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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives ERWIN T. TULFO, EDVIC G. YAP, JOCELYN P. 
TULFO, and RALPH TULFO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Constitution affirms the role of women in nation-building and shall ensure 
the protection of women and children from any form of abuse. Despite such 
guarantee, gender-based violence continues to persist in the country. In fact, the 2017 
National Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics 
Authority reports that one in four Filipino women aged 15-49 has experienced 
physical, emotional or sexual violence by their husband or partner. Notwithstanding 
that most cases of domestic violence remain unreported due to imminent fear of 
battered wives and children.  
Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 
defines “Abused Women and Children” as a woman who is the wife, former wife, or 
a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with 
whom the person has a common child, and a child whether legitimate or illegitimate, 
within or without the family abode, which the said person has exhibited physical, 
sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such 
acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty 
Hence, while several government mechanisms are employed to address the issues of 
domestic violence, there is a need to provide an establishment that will immediately 
accommodate and lend reintegration, protection, support, and treatment to abused 
women and children. Haven for Women of the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development is a similar facility which provides temporary shelter and protective 
custody to women ages 18-59 years old who are victims of involuntary or forced 
prostitution, illegal recruitment, battered/abused women, victims of sexual abuse, 
women in detention, women victims of armed conflicts and others. It is in this regard 
that this bill seeks to institutionalize similar facilities, which initially are building and 
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administering halfway houses for women and children victims of domestic violence 
across the country. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is immediately sought. 
      HON. ERWIN T. TULFO 
HON. EDVIC G. YAP 
HON. JOCELYN P. TULFO 
HON. RALPH TULFO 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives ERWIN T. TULFO, EDVIC G. YAP, JOCELYN P. 
TULFO, and RALPH TULFO 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING HALFWAY HOUSES FOR THE ABUSED WOMEN AND 
CHILDREN 
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 “Halfway Houses 
for the Abused Women and Children Act” of the Philippines. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to recognize 
the role of women in nation-building and shall ensure the protection of women and 
children from any form of abuse. As such, the State shall foster an empowering 
environment and the most appropriate equipment and infrastructure that will enable 
women and children, especially those in difficult circumstances, to restore their 
normal social functioning and regain their self-worth through provision of protective 
and rehabilitative services. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – The following terms as used in this Act shall be 
referred to as the following: 
a. Abused Women and Children refers to a woman who is the wife, former
wife, or a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating
relationship, or with whom the person has a common child, and a child
whether legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which
the person has exhibited physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering,
or economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion,
harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty;
b. Child refers to a person under eighteen (18) years of age or a person 18 years
or over but is unable to fully take care or protect himself/herself from abuse,
neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of physical or
pyscho-social disability or condition;
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c. Custody refers to an aspect of exercising parental authority over a child; 
 
d. Halfway Houses refers to a facility that provides temporary shelter and 
protective custody to abused women and children. The facility shall include, 
but not limited to, the following services: residential care, medical services, 
psychological testing, maternal and child care skills development, self-
enhancement skills development, livelihood skills development, spiritual 
development or renewal, social communication skills development, legal 
services, case work, group work, community participation skills 
development, and others services such as education, transportation, and 
after care.  
  
 
SEC. 4. Creation of Halfway Houses for the Abused Women and Children. – 
The Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) shall procure, build, install, operate, 
manage, and/or maintain at least one (1) Halfway House for every province in the 
country which is geographically accessible to every municipality in the province. 
 
The respective local government unit (LGU) of any highly urbanized cities, 
independent cities, and component cities is hereby mandated to have at least one (1) 
Halfway House in their own city.  
 
Halfway Houses shall be used by the DSWD and the LGUs solely to 
accommodate abused women and children in pursuit of the victim’s immediate relief, 
reintegration, protection, support, and treatment, with a maximum of ninety (90) days 
of accommodation.  
 
SEC. 5. Custody or Legal Guardianship of the Abused Women and Children. –  
Republic Act No. 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 
states that the woman victim of violence shall be entitled to the custody and support 
of her child/children, while children under seven (7) years old or those older but with 
mental or physical disabilities shall automatically be given to the mother, with right 
to support, unless there are compelling reasons that the court finds. Furthermore, a 
victim who is suffering from Battered Woman Syndrome, as defined under RA 
9262shall not be disqualified from having custody of her children and in no case shall 
the custody of minor children be given to the perpetrator of a woman who is suffering 
from Battered Woman Syndrome. 
 
Accordingly, after the ninety-day (90) period of stay in the facility or less and 
upon the concurrence of the abused women and children, their custody shall be 
entrusted to their most immediate family member, or in their absence, a qualified legal 
guardian to be determined by the Registered Social Worker of that particular Halfway 
House. Provided, that such custody shall be exercised in accordance to the Family Code 
and Republic Act No. 9262 or Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 
2004. 
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SEC. 6. Composition and Qualifications of Halfway Houses Personnel. – 
Every Halfway House shall have at least two (2) personnel from the Department of 
Social Welfare (DSWD), one of whom is a Registered Social Worker who shall not have 
been found guilty by final judgment of moral turpitude by any competent court or 
tribunal.  
 
SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The funds necessary to carry out the initial 
implementation of this Act for the current year shall be charged against the respective 
budget of concerned agencies, particularly the Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) 
for Halfway Houses in the provinces and the respective local government units 
(LGUs) of the highly urbanized, independent, and component cities for the Halfway 
Houses in the cities, particularly the Gender and Development (GAD) Budget of the 
LGUs’ mandated agencies. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the 
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act and the annual Local Government Unit (LGU) Budget 
respectively. 
 
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Department of Social 
Welfare and Development, as head of the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against 
Women and Their Children (IAC-VAWC), shall coordinate with the Department of 
Interior and Local Government and other relevant agencies in promulgating the rules 
and regulations for the effective enforcement of the provisions of this Act. 
 
SEC. 9. Separability Clause. – Should any part of this Act be declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions hereof that are not affected thereby 
shall continue to be in full force and effect.  
 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations, and issuances, or parts thereof which are 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
accordingly.  
 
SEC. 11. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper or general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,