FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution in Article 2, Section 13 provides that: 
Section 13. 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. 
Last February 2006, St. Andrew's School in Parafiaque City faced closure 
following the complaint of parents of students exposed to mercury. A total of 19 students 
were confined at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) while other parents said their 
children are beginning to develop rashes in different parts of the body. Some 35 students 
were exposed to mercury when a student accidentally opened a beaker containing 
mercury. 
Mercury is a heavy, silvery d-block metal, and is one of six elements that are. 
liquid at or near room temperature and pressure. Mercury and most of its compounds are 
extremely toxic and are generally handled with care; in cases of spills involving mercury 
(such as from certain thermometers or fluorescent light bulbs) specific cleaning 
procedures are used to avoid toxic exposure. It can be inhaled and absorbed through the 
skin and mucous membranes, so containers of mercury are securely sealed to avoid spills 
and evaporation. 
The dangers of mercury spills cannot be overlooked. A study has shown that acute 
exposure (4-8 hours) to calculated elemental mercury levels of 1.1 to 44 mg/m3 resulted 
in chest pain, dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, impairment of pulmonary function, and 
evidence of interstitial pneumonitis. 


Acute exposure to mercury vapor has been shown to result in profound central 
nervous system effects, including psychotic reactions characterized by delirium, 
hallucinations, and suicidal tendency. Occupational exposure has resulted in broad- 
ranging functional disturbance, including erethism, irritability, excitability, excessive 
shyness, and insomnia. With continuing exposure, a fine tremor develops and may 
escalate to violent muscular spasms. Tremor initially involves the hands and Iater spreads 
to the eyelids, lips, and tongue. Long-term, low-level exposure has been associated with 
more subtle symptoms of erethism, including fatigue, irritability, loss of memory, vivid 
dreams, and depression. 
This bill aims to prevent the accidental elemental mercury spills in schools to 
protect our school children from the adverse effects of mercury spills. 
IRIAM DEFE 
OR SAIGTIA 
M 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PROHIBIT THE USE, PURCHASE AND STORAGE OF ELEMENTAL 
MERCURY BY SCHOOLS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be lmown as the “Mercury Use in 
Schools Prohibition Act of 2008.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - 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. For this reason, it is declared the policy of the state to 
eliminate elemental mercury in schools to avert its deleterious effects on the health of 
school children. 
SECTION 3. Elimination of the Use of Elemental Mercuvy. - Except as 
otherwise provided in this section, no public or private school or educational institution 
shall purchase, use or store any quantity of free flowing elemental mercury for any 
purpose, nor purchase, use or store any instrument which contains mercury including, hut 
not limited to, thermometers, barometers, sphygmomanometers and manometers. 
If no reasonably acceptable, mercury-free alternative exists for any instrument 
prohibited by subdivision one of this section, a school or educational institution may 
use such type of instrument which contains the lowest mercury content readily 
available on the market. 
The Secretary of Health, in consultation with the Secretary of Environment and 
Natural Resources, shall promulgate rules and regulations requiring public and private 
schools and educational institutions to dispose of or recycle any quantity of elemental 
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mercury and instruments containing mercury in a manner which is least harmful to the 
environment. 
SECTION 4. Information Dissemination. - The Secretary of Health shall 
compile, produce and distribute to all public and private schools and educational schools 
materials explaining the hazards created by elemental mercury and actions that may be 
taken to reduce such hazards. 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is held 
invalid, the remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby. 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive order or rules and 
regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 7. 
Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
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