SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 
2546 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
'[; 
J~N -5 P3 52 
INCLUDING THE NATIONAL YOUTH COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON AS A 
MEMBER OF THE PHILlPPINE NATIONAL AIDS COUNCIL, AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8504, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
Pl-IILIPPINE AIDS PREVENTION AND CONTROL ACT OF 1998 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 13 provides: 
The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building 
and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, 
and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and 
nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. 
Every day in 2011, 2,400 youth ages 15,,24 are infected with HIV.] The United 
Nations has expressed grave concern that the youth account for more than one third of all 
new HIV infections, and noted that only 34% of them possess accurate knowledge of 
HIV.2 It has committed to encourage and support the active involvement and leadership 
of the youth in the fight against HIV at the local, national, and global levels. 3 
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Joint United Nations Programme 
on HlV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognize the role 
of the youth for a successful fight against HTV/AIDS. They observed that the exclusion of 
1 UNA IDS (10 August 2012). Putting young people at the centre of the response to HIV. 
http://www. unaids.org/en/resotlrces/presscentre/ieaturestories/20 12/august/20 12081 Oyouthday. 
2 United Nations General Assembly, AlRes/65/277, Resolution adopted by the United Nations General 
Assembly, Political Declaration on lilY and AIDS: Intensifying Our Efforts to Eliminate HIY and AIDS, 
http://www.llnaids.org/sites/defaultlfiles/en/media/llnaids/contentassets/documents/documentl20 1 1/06/201 10610 U 
N_A-RES-65-277_en.pdf. 
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3 Jd. 
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the youth in the dratling of strategies and policies on HIV/AIDS is "tragic as young 
people are more likely than adults to adopt and maintain safe behaviors.,,4 
This bill seeks to address the call of these international organizations to promote 
. youth participation in HlV/AIDS management by including a representative of the youth 
in the Philippine National AIDS Council. It aims to give the youth a voice in making 
policies that directly affect them as a sector most vulnerable to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. 
" UNICEF, UNAIDS, and WHO (2002), Young People and HIV/AIDS Opportunity in Crisis, 
http://www.unicef.org/publications/fiIes/pub_yollfIgpeople...11ivaids _en. pdf. 
2 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF TlIE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 
2546 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
'15 
JAN -5 P 3 :52 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
INCLUDING THE NATIONAL YOUTH COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON AS A 
3 
MEMBER OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL AIDS COUNCIL, AMENDING FOR 
4 
THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8504, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
5 
PHILIPPINE AIDS PREVENTION AND CONTROL ACT OF 1998 
6 
SECTION 1. Republic Act No. 8504. otherwise known as the Philippine AIDS 
7 
Prevention and Control Act of 1998, Section 45, is herebyamendt'd to read as follows: 
8 
Sec. 45. Membership and composition. - (a) The Council shall be composed of 
9 
twenty six (26) [TWENTY-SEVEN (27)J members as follows: 
10 
11 
(21) CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH COMMISSION 
12 
(NYC) OR HIS REPRESENTATIVE. 
13 
SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
14 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, 
15 
or inconsistent with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
16 
accordingly. 


1 
SECTION 3. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) days 
2 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
/1mdp13Dec2014 
2