EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
r-'vi-l 
Senate
of itjf fftu’ rm a r?
•19 JUL 24 All M
S. No.
SENATE
735
RECti . JH'.
Introduced by SEN. SHERWIN T. GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION EDUCATION 
PROGRAM FOR THE YOUTH AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
According to the 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the U.S. 
Department of State the Philippines remains to be a Tier 2 country, meaning that our 
government has yet to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. 
In 2014, the Department of Social Welfare and Development reported assisting 1,824 
human trafficking victims nationwide. This official statistics is most likely a mere 
fraction of the actual number which includes unreported cases. These crimes often go 
unreported because victims lack information on human trafficking, and the families of 
victims accept the situation as normal.
Human trafficking in all of its forms, including forced labor and sexual 
exploitation, is a crime fundamentally repugnant to the values of the State and the 
basic dignity and rights of the Filipino. The lack of understanding and awareness of 
human trafficking continues to facilitate a culture of impunity for the perpetrators, and 
a burden of injustice for the victims. The Stat must assume a larger role in stopping 
trafficking at its source - by educating potential victims about the dangers of trafficking


and instructing them on how to seek protection from the government.
Our children are some of the most vulnerable victims of trafficking. Domestically, 
there are 2.2 million child labourers between the ages of 15-17, many of whom are 
engaged in hazardous unskilled working environments. Some children work in virtual 
slavery In the informal employment sector as domestic helpers. Others are exploited for 
prostitution and pornography, while children in war-torn areas with communist and 
Moro separatist movements are easy targets for forced conscription into the armed 
movements.
In order to empower the youth against the scourge of human trafficking, this 
legislation seeks to create a comprehensive Human Trafficking Preventive Education 
Program. The Program will arm members of the youth sector from all walks of life with 
the information they need to protect themselves from becoming victims of trafficking. 
In addition, the Program will institute grassroots reporting mechanisms to empower 
community members to take a stand against human trafficking with decisive action 
against the heinous criminals who seek to degrade our most fundamental human 
rights.
Support for the passage and approval of this legislation is earnestly sought.
HALIAN


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S. No
]
SENATE
735
cf ;l'c g v 'c iftn r?
'19 
JUL 24 All ■•42
R£C'i . JO'.
Introduced by SEN. SHERWIN T. GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION EDUCATION 
PROGRAM FOR THE YOUTH AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
1 
SEC. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Human Trafficking
2 
Preventive Education Program Act".
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration o f Policy. ~ It is hereby declared a policy of the
4 
State to protect the youth from 
human trafficking and other crimes
5 
fundamentally detrimental to their development and wellbeing. The State shall
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enhance the knowledge of the youth of their basic rights and promote their
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vigilance against human traffickers by providing preventive education to teach
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them about the dangers of human trafficking in its various forms.
9 
SEC. 3. Preventive Education Program. - The Inter-Agency Council
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Against Trafficking (Council) shall facilitate the establishment of a Human
11 
Trafficking Preventive Education Program. The Program shall accomplish the
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following objectives:
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a)Educate the youth about fundamental rights concerning labor and
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employment, liberty, human security, as well as other essential rights;


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b) Orient the youth about the dangers of international and domestic 
human trafficking in its various forms including but not limited to illegal 
recruitment, 
unfair 
labor 
practices, 
involuntary 
servitude, 
sexual 
exploitation and prostitution, and child labor;
c )  Provide the youth with information on sen/ices provided by government 
agencies and non-governmental organizations to aid and protect victims 
of human trafficking, and;
d) Identify members of the youth who have been, or are currently victims 
of human trafficking and refer them to the proper agency or organization 
for protection and rehabilitation.
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The Program shall have a school-based component and a community-
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based component.
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SEC. 4. School-Based Program. - The Council, in cooperation with the
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Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, and the
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Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, shall implement a School-
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Based Program to accomplish the objectives stated in Section 3 of this Act. The
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School-Based Program shall cover all students enrolled in junior high schools,
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senior high schools, colleges and universities, and technical or vocational
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education programs.
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The school principal, college or university president, or technical school
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head shall be responsible for the following:
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ajFacilitate the effective and efficient implementation of the Program in his or
23 
her educational institution;
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bjAssign guidance counsellors or equivalent support staff to identify and
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protect human trafficking victims and at-risk students, and;
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cjEstablish a safe and proactive human trafficking reporting mechanism
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which allows members of the school community to report suspected or
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confirmed cases of human trafficking within the school.


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SEC. 5. Community-Based Program. - The Council, in cooperation
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with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), shall implement a
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Community-Based Program to accomplish the objectives stated in Section 3 of
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this Act. The Community-Based Program shall cover all out-of-school youth in
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the Philippines, and it shall be implemented at the barangay level.
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The Chairman of the various Barangay Councils for the Protection of
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Children (BCPC) of the CWC shall be responsible for the following:
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ajFacilitate the effective and efficient implementation of the Program in their
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respective barangays;
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b)Assign guidance counsellors, social workers, or equivalent staff to identify
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and protect human trafficking victims and at-risk out-of-school youth, and;
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c)Establish a safe and proactive human trafficking reporting mechanism
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which allows barangay residents to report suspected cases of human
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trafficking within the community.
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SEC. 6. Youth in Conflict-Afflicted Areas - The Council shall prioritize
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the implementation of the Program in conflict-afflicted areas, with special
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emphasis on human trafficking practices commonly perpetrated in conflict-
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afflicted areas.
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SEC. 7. Accountability Measures - The head of the educational
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institution and the Chairman of the BCPC, as the case may be, shall submit to
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the Council a bi-annual progress report on the implementation and outcomes of
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the Program in their respective jurisdictions.
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Failure to ensure faithful implementation of the Program consistent with
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the provisions of this Act shall result in administrative sanctions for the
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Institution Head or Chairman, as the case may be, subject to due process and
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the provisions of applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
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SEC. 8. Appropriations. - The amount of One Hundred Million Pesos


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(PI00,000,000.00) is hereby initially appropriated to implement the provisions of
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this Act. Thereafter, such amount necessary to effectively carry out the
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provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
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SEC. 9. Civil Society Participation. - The Council shall endeavour to
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utilize non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community stakeholders, and
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other civil society actors with knowledge and experience on human trafficking
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prevention and suppression in the formulation, implementation, and monitoring
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of the Program.
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SEC. 10. Im plem enting Rules and Regulations. - Within (60) days
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from the effectivity of this Act, the Council, in coordination with the government
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agencies and entities mentioned in the provisions of this Act, shall promulgate
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the implementing rules and regulations as may be necessary to ensure the
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efficient and effective implementation of this Act.
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SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - Should any part of this Act be declared
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unconstitutional, the rest of the provisions of this Act shall continue to be in
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effect and subsisting.
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SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - The provisions of other laws, decrees,
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executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby
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repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 13. E ffectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette and/or in at least two (2) national newspapers
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in general circulation.
Approved,