hy” Filed ™
Republic of the Philippines a a
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES //S RECEIVED 2)
Batasan Hills, Quezon City ZX DATE July 28,2022 wp
* TIME 4:43pm *
NINETEENTH CONGRESS BY Li sy
First Regular Session ‘e

House Bill No._2716 _

Introduced by
HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
and

HON. JUDE A. ACIDRE

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND WELFARE PROGRAMS,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article XV, Sec. 3(2) of the 1987 Constitution guarantees the right of
children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special
Protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other
conditions prejudicial to their development. Thus, the State must ensure the
holistic development and protection of the child.

Healthy development means that children of all abilities, including those
with special health care needs, are able to grow up where their physical, mental,
social, emotional, educational, medical, and physiological needs are met.
Children must feel safe, sound, and secure at home, at school, or wherever
they may be. The experiences children have in early childhood shape the brain
and the child's capacity to learn, to get along with others, and to respond to
daily stresses and challenges; child development sets the foundation for
lifelong learning, behavior, and health.

GG REPRESEN

ry


Pursuant thereto, this bill seeks to strengthen youth development and
welfare programs by institutionalizing social welfare and development
operations in the barangay level as well as truancy operations in every
barangay; increasing the number of guidance counselors in schools;
establishing information drives, school-based feeding program, Bahay Pag-
asa, and foster care program; and, imposing stiffer penalties for parental
liability; and ensuring the protection of the children in conflict with the law.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

Rep. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
Representative, "Tingog Sinirangan

Rep. JUDE/A. ACIDRE
Representative, Tingog Sinirangan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. _ 2716

nn

Introduced by

HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
and
HON. JUDE A. ACIDRE

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND WELFARE PROGRAMS,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Dec/aration of Policy. Section 13 of Article Il of the 1987
Constitution provides that 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 mandates the State to inculcate in the youth patriotism and
nationalism and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. Section 3(2)
of Article XV of the 1987 Constitution meanwhile mandates the State to defend the
“fight of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special
protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions
prejudicial to their development."

Children are the principal citizens of the country. The best interest of the child
is the primordial and paramount concern of the State. They stand at the center of
Philippine nation-building and are the most important assets of the nation. Thus, the
Constitution and the laws must be implemented, sufficient budget be allocated, and a
holistic program be employed to promote the welfare of the children and enhance their
opportunities in life.


No child should be at risk of being in conflict with the law. It is therefore the
policy of the State to focus on the fundamental problems facing the youth, namely,
poverty, poor education, lack of proper support and guidance, among others. Children
must be taught the values of responsibility, respect for the common good, honesty,
integrity, diligence, and service to the nation.

Section 2. Truancy Officers. There shall be, in every barangay, a Truancy
Officer that shall be designated by the Punong Barangay from among the members of
the Sangguniang Barangay. There shall be one (1) Truancy Officer for everyone
thousand (1,000) residents in barangay. Truancy officers shall have the primary
responsibility of ensuring that minors of age attend school. They shall conduct regular
home and school visits to ensure the child's school attendance and shall submit daily
reports indicating dates of absences, contacts with parents, and other relevant
information, to the Truancy Monitoring Center established in Section 3 of this Act.

Truancy as here used means absence without cause for more than five (5)
school days in a month, not necessarily consecutive. The Truancy Officer shall refer
the child who is considered truant to the Barangay Social Welfare and Development
Officer for placement to any child-caring or child-placing institution licensed and
accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to
implement the foster care program, or to a person registered with the DSWD who is
available to provide foster care.

Section 3. Establishment of a Truancy Operations Center. The Department
of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall establish a Truancy Operations Center
that shall be the centralized information management system regarding the school
attendance of children and the reports of Truancy Officer.

The Center Hall shall ensure a recordation of all pertinent information, such as
age, residence, school, and school attendance of all children on a daily basis. The
Center shall coordinate with the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the purpose of filing
criminal cases against parents or guardians who violate Section 59 of the Presidential
Decree No. 603 (P.D. No. 603), otherwise known as "The Child and Youth Welfare
Code," as amended, and other relevant laws.


Section 4. Increased Number of Guidance Counselors in Schools. To
ensure the children's well-being, and academic, behavioral, and social growth, there
shall be, in every public and private elementary and high school, at least three (3)
guidance counselors each for every elementary school, including kindergarten.

Guidance counselors shall have the primary responsibility of counseling,
assisting, teaching, and practicing of guidance and counseling subjects, and other
human development services to children.

Section 5. Barangay Social Welfare and Development Officer. There shall
be, in every barangay, a Barangay Social Welfare and Development Officer whose
primary duty includes house-to-house visitations, counseling, child rights education,
and helping the youth, families, and the community develop, improve, maintain, or
restore their capability for coping with the demands of their environment, through the
use of social work methods and interventions. In the absence of a duly-registered
Social Worker who shall act as Barangay Social Welfare and Development Officer,
persons with training in social work may be employed. They shall be under the
supervision of the local social welfare and development officer.

The Barangay Social Welfare Officers shall be considered employees of the
barangay and shall draw their salaries and other benefits therefrom.

Section 6. School-Based Feeding Program. To encourage attendance in
schools, there is hereby established under the Department of Education (DepEd) a
Comprehensive and School-Based National Feeding Program for all day care,
kindergarten, elementary, and high schools in the country. The program shall include
the provision of at least one (1) meal per student per day, or two (2) meals per day for
undernourished children, for a period of 208 days per school year.

Food donations to schools shall also be considered as donations of apparently
wholesome food for charitable purposes and will be governed in accordance with the
provisions of Republic Act No. 9803, otherwise known as the "Food Donation Act of
2009."


Section 7. Schools Dentists and Nurses. There shall be at least one (1) nurse
and one (1) dentist for every two hundred fifty (250) students in every elementary and
high school, whether public or private. The school dentists shall be considered
employees of the city or municipality where the school is situated and shall draw their
salaries and other benefits therefrom.

Section 8. Child Witness Protection Program. The DO4J, in coordination with
the DSWD, shall establish a child witness assistance program that shall support
children and their families throughout criminal proceedings. Guidance counselor and
barangay social welfare and development officer shall also assist children who
volunteer as witnesses in crimes they have witnessed or have information about.

Section 9. Juvenile Reformatory Centers. The DSWD, in coordination with
the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), shall establish, fund, and
manage 24-hour child-caring institution providing residential care for children in
conflict with the law who commits parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping, and
serious illegal detention where the victim is killed or raped, robbery with homicide or
tape, destructive arson, rape, or carnapping where the driver or occupant is killed or
raped or offenses under Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the
“Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002," punishable by more than twelve (12)
years of imprisonment.

Each Juvenile Reformatory Center shall contain facilities such as gyms,
libraries, and vocational-technical training shops.

Section 10. Increased Penalties for Parental Liability. Article 60 of P.D. No.
603 is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Article 60. Penalty. - The act mentioned in the preceding article shall (be
punishable with imprisonment from two or six-month or a fine not exceeding
five hundred pesos, or both, at the discretion of the Court, unless a higher
penalty is provided for in the Revised Penal Code or special laws, without
prejudice to actions for the involuntary commitment of the child under Title VIII


of this Code) SUFFER THE PENALTY OF PRISION CORRECCIONAL IN ITS
MINIMUM PERIOD TO PRISON CORRECCIONAL IN ITS MAXIMUM
PERIOD.”

Section 11. Section 20-C of Republic Act No. 9344, as amended, is hereby
further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 20-C. Exploitation of Children for Commission of Crimes. - Any person,
INCLUDING THE PARENT OF CHILD, who, in the commission of a crime,
makes use, takes advantage of, or profits from the use of children, including
any person who abuses his/her authority over the child or who, with abuse of
confidence, takes advantage of the vulnerabilities of the child and shall induce,
threaten, or instigate the commission of the crime, shall be imposed the penalty
[prescribed by law for the crime committed in its maximum period] OF
RECLUSION PERPETUA, IF THE CRIME COMMITTED IS PUNISHABLE BY
IMPRISONMENT OF MORE THAN SIX (6) YEARS, AND RECLUSION
TEMPORAL, IF THE CRIME COMMITTED IS PUNISHABLE BY
IMPRISONMENT OF SIX (6) YEARS OR LESS. THE FACT THAT THE
PERSON WHO EXPLOITED THE CHILD FOR THE COMMISSION OF
CRIMES IS A PUBLIC OFFICER SHALL BE CONSIDERED AS A GENERIC
AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES."

Section 12. Information Campaign. Within three (3) months from the
effectivity of this Act, the DSWD, in coordination with the DepEd, DILG, DOJ, and the
Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council, shall undertake an extensive information
campaign to explain children’s rights, as well as the concomitant duties of parents or
guardians, the community, and the government.

Section 13. Section 49 of Republic Act No. 9344, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 49. Establishment of 'Bahay Pag-Asa’. - [Each province and highly-

urbanized city (the LGU)] THE DSWD shall be responsible for building, funding,

and operating a ‘Bahay Pag-asa' [within their jurisdiction] following the


standards that will be set by the DSWD and adopted by the JJWC. THE
ALLOCATIONS NECESSARY FOR BUILDING, FUNDING, AND
OPERATING THE ‘BAHAY PAG-ASA' SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE
BUDGET OF THE DSWD IN THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS
ACT.

EVERY 'BAHAY PAG-ASA' SHALL CONTAIN FACILITIES SUCH AS
GYMS, LIBRARIES, AND VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL TRAINING SHOPS,
AND SHALL HAVE PROGRAMS FOR ALTERNATIVE LEARNING OR
EDUCATION PROGRAMS GEARED TOWARDS VALUES FORMATION,
CULTURAL AWARENESS, READING, AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT.
PROVIDED, THAT CHILDREN WHO NO DOT POSE A RISK TO THE
COMMUNITY MAY BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND SCHOOLS OUTSIDE THE
BAHAY PAG-ASA TO WHICH THE CHILD IS COMMITTED.

A CHILD COMMITTED TO A BAHAY PAG-ASA MAY BE RELEASED
TO THE CHILD'S PARENT, GUARDIAN, OR FOSTER PARENT UPON
ORDER BY A COURT AND AFTER A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
CONDUCTED BY THE LOCAL SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
OFFICER OR THE DSWD. IN THE LATTER CASE, THE DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL WELFARE MAY REFUSE TO DISCHARGE THE CHILD IF, IN ITS
OPINION, HIS RELEASE WOULD BE PREJUDICIAL TO HIM OR TO THE
COMMUNITY.

[Every ‘Bahay Pag-asa’ will have a special facility called the WISC. This
Center will be allocated for children in conflict with the law in accordance with
Sections 20, 20-A, and 20-B hereof. These children will be required to undergo
a more intensive multidisciplinary intervention program. The JJWC in
partnership with, but not limited to, the DSWD, the DOH, the DepED and the
DILG, will develop and set the standards for the implementation of the
multidisciplinary intervention program of the IJISC. Upon institutionalization of
the WISC program, the JJWC will continue to monitor and provide technical
assistance to the multi-disciplinary teams operating the said centers.]"

Section 14. Section 20 of Republic Act No. 9344, otherwise known as the


Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, as amended, is hereby further amended to

read as follows:
"SEC. 20. Children Below the Age of Criminal Responsibility. - If it has been
determined that the child taken into custody is fifteen (15) years old or below,
the authority which will have an initial contact with the child, in consultation with
the local social welfare and development officer, has the duty to immediately
release the child to the custody of his/her parents or guardian, or in the absence
thereof, the child's nearest relative. The child shall be subjected to a
community-based intervention program supervised by the [local] BARANGAY
social welfare and development officer, unless the best interest of the child
requires the referral of the child to a [youth care facility or ‘Bahay Pag-asa’
managed by LGUs or licensed and/or accredited GOs monitored by the DSWD]
ANY CHILD-CARING INSTITUTION LICENSED AND ACCREDITED BY THE
DSWD TO IMPLEMENT THE FOSTER CARE PROGRAM, OR TO A
PERSON DULY REGISTERED WITH THE DSWD WHO IS WILLING TO
PROVIDE FOSTER CARE.

NO CHILD UNDER SEVEN YEARS OF AGE SHALL BE SEPARATED
FROM THE MOTHER, UNLESS THE LATTER IS UNFIT. GIVING CUSTODY
OF CHILD TO THE PARENTS, GUARDIANS, OR NEAREST RELATIVES
SHALL BE CONSIDERED NOT TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE
CHILD IN THE CHILD'S PARENTS, GUARDIANS OR NEAREST
RELATIVES: (1) ARE TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY UNABLE OR
UNWILLING TO PROVIDE THE CHILD WITH ADEQUATE CARE; (2) ARE
ENGAGED IN DRUG ADDICTION OR HABITUAL ALCOHOLISM; (3) TREAT
THE CHILD WITH EXCESSIVE HARSHNESS OR CRUELTY; (4)
IMPROPERLY EXPLOIT THE CHILD; OR ANY OTHER ANALOGOUS
CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE FOLLOWING CHILDREN MAY ALSO BE PLACED IN FOSTER CARE:

a. A CHILD WHO IS ABANDONED, SURRENDERED, NEGLECTED,
DEPENDENT OR ORPHANED;

b. A CHILD WHO IS VICTIM OF SEXUAL, PHYSICAL., OR ANY OTHER


FORM OF ABUSE OR EXPLOITATION;

c. A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS;

d. A CHILD WHOSE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE TEMPORARILY OR
PERMANENTLY UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO PROVIDE THE CHILD
WITH ADEQUATE CARE;

e. A CHILD AWAITING ADOPTIVE PLACEMENT AND WHO WOULD
HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR FAMILY LIFE;

f. A CHILD WHO NEEDS LONG-TERM CARE AND CLOSE FAMILY TIES

BUT WHO CANNOT BE PLACED FOR DOMESTIC ADOPTION;

A CHILD WHOSE ADOPTION HAS BEEN DISRUPTED;

h. A CHILD WHO IS UNDER SOCIALLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A STREET CHILD, A CHILD IN
ARMED CONFLICT, A VICTIM OF CHILD LABOR OR TRAFFICKING;

i. A CHILD WHO COMMITTED MINOR OFFENSE BUT IS RELEASED ON
RECOGNIZANCE, OR WHO IS IN CUSTODY SUPERVISION OR
WHOSE CASE IS DISMISSED; AND,

j. A CHILD WHOIS IN NEED OF SPECIAL PROTECTION AS ASSESSED
BY A SOCIAL WORKER, AN AGENCY OR THE DSWD.

The [local] BARANGAY social welfare and development officer shall determine
the appropriate programs for the child who has been released, in consultation
with the child and the person having custody over the child. If the parents,
guardians, or nearest relatives cannot be located, or if they refuse to take
custody, the child may be released to any of the following:
a. Aduly registered nongovernmental or religious organization;
b. A barangay official or a member of the Barangay Council for the
Protection of Children (BCPC);
c. A local social welfare and development officer; [or, when and where
appropriate, the DSWD.]
d. A FOSTER PARENT; OR,
e. WHEN AND WHERE APPROPRIATE, THE DSWD.

10


If the child has been found by the [local] BARANGAY social welfare and
development officer to be dependent, abandoned, neglected, or abused by
his/her parents and the best interest of the child requires that he/she be placed
in [a youth care facility or ‘Bahay Pag-asa] ANY CHILD-CARING
INSTITUTION LICENSED AND ACCREDITED BY THE DSW TO
IMPLEMENT THE FOSTER CARE PROGRAM, OR TO A PERSON DULY
REGISTERED WITH THE DSWD WHO IS WILLING TO PROVIDE FOSTER
CARE, the child's parents or guardians shall execute a written authorization for
the voluntary commitment of the child: Provided, That if the child has no parents
or guardians or if they refuse or fail to execute the written authorization for
voluntary commitment, the proper petition for involuntary commitment shall be
immediately filed by the DSWD or the Local Social Welfare and Development
Office (LSWDO) pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended,
otherwise known as "The Child and Youth Welfare Code" and the Supreme
Court rule on commitment of children: Provided, further, That the minimum age
for children committed to a youth care facility or ‘Bahay Pag-asa' shall be twelve
(12) years old.”

Section 15. Section 20-A of Republic Act No. 9344, as amended, is hereby
further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 20-A. Serious Crimes Committed by Children [Who Are Exempt From
Criminal Responsibility. - A child who is above twelve (12) years of age up to
fifteen (15) years of age and who commits parricide, murder, infanticide,
kidnapping and serious illegal detention where the victim is killed or raped,
robbery with homicide or rape, destructive arson, rape, or carnapping where
the driver or occupant is killed or raped or offenses under Republic Act No.
9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,
punishable by more than twelve (12) years of imprisonment, shall be deemed
a neglected child under P.D. No. 603, as amended, and shall be mandatorily
placed in a [special facility within the youth care facility or ‘Bahay Pag-asa’
called the Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center (IJISC)]
JUVENILE REFORMATORY CENTER


In accordance with existing laws, rules, procedures, and guidelines, the
proper petition for involuntary commitment and placement under [the IJISC]
JUVENILE REFORMATORY CENTER shall be filed by the local social welfare
and development officer of the LGU where the offense was committed, or by
the DSWD social worker in the local social welfare and development officer's
absence OR INABILITY, within twenty-four (24) hours from the time of the
receipt of a report on the alleged commission of said child. The court, where
the petition for involuntary commitment has been filed shall decide on the
petition within seventy-two (72) hours from the time the said petition has been
filed by the DSWD/LSWDO. The court will determine the initial period of
placement of the child within the [lJISC] JUVENILE REFORMATORY
CENTER which shall not be less than one (1) year. The multi-disciplinary team
of the [JISC] JUVENILE REFORMATORY CENTER will submit to the court a
case study and progress report to include a psychiatric evaluation report and
recommend the reintegration of the child to his/her family or the extension of
the placement under the [DISC] JUVENILE REFORMATORY CENTER. The
multi-disciplinary team will also submit a report to the court on the services
extended to the parent and family of the child and the compliance of the parents
in the intervention program. The court will decide whether the child has
‘successfully completed the center-based intervention program and is already
prepared to be reintegrated with his/her family or if there is a need for the
continuation of the center-based rehabilitation of the child. The court will
determine the next period of assessment or hearing on the commitment of the
child."

Section 16. Section 20-B of Republic Act No. 9344, as amended, is hereby
further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 20-B. Repetition of Offenses. - A child who is above twelve (12) years of

age up to fifteen (15) years of age and who commits an offense for the second

time or oftener [: Provided, That the child was previously subjected to a

community based intervention program, shall be deemed a neglected child

under Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended, and shall undergo an


intensive intervention program supervised by the local social welfare and
development officer: Provided, further, That, if the best interest of the child
requires that he/she be placed in a youth care facility or] SHALL BE PLACED
IN A CHILD-CARING INSTITUTION LICENSED AND ACCREDITED BY THE
DSWD TO IMPLEMENT THE FOSTER CARE PROGRAM, OR TOA
PERSON DULY REGISTERED WITH THE DSWD WHO IS WILLING TO
PROVIDE FOSTER CARE. HOWEVER, IF THE CHILD IS ALREADY IN THE
CARE OF SUCH CHILD-CARING INSTITUTION OR FOSTER PARENT,
THEN THE CHILD SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER CHILD-
CARING INSTITUTION OR FOSTER PARENT. THE CHILD SHALL
UNDERGO REGULAR EVALUATIONS BY THE BARANGAY SOCIAL
WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER. IF THE LATTER DETERMINES
IN A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY THAT THE CHILD'S INTEREST REQUIRED
COMMITMENT TO A BAHAY PAG-ASA, THEN THE CHILD SHALL BE SO
COMMITTED ['Bahay Pag-asa’, the child's parents or guardians shall execute
a written authorization for the voluntary commitment of the child: Provided,
finally, That if the child has no parent or guardians or if they refuse or fail to
execute the written authorization for voluntary commitment, the proper petition
for involuntary commitment shall be immediately filed by the DSWD or the
LSWDO pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended]."

Section 17. Section 20-D of Republic Act 0. 9344, as amended, is further
amended to read, as follows:

"SEC. 20-D. Joint Parental Responsibility. - Based on the recommendation of
the multi-disciplinary team of the [JISC] BAHAY PAG-ASA, the LSWDO or the
DSWD, the court may require the parents of a child in conflict with the law to
undergo counseling or any other intervention that, in the opinion of the court,
would advance the welfare and best interest of the child.
As used in this Act, 'parents' shall mean any of the following:

a) Biological parents of the child; or

b) Adoptive parents of the child; or

c) Individuals who have custody of the child.]; OR,


d) A DULY REGISTERED FOSTER PARENT.

‘A court exercising jurisdiction over a child in conflict with the law may
require the attendance of one or both parents of the child at the place where
the proceedings are to be conducted.

The parents shall be PRIMARILY liable for CIVIL damages ARISING
OUT OF THE ACTIONS OF THE CHILD IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW
unless they prove, to the satisfaction of the court, that they were exercising
reasonable supervision over the child at the time the child committed the
offense and exerted reasonable effort and utmost diligence to prevent or
discourage the child from committing another offense.

Section 18. Section 43 of Republic Act No. 9344 is hereby amended to read,
as follows:

"SEC. 43. Confidentiality of Records and Proceedings. - All records and
proceedings involving children in conflict with the law from initial contact until
final disposition of the case shall be considered privileged and confidential. The
public shall be excluded during the proceedings and the records shall not be
disclosed directly or indirectly to anyone by any of the parties or the participants
in the proceedings for any purpose whatsoever, except to determine if the child
in conflict with the law may have his/her sentence suspended or if he/she may
be granted probation under the Probation Law, or to enforce the civil liability
imposed in the criminal action.

The component authorities shall undertake all measures to protect this
confidentiality of proceedings, including non-disclosure of records to the media,
maintaining a separate police blotter for cases involving children in conflict with
the law and adopting a system of coding to conceal material information which
will lead to the child's identity. [Records] THE CRIMINAL RECORDS of a child
in conflict with the law shall, after undergoing a community-based intervention
program, or being committed to a Bahay Pag-Asa or Juvenile Reformatory
Center SHALL BE EXPUNGED AND not be used in subsequent proceedings
for cases involving the same offender as an adult [, except when beneficial for
the offender and upon his/her written consent].

14


A person who has been in conflict with the law as a child shall not be
held under any provision of law, to be guilty of perjury or of concealment or
misrepresentation by reason of his/her failure to acknowledge the case or recite
any fact related thereto in response to any inquiry made to him/her for any
purpose."

Section 19. Section 63 of Republic Act No. 9344, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read, as follows:

"SEC. 63. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions
of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the
JJWC under the budget of the Department of Justice. Thereafter, such sums
as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be
included in the budget of the DSWD under the annual General Appropriations
Act: Provided, That the amount of four hundred million pesos (PhP
400,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the construction of ‘Bahay Pag-asa’
rehabilitation centers in provinces or cities with high incidence of children in
conflict with the law to be determined and identified by the DSWD and the JJWC
‘on a priority basis: Provided, further, That the said amount shall be coursed
through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for its proper
implementation.

The LGUs concerned shall make available, from its own resources or
assets, their counterpart share equivalent to the national government
contribution of Five million pesos (PhP 5,000,000.00) per rehabilitation center.

In addition, the Council may accept donations, grants, and contributions
from various sources, in cash or in kind, for purposes relevant to its functions,
‘subject to the usual government accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT SHALL SET ASIDE FIVE
PERCENT (5%) OF ITS SHARE OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE
ALLOTMENT TO FUND THE PROGRAMS UNDER THIS ACT AND OTHER
RELEVANT LAWS."

Section 20. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. There is hereby


created a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to oversee, monitor, and evaluate
the implementation of this Act and other related laws. The Oversight Committee shall
be composed of five (5) members each from the Senate and from the House of
Representatives, including the Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Justice and
Human Rights, to act as Chairperson of the Senate Panel, and the House Committee
‘on Justice, to act as Chairperson of the House Panel. The membership of the
Committee for every House shall have at least one (1) minority member.

The Oversight Committee shall conduct a mandatory review of this Act every
three (3) years from its approval.

‘The DSWD and DepEd are required to report to the Oversight Committee, copy
furnished the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, on
a monthly basis relevant data on school enrollment.

Section 21. Separability Clause. \f any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, such sections or parts not affected thereby shall remain in full force
and effect.

Section 22. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repeal d or modified accordingly.

Section 23. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,