HOLSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

RECEIVED
02 AUG 2016

Republic of the Philippine
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVHS,

Quezon City
17TH CONGRESS ——
First Regular Session presenti unt

House Bill No,_&314

BILLS AN.) iNOEX SERVICE

Introduced by REP. EVELINA G, ESCUDERO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The alarming incidence of campus violence committed inside or outside the higher
education institutions (HEIs), and mostly involving students, has continued to increase in recent
years,

In the last quarter of 2012 alone, several cases of homicide and murder occurred in the
University Belt area, On October 2, 2012, it was reported that Joanne Lourdes Reyes, a 20-year-old
Computer Science student from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) was assaulted by a group of
female students on the campus of the Far Eastern University (FEU) while standing in the hallway
of the Science Department. Barely a week after, Kevin Roy Castro, an Information Technology
student from the Adamson University, was attacked by at least four fellow students inside the
university. On November 23 of the same year, a UST junior Pharmacy student was severely injured
after being beaten and shot by a group of students at the comer of P. Noval and J. Barlin streets in
the U-belt area, In December 2012, a new case of violence was again reported in the university belt
when three members of FEU’s drum and bugle band were shot by unidentified motoreycle-riding
gunmen. Two of them were pronounced dead after being rushed to UST Hospital. There was also
the killing of Mindanao State University Professor Othello Cobal and his student in broad daylight
inside the MSU Campus also in October 2012.

According to a report from the Varsitarian, the official news organ of UST, the University
Belt Area (UBA) blotter entries for the last quarter of 2012 revealed that Lerma Street was the
scene of most cases, with 19 incidents of crimes. The surrounding streets, which include S.H.
Loyola Street and Claro M. Recto Avenue, recorded 12 and six cases, respectively. Espafia
Boulevard came in with 18 and P. Noval Street with 15 reported incidents. Lacson Avenue
recorded nine while Dapitan Street had eight occurrences, the Varsitarian report added.

This situation has raised coneems on the safety and security of HEIs as the guardian and
second home of students considering that they spend a great portion of their time inside the
campus

All these cases and the increasing rate of violence in HEIs have prompted this
representation to file this measure, which specifically calls for the creation of a Crime Prevention
Committee (CPC) in every HEL. Its tasks shall include the following: to formulate, in consultation,
with the school head, chief of police where the college or university is located, punong barangay,
and other security specialists as they deem fit, a Crime Prevention Strategy: to coordinate with



college/school principals or deans, as the case may be, in the maintenance of peace and order
within the school/college/university premises; and to recommend to the school/college/university
the conduct of seminars or trainings on the crime and drug prevention and control in coordination
with the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) regional office, local police station or
Department of the Interior and Local Government — Patrol 117, among others;

Moreover, this bill. includes the head of the Psychology or Counselling Department of
the HEI or the guidance counsellor as CPC member since most students who committed
crimes, especially those who committed suicide, were found to have never undergone counselling
nor have seen a guidance counsellor. In_ the United States, suicide is the second leading cause
of death among college students, In the Philippines, it has increased tenfold over the last 20 years,
according to the Philippine Psychiatric Association.

Campus safety and security from both internal and external threats should be the paramount
concer of HEls since they serve as guardians of students who are entrusted to them by parents
who pay a hefty sum for their children’s education and protection from danger.

In view of the foregoing reasons, immediate approval of this measure is camestly sought.

dol

Y~ ENELINA G. ESC!
Representative
1" District, Sorsogon

JDERO


Republic of the Philippine
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

17TH CONGRESS
First Regular Se:

House Bilt No. 2344

Introduced by REP. EVELINA G. ESCUDERO

AN ACT
MANDATING HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY
FROM INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL THREATS, THEREBY CREATING A CRIME PREVENTION
COMMITTEE FOR THIS PURPOSE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be jt 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 Campus Safety and Security
Act.”

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policies. It is the responsibility of the State under the Constitution
to promote and protect the physical, moral and spiritual intellectual and well-being of the youth
The State shall ensure the safety and security of the academic community, majority of whom are
students, in all institutions of higher and technical education in the country.

Sec. 3. Scope. This Act shall apply to all higher education institutions (HEIs) and technical-
vocational institutions (TVIs)

Sec. 4. Safety and Security Services. All HEIs and TVIs shall endeavor to deliver
adequate safety and security services to students, which include the provision of safe and secure
environment and the conduct of programs and activities that promote safety and security from both
internal and external threats.

For this purpose, the following shall be provided by HEIs and TVIs:

a) A safe, accessible and secure environment, buildings and facilities that shall comply
with government standards. Licensed and competent security personnel shall ensure
the safety and security of the students, faculty, non-teaching personnel and other
members of the academic community and their belongings; and

b) An established mechanism for students to help in crime prevention, safety and security
of the concerned HE! and TVI

Sec. 5. Creation of a Crime Prevention Committee. A Crime Prevention Committee
(CPC) shall be established in every HEI and TVI to formulate policies and strategies that shall help
protect the academic community from both internal and external threats to their safety and
security, such as theft, robbery, rape and other forms of violence within and outside the area
where the HE! or TVI is located. The composition of the CPC shall be determined by the
respective governing boards of the HEIs and TVIs.


Sec. 6. Duties and Responsibilities of the CPC. The CPC shall have the following duties
and responsibilities:

a) To formulate, in consultation, with the School Head, the Chief of Police where the college or
university is located, Punong Barangay, and other security specialists as they deem fit, a Crime
Prevention Strategy. Such Crime Prevention Strategy shall include, but shall not be limited, to the
following:

1) A statement of current campus policies regarding procedures and facilities to be used by
students and others to report criminal actions or other emergencies occurring on campus
and those concerning the institution's response to such reports;

2) A statement of current policies concerning security and access to campus facllities,
including campus residences, and security considerations used in the maintenance of
campus facilities;

3) A statement of current policies concerning campus law enforcement including but not
limited to:

a) The enforcement authority of security personnel, including their working
relationship with national and local police agencies, and

b). Policies which encourage accurate and prompt reporting of all crimes to the
campus police and the appropriate police agencies;

4) A description of the type and frequency of programs designed to inform students and
employees about campus security procedures and practices and to encourage students and
employees to be responsible for their own security and security of others;

5) A description of programs designed to inform students and employees about the
prevention of crimes;

6) A statement of policy concerning the monitoring and recording through local police
agencies of criminal activities committed by off-campus student organizations which are
recognized by the institution and which count among its members the students attending the
institution, including those student organizations with off campus housing facilities; and

7) A statement of policy regarding the possession, use, and sale of alcoholic beverages
and enforcement of laws against underage drinking; a statement of policy against the possession,
use and sale of illegal drugs; the enforcement of drug laws; and a description of any drug or
alcohol abuse education programs;

b. To formulate crime prevention programs for the implementation of the CPC;

c, To coordinate with college/school principals or deans, as the case may be, in the maintenance
of peace and order within the school/college/university premises;

d, To recommend to the school/college/university the conduct of seminars or trainings on crime
and drug prevention and control in coordination with the National Police Commission
(NAPOLCOM) regional office, local police station or Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG) — Patrol 117;

e. To conduct intensive information drive on the Crime Prevention Strategy which includes
semestral distribution of copies and orientation thereon; and

£. To submit to Commission on Higher Education (CHED) or to the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), through their respective regional offices, the composition of CPC

4


and the Crime Prevention Strategy, as well as its program of activities and projects for the
academic year two (2) months after the closing of enrolment in the first semester and
accomplishment report within two (2) months after finishing the second semester or trimester of
the academic year.

Sec, 7. Approval and Review of the Crime Prevention Strategy. The Crime Prevention
Strategy, after approval of the Board of Trustees/Regents, shall be submitted to the CHED or
TESDA and shall be subject to its review. If found unsatisfactory by the CHED or TESDA, taking
into consideration the circumstances of each college or university, it shall be returned to the Board
for appropriate action: Provided, That pending its review, the Plan shall be implemented by the
college or university concerned

The Crime Prevention Strategy shall be subject to review or reassessment annually by the
Board or as often as required by circumstances.

Sec. 8. Duties of the CHED Regional Offices and the TESDA Regional Offices. The
CHED Regional Offices and the TESDA Regional Offices shall coordinate, supervise and monitor
the implementation of the crime prevention strategy, as approved, and projects of CPCs, jointly
with the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) in the region.

The CHED and TESDA shall consolidate regional reports for submission to the Office of
the CHED Chairperson and the Office of the TESDA Director-General, respectively.

Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within ninety (90) days upon the effectivity
of this Act, the CHED and TESDA, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepED),
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), the Coordinating Council of
Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), and the Association of Local Colleges and
Universities (ALCU), shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of this Act.

In the rules and regulations to be implemented pursuant to this Act, the Chairperson of the
CHED and the Director-General of the TESDA shall jointly prescribe the appropriate administrative
sanctions on HEIs and TVis that fail to comply with the requirements under this Act.

Sec. 10. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or
invalid, the other sections or provisions not otherwise affected shall continue to be in full force and
effect.

Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. All laws, executive orders, decrees, instructions, rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby amended, repealed
or modified accordingly.

Sec. 12. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,