'. 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10 
JUL 19 AlO :32' 
SENATE 
S,No. 
1520 
Rt,{;tfII/lEo !ilV : ..... O"-lt ... ~_ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 13 provides that: 
Section 13. The State recognizes the role of the youth in nation-
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, 
spiritual, intellectual and social wellbeing. It shall inculcate in the 
youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement 
in public and civil affairs. 
• \j 
Service to the community is a responsibility of all Filipinos, regardless of their economic 
level or age. Serving other builds self-esteem and teaches teamwork, decision-making, and 
problem-solving. 
Students, from kindergarten to college, offer a powerful and largely untapped resource 
for community service. The government, therefore, should encourage students to engage in 
productive work with visible community benefits in a natural resource or human service setting, 
in order to give them a mix of work experience, basic and life skills education, training, and 
support services. 
Children who become engaged in community service early will understand better the 
responsibilities of citizenship and often, continue to serve the community into adulthood. To this 
end, this bill seeks to establish a program that will expand opportunities for students to serve 
their communities. 1 
I This bill was originally filed during 14tl' Congress, 1" Regnlar Session. 
1 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 
1520 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
'(i..f.""" I '!'"E 
)H!!;i'; ,)1= 'i;:, S(CRETl<iN 
10 
.lUI.. 19 Am :32 
2 
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PROGRAM TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
3 
FILIPINO STUDENTS TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
4 
SECTION 1. Short Title. -
Thi~ Act shall be known as the "Service to the Philippines 
5 
Act." 
6 
SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purposes of this Act are: 
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(A) to enable the call to service to begin in the earliest grades, to grow into sustained 
8 
community action in secondary schools and colleges, and to become a lifelong habit; 
9 
(B) to provide students with service opportunities; 
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(C) to build on the existing organizational framework provided by educational agencies, 
11 
schools, institutions of higher education, and community agencies; 
12 
CD) to promote the expansion of summer of this title. 
13 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act: 
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(A) The term "community-based agency" means a private non-profit organization that is 
15 
representative of a community or a significant segment of a community and that is engaged in 
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meeting human, social, educational, or environmental community needs. 
17 
(B) The term "education institution" means elementary or secondary school, institution of 
18 
higher education, or a community-based agency that provides educational services. 
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(C) The term "appropriate gove,mment agency" means a public agency that is engaged in 
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meeting human, social, educational, or environmental needs. 
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1 
(D) The term "participant" means a student or out-of-school youth who provides services 
2 
pursuant to a program provided in this Act. 
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(E) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Education. 
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(F) The tenn "service opportunity" means a program or project enabling students to 
5 
perform meaningful and constructive se,rvice in agencies, institutions, and situations where the 
6 
application of human talent and dedication may help to meet, human, social, educational, and 
7 
environmental community needs, especially those relating to poverty. 
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(G) The term "student" means an individual who is enrolled full-time or part-time in an 
9 
elementary or secondary school or institution of higher education. 
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SECTION 4. School and Campus Based Community Service. - The Secretary shall, in 
11 
coordination with the Commission on Higher Education, National Youth Commission, 
12 
Department of Social Welfare and Development and other appropriate goverument agencies and 
13 
community-based agencies, establish a national program that will provide opportunities for 
14 
students work with visible community.; Such comprehensive program shall provide productive 
15 
work with visible community benefits in a natural resource or human service setting and give 
16 
participants a mix of work experienc'e basic and life skills education, training and support 
17 
services. 
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SECTION 5. Incorporation in the Curriculum. - Such program shall be incorporated into 
19 
the curriculum as a sep arate subj ect ,and shall require students, before they are allowed to 
20 
graduate from elementary, high school or college, as the case may be, to render community 
21 
service by participating in the program. 
22 
SECTION 6. Program Components. - The Secretary, in carrying out the program, shall 
23 
(A) encourage cooperative 
e~forts among education institutions, local goverument 
24 
agencies, community-based agencies, business to provide service opportunities, including those, 
25 
that involve the participation of urban, suburban, and rural youth working together; 
26 
(B) ensure that economically and educationally disadvantaged students are offered 
27 
service opportunities; 
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• 
1 
(C) describe the goals of the program, including goals that are quantifiable, measurable, 
2 
and show benefits to the participants and the community; 
3 
(D) formulate programs that -
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(1) provide an age-appropriate learning component for participants to reflect on 
5 
service experiences; 
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(2) give pre-service and in-service training for both supervisors and participants 
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involving representatives of the community where service opportunities will he provided; 
8 
and 
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(3) provide evidence that ,participants will make a sustained commitment to the 
10 
service project. 
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(E) involve individuals of different ages, sexes, ethnic groups, and economIc 
12 
backgrounds serving together. 
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SECTION 7. Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary shall formulate the necessary rules 
14 
and regulations in carrying out the provisions of this Act. 
15 
SECTION 8. Appropriation. - The national govermnent shall appropriate such amounts 
16 
as may be necessary to carry out the provisions and objectives of this Act. 
17 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
18 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
19 
valid and subsisting. 
20 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
21 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
22 
with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended. 
23 
SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
24 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
3