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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES \

Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 1543

introduced by REPRESENTATIVES ALFREDO A. GARBIN, Jr. and
ELIZALDY S.CO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to provide additional funding for Accessible Drug Rehabilitation Treatment
nationwide, to be sourced from the proceeds of Republic Act 10351

The Duterte Administration's intensified anti-drug campaign to combat drug addiction
and drug related problems in the country is gaining great traction, resulting in tens of thousands
of alleged drug addicts and pushers surrendering to police authorities. in fact, as of July 15,
2016, major news media has reported that 65,000 drug pushers and users have surrendered

With this deluge of surrenders, the critical question that needs to be asked is, “What
happens to these self-confessed drug users?” {

Drug addiction is a medical condition and is often accompanied by several health and
psychological illnesses. This condition is not immediately cured after a drug user admits that he
or she is an addict. So, unless we condemn these drug users to jail, we cannot simply list their
names and let them return home only to be lured by the addiction once more.

What is required is an extensive drug rehabilitation treatment so that the drug addict's
body is cleansed of addictive dangerous drugs and ultimately restored to an upright contributing
member of our country. Needless to say, rehabilitation requires financial resources, treatment
facilities and human capital. There are currently 41 drug rehabilitation centers in the county,
which is insufficient to cover rehabilitation of the more or less 65,000 drug addicts

Our government needs to provide accessible drug rehabilitation treatment program and
set up affordable drug rehabilitation centers all over the country. Costs for drug rehabilitation is
shouldered primarily by DOH budget, but this is not enough

We propose allocating a portion of the incremental revenue from Sin Tax to be used for
drug rehabilitation treatment. Using rough estimates, if one drug user can be rehabilitated in 6
‘months, at a cost of 10,000 per month, it will require around 4 billion pesos to rehabilitate the
65,000 drug addicts who have, so far, surrendered. This is a small price to pay to win the war on
drugs and rehabilitating our citizens who have fallen victim to drug abuse. This is a small price
to pay, if we want to win the war on drugs without killing or jailing drug addicts.

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

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Page 2 of 2

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1543

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVES ALFREDO A. GARBIN, Jr. and
ELIZALDY S. CO

AN ACT ALLOCATING A PORTION OF EXCISE TAX ON ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO FOR
THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF STATE-RUN DRUG REHABILITATION

CENTERS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT 10351

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

assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the “Sin Tax Revenue for Drug
Rehabilitation Centers Act’

SECTION 2. Section 8 of RA 10351, amending Section 288, subsections (B) and (C) of the
National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended by Republic Act No. 9334, is hereby
further amended to read as follows:

XXX

"(C) Incremental Revenues from the Excise Tax on Alcohol and Tobacco

Products. ~

“After deducting the allocations under Republic Act Nos. 7171 and 8240,
seventy percent (70%) of the remaining balance of the incremental revenue
derived from this Act shail be allocated for the universal health care under
the National Health Insurance Program, the attainment of the millennium
development goals and health awareness programs; and thirty percent
{30%) shall be allocated nationwide, based on political and district
subdi ns, for medical assistance, accessible drug rehabilitation
treatment and health enhancement facilities program, the annual
requirements of which shall be determined by the Department of Health
(DOH)."

SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or
parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified

accordingly.

SECTION 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,