Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

8278

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto, Edward Vera Perez
Maceda, Eric M. Martinez, Federico II "Ricky" S. Sandoval, Dale "Along" R.
Malapitan, Eric Olivarez, and Emi Calixto-Rubiano

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘As a manifestation of support to this timely piece of legislation, this representation
respectfully refiles this bill, which has constantly been receiving support from the past
and present (Rep. Villafuerte’s HB07858) congress.

The passage of the Mental Health Law highlights the importance of ensuring that our
dear Filipinos are properly provided access to a quality mental health care system. While
responding to the mental health needs of every Filipino signifies the increase in the
awareness of the mental health situation in the country, this representation believes that
there is much more to be done to fully understand and address the subject at hand. The
steadily raising number of youth suicide, especially those cases that are heavily related
to mental health in the country, signifies such need for a preventive system in the case if
youth suicide in the country.

In line with this, the proposed piece of legislation hopes to address the stigma of mental
health and properly manage youth issues by introducing a Life Planning Education (LPE)
in the elementary and secondary education curriculum. The LPE shall require lectures
and discussions on self and identity; personal, family, community values; communication
and interrelationship with others; sexuality and gender roles; community participation;
health; psychological thinking and employment, among others. The proposed piece of
legislation will also introduce a Peer Counseling Program to encourage positive mental
health for students. The Peer Counseling Program will include peer counseling training
course that aims to teach basic counseling skills. Moreover, it will also aims to foster
relationship and confidence building among the student body, and be a source of skill
and academic motivation for them. Schools will also be encouraged to employ at least
one licensed psychologist in order to respond to the mental health care needs of the
students and create suicide prevention programs

In view of the-feregeing, the passage of this piece of legislation is earnestly sought.

FEDFRICO I KY" SANDOVA
ERIC ey EMI CALIXTO-RUBIANO-



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES .
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

8278

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto, Edward Vera Perez
Maceda, Eric M. Martinez, Federico II "Ricky" S. Sandoval, Dale "Along" R. Malapitan,
Eric Olivarez, and Emi Calixto-Rubiano

AN ACT TO
PROVIDE YOUTH SUICIDE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION

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 "Youth Suicide Prevention Act of
2018"

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - Under Section 13, Article II of the 1987 Constitution, the
State shall promote and protect the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being
of the youth. In view of this policy, the State shall promote youth programs that will shape their
values and inculcate in them positive self-image, self-respect, critical thinking and moral
responsibility to enable them to become principle-centered and values-driven individuals.

SECTION 3. Formulation of Life Planning Education. - The Department of Education
(DepEd), in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), is mandated to formulate and
include in the elementary and secondary education curriculum a course on Life Planning. Life
Planning Education (LPE) shall require lectures and discussions on self and identity; personal,
family, community values; communication and interrelationship with others; sexuality and
gender roles; community participation; health; psychological thinking and employment, among
others. The DepEd is mandated to ensure that Life Planning Education is integrated in all
schools. Training shall be provided to school administrators, teachers, guidance counselors and
other school personnel responsible for delivering LPE.

‘The DepEd is likewise mandated to formulate a mechanism for sustaining peer counseling and
peer education programs.

SECTION 4. Implementation of Public Education Campaign. - The DOH, in consultation
with the DepEd, is mandated to tap doctors, health specialists, medical experts, hospitals and
other medical institutions to conduct a nationwide education campaign to help the youth,
parents of youth, teachers, school personnel and the general public to:

‘a. Become aware of the increasing problem of youth suicide and suicidal behaviors;
b. Recognize common warning signs of suicidal thoughts and intent;

¢. Learn how to respond to youth who exhibit such signs, and

d. Know when and where to go for accurate assessments and professional help.

SECTION 5. Implementation of a Peer Counseling Group Program in Every School. ~
‘The DepEd is mandated to require all schools to implement a Peer Counseling Program that wil
be conducted by the school psychologist or guidance counselor and shall involve lessons on


basic counseling skills and analyses for students. The school may also tap the help of health
specialists through the abovementioned Public Education Campaign.

SECTION 6. Employment of Psychologist for Monthly School Counseling Alignment

Sessions. - The DepEd, in cooperation with the DOH, is mandated to employ at least one (1)

Psychologist in every school. The psychologist shall be employed on a consultancy service

position and shall be required to visit the school at least once (1) a month to hold School

Counseling Alignment Sessions. The school psychologist must also prepare a yearly School

Counseling Program of Work in order to align the guidance counselors with the campaigns and

programs included in this Act. Said psychologist must be licensed to practice the profession in

accordance with existing laws and rules and regulations. The duties and responsibilities of the

school psychologist are, but not limited to, the following:
@. Gain up-to-date scientific knowledge about effective screening and crisis intervention
strategies to identify symptoms of suicidal behavior;

b. Formulate and implement standardized and reliable screening procedures of suicidal
intent and tendencies;

c. Provide consultation and assist students in seeking help from their parents, other adults
in their social networks, and health care system personnel;

d. Increase competencies in post suicide intervention to prevent further suicides;

e. Conduct screening procedures or assessments twice in each school year for every grade
level starting from Grade 3 until Senior High School;

f. Other duties and responsibilities which DepEd and DOH may identify as necessary to
fulfill the above mandate.

‘The DOH is hereby mandated to provide technical assistance to schools with respect to training
psychologists in schools. It shall implement the best practices in the identification and
treatment of youth who are at risk for committing suicide.

SECTION 7. Provision of Technical Assistance and Data Management. - The DOH is
mandated to assist the DepEd in:

a. Identifying and promoting strategies to prevent suicide among the youth;

b. Ensuring the quality of screening and crisis intervention strategies and procedures;

c. Studying the effectiveness of practices relating to the identification and treatment of
youth who are at risk for committing suicide on the overall wellness and health
Promotion strategies related to suicide attempts.

The DOH shall conduct research and development programs on the effectiveness of new and
existing youth suicide prevention strategies, techniques, technology, including clinical studies
and evaluations of such strategies and related research aimed at reducing youth suicide and
providing support for emotional and behavioral disorders which may lead to suicide attempts.

The DOH is likewise mandated to develop a suicide data collection system to provide reliable
data about attempted suicides in the country. In developing the system, the DOH shall:

a. Include information on the incidence of suicide attempts;
b. Include demographic information on the persons who attempt suicide; and
c. Explore prevention strategies to reduce the number of attempted suicides and suicides.

SECTION 8. Establishment of Youth Health Centers. - The DOH may establish a linkage
with national government agencies, Local Government Units (LGUs) and non-governmental
institutions to establish a network of health facilities and teen centers catering especially to
young people in order to address their identified youth issues.


These health facilities and teen centers shall provide family services, peer counseling and other
related services and may collaborate with parents, schools, religious groups and youth-serving
organizations to successfully implement youth suicide prevention strategies.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DepEd and DOH, in consultation
with the National Center for Mental Health, National Youth Commission, local and national
organizations that serve youth who are at risk for suicide, shall issue the Implementing Rules
and Regulations within 90 days from the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act
shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law
and thereafter. An initial amount of Fifty Million Pesos (Php 50,000,000.00) shall be allocated
for the first year of its implementation. Such sum shall be included in the special project
allocation of DepEd and DOH.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or other
issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or
modified accordingly,

SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect in fifteen (15) days after

publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation in the
Philippines.

Approved,