Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY “HORI” G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article II, provides: 
Section 13. 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. 
Section 17. 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. 
Quality education is necessary not only for the future of our children and our families but 
for the future of our country. A better-educated citizenry and workforce are essential to 
compete in the global economy and maintain a strong democracy. 
A safe school environment is a prerequisite toward achieving that goal. If the government 
is to effectively provide quality education, it must provide students with an environment 
conducive to learning. The continued presence in schools of violent students, who are a 
threat to both teachers and other students, is incompatible with a safe learning 
environment. Unsafe school environments discourage students to go to school and place 
those who are already at risk of school failure for other reasons in further jeopardy. 
Greater cooperation between schools, parents, law enforcement, the courts, and the 
community is essential to making our schools safe from drugs and violence.  
The purpose of this bill is to establish innovative programs to provide safe school 
environments.  
September 13, 2022
8:00 am
4735


In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE  
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY “HORI” G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS “NICK” ENCISO VIII 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY “HORI” G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO 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 Schools Act.” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. – It is the purpose of this Act to urge the Department of Education, 
Culture and Sports 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 
4735


 
 
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. 
 
(B) 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 after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,