EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1099
cf lijr
*19 OCT-2 P6 -07
F . . . .  
I'.’-
Introduced by Senator Cynthia A. Villar
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING 
THE 
GOVERNMENT'S 
EFFORTS 
TOWARDS 
THE 
TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG DEPENDENTS OR PEOPLE 
WHO USE DRUGS (PWUDs) BY ESTABLISHING DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT 
AND REHABILITATION CENTERS IN  EVERY PROVINCE AND CITY IN THE 
COUNTRY, 
APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
AND 
FOR 
OTHER 
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has candidly declared that one of the problems 
that bedevils our country and which needs to be addressed with urgency is the 
proliferation of illegal drugs.1. 
It is only under President Duterte's watch that we 
have been made aware of how the drug problem has deeply permeated all strata of 
the Philippine society, thereby threatening our security and our normal way of living. 
From the time he took office in 2016, we have seen that the efforts of his 
administration has not waned towards achieving the goal of eradicating the problem 
of illegal drugs. No minute is being wasted to relentlessly pursue all those involved 
in the illegal drug trade in the Philippines.
1 Inaugural Address of His Excellency Rodrigo R. Duterte dated 30 June 2016
1


With the administration's campaign against illegal drugs, one of the welcome 
developments we have witnessed is the voluntary surrender to the authorities of 
hundreds, if not thousands, of drug dependents or people who use drugs (PWUDs) 
all over the country.2 While chiefly buoyed by a well-founded fear that they will be 
meted with the full force of the law if they do not surrender, the initiatives of the 
PWUDs who surrendered undeniably present an opportunity for them to be 
rehabilitated and start anew to live orderly and productive lives. The same could be 
true also for those PWUDs who have not voluntarily surrendered but were caught 
red-handed using drugs; they too should be given a chance to be rehabilitated.
The government should take an active role to fully rehabilitate the PWUDs. 
After all, it is an avowed policy of the State, as enunciated in Republic Act 9165 or 
the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, to provide effective mechanisms 
or measures to re-integrate into society individuals who have fallen victims to drug 
abuse or dangerous drug dependence through sustainable programs of treatment 
and rehabilitation.
Based on information gathered, there are currently 53 licensed Drug Abuse 
Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers (DATRCs) nationwide, only 15 of which are 
operated by the Department of Health (DOH).3 
While around 11 more DATRCs, 
including the Las Pinas Drug Rehabilitation Facility, are expected to open in 20194, 
these may still not suffice to accommodate the 
increasing number of PWUDs 
needing rehabilitation and/or intervention nationwide.
The government must be ready to extend help to PWUDs, who should be 
treated as victims rather than be considered as outright criminals. Ensuring their 
recovery through rehabilitation and reintegration into the community will be 
beneficial to society as they will become its productive members. Hence, this bill 
seeks to establish accessible drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers in
2 http://news.abs-cbn.eom/news/07/14/16/60000-drug-users-pushers-have-suiTendered-palace, 
http://pro8.pnp.gov.ph/2016/07/12/6869-drug-userspushers-voluntarily-surrender-to-pnp-in-eastem-visayas/, 
http://www.inquisitr.conV3292186/duterte-drug-war-atx>ut-4000-more-druggies-surrender-as-t>odies-turn-up-across-philippines/
3 Parrocha, A. More drug rehab centers set for completion in 2019. Philippine News Agency (6 September 2018)
IbkJ.


every province and city in the Philippines that will cater to the welfare of PWUDs in 
order to sustain the government's efforts in achieving a drug-free society.
In view of the foregoing, the passage if this bill is earnestly sought.
CYNTHIA A. VILLAR


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1099
*19 OCT-2 P6:07
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING 
THE 
GOVERNMENT'S 
EFFORTS 
TOWARDS 
THE 
TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG DEPENDENTS OR PEOPLE 
WHO USE DRUGS (PWUDs) BY ESTABLISHING DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT 
AND REHABILITATION CENTERS IN EVERY PROVINCE AND CITY IN THE 
COUNTRY, 
APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
AND 
FOR 
OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
SECTION 1. Creation. -  In order to complement the intensified drive to
2 
eradicate dangerous and/or illegal drugs in the country, there shall be drug abuse
3 
treatment and rehabilitation centers (hereinafter referred to as centers) for drug
4 
dependents/PWUDs established in every province and city in the Philippines. These
5 
centers shall be supervised by the Department of Health.
6 
Sec. 2. Objectives and Functions. -  These centers so established shall have
7 
the following objectives and functions:
8 
(a) 
To provide care, treatment and accommodation to every person found
9 
to be a drug dependent;


1 
(b) 
To bring such drug dependent to a state where he is physically,
2 
psychologically and socially capable to cope with problems common to his peer
3 
group;
4 
(c) 
To facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas
5 
and information on the prevention, care, treatment and control of drug addiction;
6 
(d) 
To provide after-care, follow-up and social reintegration services to
7 
every 
drug dependent in order to assist in his assimilation to his family and
8 
community after his release from the center;
9 
(e) 
To provide motivation to each drug dependent in order that he could
10 
regain self-confidence, rediscover his working abilities and develop a sense of
11 
responsibility for himself;
12 
(0  
To encourage the formation of organization and associations composed
13 
of parents, guardians and immediate relatives of drug dependents in order to arouse
14 
their awareness and enhance their participation in the care, treatment and
15 
rehabilitation of their relatives or wards found to be drug dependent patients;
16 
(g) 
To undertake continuous training of physicians, nurses, health officers
17 
and social workers on the practical and scientific methods of prevention, care,
18 
treatment and rehabilitation of persons found to be drug dependents; and
19 
(h) 
To strengthen the emotional and spiritual make-up of every drug
20 
dependent by conducting regular guidance and counseling sessions as well as
21 
interdenominational services.
22 
Sec. 3. Sites o f the Centers. -  The Secretary of Health and the local chief
23 
executives shall determine the location of the centers in their respective provinces
24 
and cities in the country.
25 
In the determination and prioritization of the sites where centers will be
26 
established, consideration shall be given to the following:
27
28
a.) 
Existence (or the lack) of national and local government-operated or 
-accredited rehabilitation centers;


1 
b.) 
Density of the population and rate of incidence of drug dependence;
2 
and
3 
c.) 
Locations that will provide peaceful and quiet environments in order to
4 
ensure a focused and uninterrupted treatment and rehabilitation of the
5 
drug dependents but at the same time reasonably accessible to the
6 
prospective clientele;
7 
Pending the establishment of centers in some provinces, the Secretary of
8 
Health should initiate drug rehabilitation programs in existing government hospitals
9 
in the province.
10 
Sec. 4. Affordability o f Rehabilitation and Treatment. 
-  The Secretary of
11 
Health shall establish a socialized scheme for the payment of the expenses of
12 
rehabilitation and treatment of drug dependents or PWUDs with the end in view that
13 
it is the government's duty to ensure that drug dependents or PWUDs are
14 
rehabilitated and reintegrated into society; Provided, that drug dependents or
15 
PWUDs who are indigents and whose immediate next of kin are likewise indigent
16 
shall not be required to pay; Provided further, that expenses of rehabilitation and
17 
treatment may be chargeable to Philhealth by drug dependents or PWUDs; and
18 
Provided finally, that drug dependents or PWUDs shall not be required to pay a
19 
deposit as a condition for their admittance to any government-operated center or
20 
government hospitals.
21 
Sec. 5. Director o f the Center. -  Each of the Centers shall be headed by a
22 
Director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health and vested with powers
23 
generally exercised by a chief of a government hospital.
24 
The appointment of the directors of the centers should follow a reliable and
25 
stringent selection process, to be adopted by the Department of Health. In no case
26 
shall a person be appointed as Director of a Center unless he or she possesses the
27 
following qualifications, among others: shall be of good moral character; shall be of
28 
sound mind; shall not have been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of
29 
any offense involving moral turpitude; shall be a holder of the degree of Doctor of


1 
Medicine or its equivalent conferred by a college of medicine duly recognized by the
2 
government; and shall have at least five (5) years experience in the care, treatment
3 
and rehabilitation of drug dependents or PWUDs.
4 
Sec. 6. Personnel and Staff. -  The Secretary of Health, in consultation with
5 
the Director of the respective centers, shall appoint such other personnel and staff
6 
as may be necessary for the effective operation of the Center, subject to existing
7 
laws, rules, and regulations.
8 
In line with the local government units' role of assisting in the rehabilitation or
9 
treatment of drug dependents/PWUDs provided under Section 51 of Republic Act
10 
9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, 
as amended, local
11 
government units may detail personnel, as may be necessary, to perform tasks and
12 
functions that are supportive to the complete and effective rehabilitation of drug
13 
dependents/PWUDs being treated in the centers.
14 
It is mandatory that the officials, personnel and staff to be employed and/or
15 
detailed at the centers will undergo integrity tests and trainings, from time to time,
16 
as measure to prevent infiltration by drug syndicates into our drug rehabilitation
17 
centers and system.
18 
Sec. 7. Government Assistance to the Center. -  The Secretary of Health is
19 
hereby authorized to call upon any department, bureau, agency or instrumentality of
20 
the government for such assistance as may be necessary for the effective
21 
implementation of this Act.
22 
Sec. 8. 
Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  The Secretary of the
23 
Department of Health, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and
24 
Development, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Philippine
25 
National 
Police, 
the 
Philippine 
Drug 
Enforcement Agency, 
concerned 
non-
26 
governmental organizations, and other stakeholders, shall promulgate such rules and
27 
regulations as may be necessary to secure an effective administration of the centers
28 
and the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act, within one hundred
29 
twenty (120) days from the approval of this Act.


1 
Sec. 9. Appropriations. -  The sum necessary for the effective implementation
2 
of this Act shall be charged against the appropriations for the Department of Health
3 
under the General Appropriations Act. 
Thereafter, such amount as may be
4 
necessary for the continued operation of the centers shall be included in the annual
5 
General Appropriations Act.
6 
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. -  If any portion or provision of this Act is
7 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provisions
8 
hereof not affected thereby shall continue to be in force and effect.
9 
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. -  Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
10 
executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to
11 
the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
12 
Sec. 12. Effectivlty. -This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
13 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
14
Approved,