Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

598

3
HOUSE BILL NO.

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE
DRUG REHABILITATION CENTER IN EVERY REGION OF THE
COUNTRY FOR THE TREATMENT OF METHAMPHETAMINE
HYDROCHLORIDE (SHABU), CANNABIS (MARIJUANA), INHALANTS
(CONTACT CEMENT), HEROIN, OPIOIDS, COCAINE, 3,4-
METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE (ECSTACY),
PHENCYCLIDINE (PCP) AND OTHER SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The campaign against drug and substance abuse has never been
these profound and intense in our times. No other than the President of
the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in his first State of the Nation
Address called on for the crackdown on sale, use and distribution of drugs
in the country. The alarming number of drug and substance abuse in the
country has continued to soar in an unprecedented increase. And up to
this day, the resolute war against drugs is continuing.

In a report released by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
(PDEA), as of December 2015, 26.93% percent or 11, 321 out of the
42,036 barangays in the country are drug affected. Though the highest
among the regions in terms of most affected area remains to be the
National Capital Region, with 99.26% of barangays being affected, the
nationwide scale of gravity of the situation becomes a national immediate
concern. Increased crime rate and peace and order are now the
consequence of the widespread drug consumption. The number of lost
lives and families that were ruined by drugs have been constantly
swelling.


In recent days, the vigorous campaign against drug users and
dependents have resulted to an astonishing number of surrenderees. The
“Project Tokhang” by the police and the local government units have
yielded a staggering number pushers and users. And with these, the
concerned local governments have been swamped with drug personalities.
However, the challenge posed by these campaign highlighted the
insufficient facilities and mechanism of the government to handle the
enormous number of drug personalities. Not to mention the plans,
approaches and strategies on how to bring them back to life and be useful
members of the society.

It is on this note that this proposal has been filed. The initial
establishment of a comprehensive drug rehabilitation center for every
region is hereby proposed. The Center will cater to the residents of the
region found to be a drug or substance dependent. The Center aims to
provide for a holistic rehabilitation of the individual and prepare for the
restoration of his life being. The center shall work on the principle of a
balanced life which will include prayer, education, work, exercise and play
and the continuum care of the patient is of utmost consideration.

With the foregoing, passage of the bill is hereby earnestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3598

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative FERDINAND L. HERNANDEZ

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE
DRUG REHABILITATION CENTER IN EVERY REGION OF THE
COUNTRY FOR THE TREATMENT OF METHAMPHETAMINE
HYDROCHLORIDE (SHABU), CANNABIS (MARIJUANA), INHALANTS
(CONTACT CEMENT), HEROIN, OPIOIDS, COCAINE, 3,4-
METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE (ECSTACY),
PHENCYCLIDINE (PCP) AND OTHER SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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 “Access
to Drug and Substance Abuse Treatment Act of 2016”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy.- It is hereby declared the policy of
the State to provide each and every Filipino a safe and non-violent society
that is free from drug and substance abuse. Treatment and rehabilitation
of drug and substance dependence should be made accessible to Filipinos
in order to bring them back to their functional state and be useful
members of the society.

SEC. 3. Purposes.- It is the purpose of this Act to-


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a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

SEC. 4. Establishment of a Comprehensive Treatment and
There shall be established a comprehensive
drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation center in every region of the

Rehabilitation Center. -

country under the supervision of the Department of Interior and Local

Reduce the crime rate and improve public safety by
making treatment for treatment for methamphetamine
hydrochloride (shabu), cannabis (marijuana), inhalants
(contact cement), heroin, opioids, cocaine, 3,4-
methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstacy),
phencyclidine (PCP) and other substances that may be
declared by the Dangerous Drugs Board as may be
subject to addiction and abuse available for the
Filipinos;

Provide for a wholistic rehabilitation of a drug and
substance dependents by offering a mind, body and
spiritual care of individuals found to be drug and
substance dependents;

Help identify root causes and the most effective
method of treatment for methamphetamine
hydrochloride (shabu), cannabis (marijuana), inhalants
(contact cement), heroin, opioids, cocaine, 3,4-
methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstacy),
phencyclidine (PCP) and substances abuse;

Offer a learning and educational track that will put back
to school the victims of drug and substance abuse; and
Strengthen the emotional and spiritual make-up of an
individual drug and substance dependent by conducting
regular guidance and counseling sessions as well as
interdenominational church services.

Government, hereinafter referred to as the “Center”.


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The Secretary of Secretary of Interior and Local Government, the
Chief of the Philippine National Police, in coordination with the
Secretaries of Education, Health, Public Works and Highways, and the
Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education, shall determine the
appropriate location of each regional drug rehabilitation center taking

into consideration the accessibility of the facilities to most of its patients.

Each center shall have an initial bed capacity of five (500) hundred
and will be increased depending on the recommendation of the
Department of Interior and Local Government.

The Center will provide for a comprehensive and intensive
rehabilitation treatment for the drug and substance abuse with qualified
medical and clinical professionals with a planned 24-hour care and
monitoring scheme.

A wrap-around comprehensive treatment shall include the following
services:

a) Medical services;

b) Dental services;

c) Mental health services;

d) Educational and on the job training services; and

e) Spiritual services.

SEC. 5. Organization. - Each regional drug rehabilitation center
shall be headed by an Executive Director and two (2) Deputy Executive
Directors, who shall appointed by the Secretary of Interior and Local
Government, upon the recommendation by the Secretary of Health. He
shall be vested with powers generally exercised by a Chief and Assistant
Chief, respectively, by that of a government hospital.


The Executive Director and the Deputy Executive Directors shall
possess the following qualifications:

a) At least thirty-five (35) years of age;

b) A physician of good reputation; and

c) At least five (5) years experience in the care, treatment
and rehabilitation of drug dependents.

SEC. 6. Personnel and Staff.- The Director shall appoint such
other personnel and staff as may be necessary for the effective operation
of the Center subject to existing laws, rules and regulations of the Civil
Service.

SEC. 7. Admission and Stay in the Center.- A person may be
admitted in the Center after a thorough evaluation and a
recommendation by a government physician that an individual is a
methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu), cannabis (marijuana),
inhalants (contact cement), heroin, opioids, cocaine, 3,4-
methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstacy), phencyclidine (PCP) and
other substances affected person and found to have abused or is a
dependent of the drug or substances.

a) In Patient Treatment Program- A person may be admitted
for residential in-patient treatment program for
methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu), cannabis
(marijuana), inhalants (contact cement), heroin, opioids,
cocaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstacy),
phencyclidine (PCP) and other substances abuse until he is
finally free from drug and substance abuse and
dependency and his re-entry into the community.


b) Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program- A treatment
program that provides for drug and substance abuse
management thru:

1) A minimum of seven (7) hours of treatment for
drug and substance abuse during a week;

2) A regular scheduled treatment sessions with
structured guidelines and procedure;

3) Treatment sessions under strict supervision by
health professionals and clinicians.

SEC. 8. Duration of Treatment.- Upon certification by the
Executive Director that the patient has been fully treated or treatment
and follow up may done through out-patient management, the patient

may be discharged from the Center.

SEC. 9. Five Year Development Plan.- Each regional drug
rehabilitation center, through its Executive Director, shall be authorized to

develop a five year development plan to fulfill the following:

a) The establishment and building of facilities equipped with
new and modern equipment to serve and cater to drug and
substance dependents of the region;

b) Provide for hospital pharmacy services, free dispensaries
and health stations;

¢) Provide educational facilities for drug and substance
dependents of the region;

d) Provide for learning facility for interns, graduate and
undergraduate students of medicine;

e) Initiate plans for the development of income generating
programs for the ultimate purpose of generating resources
to provide charity services.


SEC. 10. Government Assistance to the Center.- The Secretary
of Interior and Local Government is hereby authorized to call upon any
department, bureau, agency or instrumentality of the government for
such assistance as may be necessary to effectively implement this Act.

SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety
(90) days upon approval of this Act, the Secretary of Local Government
as the lead agency, in coordination with the Secretaries of Education,
Health , Public Works and Highways, the Chief of the Philippine National
Police, the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education and the
Executive Director of the Center shall promulgate rules and regulations as
may be necessary to secure an efficient administration of the Center and
the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 12. Annual Report.- The Executive Director of the Centers
shall each submit a report to the Secretary of Interior and Local
Government which shall be consolidated and will be submitted to
Congress every opening of session on the status of the implementation of
this Act.

SEC. 13. Appropriations.- The amount necessary for the
implementation of the this Act shall be charged against the current
appropriations of the Department of Interior and Local Government.
Thereafter, such amount necessary for the continued operation of the
comprehensive regional drug rehabilitation centers shall be included in
the Annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 14, Repealing Clause.- All laws, decrees, executive orders,
rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended
or modified accordingly.


SEC. 15. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is
declared invalid, the provision thereof not affected by the by such
declaration shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 16. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper

of general circulation.

Approved,