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• This bill was originally tiled during Fourteenth Congress. First Regular Session. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
s.No._llt78 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
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ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PROGRAM TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
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FILIPINO STl)DENTS TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. -- This Act shall be known as the "Service to the Philippines 
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Act." 
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SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purpOSeS of this Act are: 
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(A) 
To enable the call to service to begin in elementary school, to grow into sustained 
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community action in secondary schools and colleges, and to become a lifelong habit; 
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(B) 
To provide students with service opportunities; and 
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(C) 
To build on the existing organizational framework for community service 
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provided by educationai agencies, schools, institutions of higher education, and nongovernment 
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organizations. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
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(A) 
"Community-based agency" means a private non-profit organization that is 
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representative of a community or a significant segment of a community and that is engaged in 
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meeting human, social, educational, or environmental commlmity needs. 
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(B) 
"Education institution" means elementary or secondary school, institution of 
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higher education, or a community-based agency that provides educational services. 
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(C) 
"Appropriate government agency" means a government agency that is engaged in 
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meeting human, social, educational, or environmental needs. 
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(D) 
"Participant" means a student or out-of-school youth who provides services 
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pursuant to a program provided in this Act. 
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(E) 
(F) 
"Secretary" means the Seqretary of Education. 
"Service opportunity" means a program or project enabling students to perform 
meaningful 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) 
"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, the National Youth Commission, the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development, and other appropriate government agencies and 
community-based agencies, establish a national program that shall provide service opportunities 
for students and out-of-school youth. 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 Curriculum. - 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 colkge, 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 
(A) 
Encourage cooperative efforts among education institutions, local government 
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agencies, community-based agencies, business to provide service opportunities, including those 
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that involve the pmticipation of urban, suburban, and rural youth working together; 
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(B) 
Ensme that economically and educationally disadvantaged students are offered 
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service opportunities; 
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(C) 
Describe the goals of the program, including goals that are quantifiable, 
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measurable, and show benefits to the participants and the community; 
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(D) 
(E) 
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 
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the service project. 
Involve individuals of different ages, sexes, ethnic groups, and economIc 
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backgrounds serving together. 
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SECTION 7, Rules and Regulations, - The Secretary shall promulgate the necessary 
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approval of this Act. 
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SECTION 8, Appropriation, - Such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the 
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provisions and objectives of this Act are hereby appropriated from the National Treasmy, 
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SECTION 9, Separability Clause, - If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting, 
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SECTION 10, 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 11. Effectivity Clause. -- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) ne,wspapcrs of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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