FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S.No. 1743 
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JUL 21 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution in Article 2, Section 13 provides that: 
Section l3. The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, 
and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, 
and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. 
Last February 2006, St. Andrew's School in Parafiaque City faced closure following the 
complaint of parents of students exposed to mercury. A total of 19 students were confined at the 
Philippine General Hospital (PGH) while other parents said their children are beginning to 
develop rashes in different parts of the body. Some 35 students were exposed to mercury when a 
student accidentally opened a beaker containing mercury. 
Mercury is a heavy, silvery d-blQck metal, and is one of six elements that are liquid at or 
near room temperature and pressure. Mercury and most of its compounds are extremely toxic 
and are generally handled with care; in cases of spills involving mercury (such as from certain 
thermometers or fluorescent light bulbs) specific cleaning procedures are used to avoid toxic 
exposure. It can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes, so containers 
of mercury are securely sealed to avoid spills and evaporation. 
The dangers of mercury spills 'cannot be overlooked. A study has shown that acute 
exposure (4-8 hours) to calculated elemental mercury levels of 1.1 to 44 mg/m3 resulted in chest 
pain, dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, impairment of pulmonary function, and evidence of interstitial 
pneumonitis. 
Acute exposure to mercury vapor has been shown to result in profound central nervous 
system effects, including psychotic reactions characterized by delirium, hallucinations, and 
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suicidal tendency. Occupational exposure has resulted in broad-ranging functional disturbance, 
including erethism, initability, excitability, excessive shyness, and insomnia. With continuing 
exposure, a fine tremor develops and may escalate to violent muscular spasms. Tremor initially 
involves the hands and later spreads to the eyelids, lips, and tongue. Long-tenn, low-level 
exposure has been associated with more subtle symptoms of erethism, including fatigue, 
initability, loss of memory, vivid dreams, and depression. 
This bill aims to prevent the accidental elemental mercury spills in schools to protect our 
school children fr0111 the adverse effects of mercury spills. I 
I This bill was Oliginally filed during the 14'" Congress I" Regular Session 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OFrtC£ ,,' \: ' f' ~ 
:., \ k,L! l. ?\\ 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
Hl 
JUL 21 P 1 :H! 
SEN1.~43 
s, No, ___ -'-
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
TO PROHIBIT THE USE, PURCHASE AND STORAGE OF ELEMENTAL 
MERCURY BY SCHOOLS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1, Short Title, - This Act shall be known as the "Mercury Use in Schools 
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Prohibition Act." 
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SECTION 2, Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in 
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nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and 
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social well-being. For this reason, it is declared the policy of the state to eliminate elemental 
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mercury in schools to avert its deleterious effects on the health of school children. 
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SECTION 3. Elimination of the Use of Elemental Mercury. - Except as otherwise 
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provided in this section, no public or private school or educational institution shall purchase, use 
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or store any quantity of free flowing elemental mercury for any purpose, nor purchase, use or 
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store any instrument which contains mercury including, but not limited to, thermometers, 
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barometers, sphygmomanometers and manometers. 
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If no reasonably acceptable, mercury-free alternative exists for any instrument prohibited 
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by subdivision one of this section, a school or educational institution may use such type of 
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instrument which contains the lowest mercury content readily available on the market. 
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The Secretary of Health, in consultation with the Secretary of Environment and Natural 
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Resources, shall promulgate rules and regulations requiring public and private schools and 
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educational institutions to dispose of or recycle any quantity of elemental mercury and 
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instruments containing mercury in a manner which is least harmful to the environment. 
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SECTION 4. Information Dissemination. - The Secretary of Health shall compile, 
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produce and distribute to all public and private schools and educational schools materials 
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explaining the hazards created by elemental mercury and actions that may be taken to reduce 
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such hazards. 
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is held invalid, the 
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remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby. 
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SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive order or rules and 
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regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved. 
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