Republic of the Philippines 26SEP 2012

House Bill No.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES aut fA
Quezon City <
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session
6607

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE AND PROVIDE
SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution, in particular, Article 2, Sections 13 and 17,
respectively, state that: “The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual and social
well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and
encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs,” and “The State shall give
priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture and sports to foster
patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human
liberation and development.”

These provisions highlight the importance of quality education in securing
the future of our children and our families. We stand a fighting chance to
compete in the global economy if we have a better educated citizenry and
workforce and more importantly, in maintaining a vibrant democracy.

One of the requisites in achieving such a goal is in providing safe school
environments for our children. To effectively provide quality education, the
government must provide students an environment conducive to learning

A perennial problem in schools is the continued presence of violent
students who pose a threat to both teachers and other students. This is


incompatible with a safe learning environment which we want to provide since
students are discouraged from going to school. To make things worse, it also
places those who are already at risk of school failure due to other reasons in
further jeopardy,

There must be greater cooperation between schools, parents, law
enforcement, the courts, and the community to make our schools safe from drugs
and violence. This is what this proposed bill wants to address by establishing
innovative programs to ensure and provide safe school environments.

Due to the reasons stated above, we therefore enjoin our colleagues to
ensure the expeditious passage of this bill into law.

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO GLOR{A MACAPAGAL ARROYO
Second District, Camarines Sur cond District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

660?

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE AND PROVIDE
SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Safe School
Environment Act of 2012."

SECTION 2. Purpose. — It is the purpose of this Act to urge the
Department of Education and other educational agencies -

(A) To provide comprehensive services to victims and witnesses of school
violence;

(B) To remove violent and drug selling student offenders from school
premises;

(C) To report violent crimes and drug dealing on school grounds to
appropriate law enforcement authorities;

(D) To involve parents, former armed forces personnel, and community
volunteers in efforts to improve school safety; and


(E) To develop innovative programs to improve the safety of our Nation's
schools and to better serve at-risk students.

SECTION 3. Authorization of Appropriations. — There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act

SECTION 4. Program Authorized. -

(A) In General. — The Secretary of Education shall develop, establish, or
conduct as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

(8) Nature. — The Secretary shall, for school implementation, focus on
programs that -

(1) Provide parent and teacher notification of crimes or drug activity
occurring at school;

(2) Provide for the suspension, delay, or restriction of driving
privileges of students who have a conviction, an adjudication in a
juvenile proceeding, or a finding in a school disciplinary proceeding,
involving illegal drugs;

(3) Link educational institutions with community-based mentoring
programs in order to link individual at-risk youth with responsible,
individual adults who serve as mentors for the purpose of-

(a) Discouraging at-risk youth from using illegal drugs and
dangerous weapons, and from violence, criminal activity,
and involvement in gangs;

(b) Increasing youth participation in, and enhancing the
ability of such youth to benefit from, elementary and
secondary education;

(c) Promoting personal and social responsibility;

(d) Encouraging at-risk: youth participation in community
service and community activities; and

(e) Providing general guidance to at-risk youth.

(4) Include cooperative efforts between the Secretary of Education
and the Secretary of National Defense to share the training and
salary costs of former members of the Armed Forces, who shall be
hired as teachers and assigned to teach in public elementary
schools and secondary schools;


(5) Enhance school security measures that may include-

(a) Equipping schools with metal detectors, fences, closed
circuit cameras, and other physical security measures;

(b) Providing increased police patrols in and around
elementary schools and secondary schools;

(c) Mailing to parents at the beginning of the school year
stating that the possession of a gun or other weapon, or the
sale of drugs in schools, will not be tolerated by school
authorities; and

(d) Gun hotlines.

(6) Provide protections for victims and witnesses to school crime,
including protection for attendance at school disciplinary
proceedings;

(7) Expel students who, on school grounds, sell drugs, or who
commit a violent offense that causes serious bodily injury of
another student or teacher; and

(8) Require referral to law enforcement authorities or juvenile
authorities of any student who on school grounds-

(a) Commits a violent offense resulting in serious bodily
injury; or

(b) Sells drugs.

SECTION 5. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof, is held
invalid or unconstitutional, the reminder of the law of the provision not otherwise
affected shall 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 afer its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,