FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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The abuse of illegal drugs and' alcohol has been the cause of hundreds of accidents, 
crimes and deaths each year. In some cases, sharing of drug paraphernalia can cause the spread 
of a number of communicable diseases, including AIDS and Hepatitis C. 
In Article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all states agree to protect 
children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and to prevent 
children from being exposed to the illicit production and trafficking of such substances. To 
effectively fulfill this obligation, the government must take cognizance of the fact that there are 
certain youth groups more vulnerable or susceptible to substance abuse. These youth groups may 
not have any access to formal institutional structures precisely because of their marginalized 
status. In order to reach out to these disenfranchised sectors of the youth, community-based 
programs which target these high-risk youth must be put in place. More often than not 
nongovernmental organizations have the experience and capacity to work at the grass-roots level. 
This bill mandates the Department of Health to make grants that would assist such 
organizations in this noble cause, so that the youth may be saved from the debilitating effects of 
substance abuse and become competent partners in development. I 
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#Y' MIRIAM DEF~SOR s.tJl"TIA1° 
1 This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
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First Regular Session 
SENf~29 
S.No.~~_~ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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PROVIDING FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL 
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ABUSE AMONG HIGH RISK YOUTH 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Saving Young Substance Abusers 
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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 their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social 
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wellbeing. 
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SECTION 3. "High Risk Youth" Defined. ~For purposes of this Act, the term "high risk 
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youth" means an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years, who is at high risk of 
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becoming, or who has become, a drug abuser or an alcohol abuser, and who -
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(A) Is identified as a child of a substance abuser; 
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(B) Is a victim of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse; 
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(C) Does not attend school; 
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(D) Has become pregnant; 
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(E) Is economically disadvantaged; 
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(F) Has committed a violent or delinquent act; 
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(G) Has experienced mental health problems; 
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(H) Has attempted suicide; 
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(I) Has experienced long-tenn physical pain due to injury; 
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(J) Has experienced chronic failure in school; 
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(K) Is from a broken family; 
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(L) Is a child laborer; 
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(M) Is a street child or street gang member; or 
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(N) Lives in conflict areas. 
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SECTION 4. Grants to Public and Nonprofit Private Entities. - The Secretary of the 
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Department of Health shall make grants to public and nonprofit private entities for projects to 
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demonstrate effective models for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of drug abuse and 
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alcohol abuse among high risk youth. 
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SECTION 5. Priority of Projects. -
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(A) In making grants for drug abuse and alcohol abuse prevention projects, the Secretary 
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shall give priority to applications for projects directed at children of substance abusers, children 
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at risk of abuse or neglect, preschool children, children at risk of dropping out of school, children 
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at risk of becoming adolescent parents, children who do not attend school, child laborers, street 
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children, and children who are at risk of being unemployed. 
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(B) In making grants for drug abuse and alcohol abuse treatment and rehabilitation 
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projects, the Secretary shall give priority to projects which address the relationship between drug 
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abuse or alcohol abuse and physical child abuse, sexual child abuse, emotional child abuse, 
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dropping out of school, unemployment, delinquency, pregnancy, violence, suicide, or mental 
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health problems. 
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(C) In making grants under this Act, the Secretary shall give priority to applications from 
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community based organizations for projects: 
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(1) To develop innovative models with mUltiple coordinated servIces for the 
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prevention or for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abuse or alcohol abuse by high 
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risk youth. 
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(2) To demonstrate effective models with multiple coordinated services which 
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may be replicated and which are for the prevention or for the treatment and rehabilitation 
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of drug abuse or alcohol abuse by high risk youth. 
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(3) That employ research designs adequate for evaluating the effectiveness of the 
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program. 
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SECTION 6. Strategies for Reducing Use. - The Secretary shall ensure that projects 
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under Section 4 include strategies for reducing the use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco 
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products by individuals to whom it is unlawful to sell or distribute such beverages or products. 
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SECTION 7. Equal Distribution of Grants. - To the extent feasible, the Secretary shall 
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ensure the equal distribution of grants under this Act among urban and rural areas. 
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SECTION 8. Application for G~ants. - In order to receive a grant for a project under this 
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Act for a fiscal year, a public or nonprofit private entity shall submit an application to the 
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Secretary. The Secretary may provide the provincial governor or the city mayor the opportunity 
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to review and comment on such application. Such application shall be in such form, shall contain 
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such information, and shall be submitted at such time as the Secretary may by regulation 
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prescribe. 
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SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and SUbsisting. 
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SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the 
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provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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