SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PFIILIPPINES 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION
)
Senate
o( tlic
*17 
MAR 16 
P 3  ^ 0
SENATE
SENATE BILL NO. 
1400
R E C tlV ID  BV;
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE ADDICTION AND RECOVERY 
PROGRAM
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 15, Article 2 of the 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health 
consciousness among them.
The administration's strong position against illegal and dangerous drugs have 
created a mind shift among the Filipinos with regard its evil effects not just to 
the person but more so to their families and the society as a whole.
The anti-drug campaign should be coupled with plausible programs which 
will not only complement the operations but will also cover a holistic 
approach of prevention, education and recovery of abusers.
The bill seeks to provide for a comprehensive approach not just in the 
recovery but in the prevention and education as well. It will also involve the ' 
commitment and participation of stakeholders - a community -wide approach 
to combat drug abuse and prevent its proliferation through effective 
education.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of the bill is sought.
- u
- ( y
-  • •
JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION
SENATE
SENATE BILL NO.
1400
h-i 
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'17 
MAR 16 P3«0
RECEiVtD
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE ADDICTION AND RECOVERY 
PROGRAM
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SECTION I. Short Title.
Addiction Recovery Act."
This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensive
SECTION 2. Inter-Agency Task Force. - Not later than 120 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Department of Health, in cooperation with the 
Dangerous 
Drugs 
Board, 
and 
the 
Philippine 
Drug 
Enforcement 
Administration, shall convene a Pain Management Best Practices Inter- 
Agency Task Force (referred to in this section as the task force).
(a) Membership. - The task force shall be comprised of:
1. the Department of Health;
2. Dangerous Drugs Board;
3. the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency;
4. the National Institutes of Health; and
5. physicians, dentists, and non-physician prescribers;
6. pharmacists;
7. experts in the fields of pain research and addiction research;
8. pain management professional organizations;
9. the mental healtli treatment community;'
10. the addiction treatment community; and
11. pain advocacy groups; and


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12. Other stakeholders, as the Secretary of Health determines 
appropriate.
(b) Duties. - The task force shall:
1. Not later than 180 days after the date on which the task force is 
convened, develop best practices for pain management and 
prescribing pain medication, taking into consideration-
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iii.
existing pain management research; 
recommendations from relevant conferences; and 
ongoing efforts at the State and local levels and by medical 
professional organizations to develop improved pain 
management strategies;
2. solicit and take into consideration public comment on the 
practices developed under paragraph (a), amending such best 
practices if appropriate; and
3. develop a strategy for disseminating information about the best 
practices developed under Section 2, subparagraph (b) to 
prescribers, pharmacists. State medical boards, and other parties, as 
the Secretary of Healtli determines appropriate.
(c) 
Report. - Not later than 270 days after the date on which the task 
force is convened, the task force shall submit to Congress a report that 
includes-
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the strategy for disseminating best practices developed under 
Section 2(b);
reconunendations on how to apply best practices developed 
under Section 2(b) to improve prescribing practices at medical 
facilities.
SECTION 3. National Education Campaign. - Together with local 
government units, the Department of Health, the Philippine Drug 
Enforcement Agency, and the Department of Education shall expand 
educational efforts to prevent abuse of opioids, heroin, and 6 other substances 
of abuse, understand addiction as a chronic disease, and promote treatment 
and recovery, including:
(a) Parent and caretaker-focused prevention efforts, including -


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1. the development of research-based community education 
online and social media materials with an accompanying 
toolkit that can be disseminated to communities to educate 
parents and other caretakers of teens on-
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ii.
iii.
iv.
how to educate teens about opioid and heroin abuse;
how to intei*vene if a parent thinks or knows their teen is
abusing opioids or heroin;
signs of opioid or heroin overdose; and
the use of naloxone to prevent deatli from opioid or heroin
overdose;
(b) Tlie development of detailed digital and print educational materials 
to accompany the online and social media materials and toolkit 
described in Section 3(a);
(c) 
The 
development 
and 
dissemination 
of 
public 
service 
announcements to-
i. 
raise awareness of heroin and opioid abuse among parents 
and other caretakers; and
ii. 
motivate parents and other caretakers to visit online 
educational materials on heroin and opioid abuse; and
(d) The dissemination of educational materials to the media through-
i. 
an inter-local government units or panel discussion with 
experts;
ii. 
media tour, and sharable infographics;
(e) Prevention efforts focused on teenagers, college students, and 
college-age individuals, including-
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the development of a national digital campaign; and
the development of a community education toolkit for use by
community coalitions;
campaigns to inform individuals about available resources to 
aid in recovery from substance use disorder; 
encouragement of individuals in or seeking recovery from 
substance use disorder to enter the health care system; or


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V. 
adult-focused awareness efforts, including efforts focused on 
older adults, relating to prescription medication disposal, 
opioid and heroin abuse, signs of overdose, and the use of 
naloxone for reversal.
SECTION 4. Programs Addressing Local Drug Crisis. - The Department of 
Health, the Dangerous Drugs Board, the Philippine Drug Enforcement 
Agency, the Department of Education, and the local government unit shall 
design and implement a comprehensive community-wide prevention strategy 
to address local drug crisis in the area.
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not 
otherwise affected sliall remain valid and subsisting.
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified, or amended accordingly.
SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,