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Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 806.

Introduced by Representative EDUARDO ROA RAMA JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘This bill seeks to require owners of residential building or structures to maintain portable
fire extinguishers.

Residential fires, which rank as the sixth leading cause of unintentional injury-related death
in the Philippines, are mostly caused by faulty electrical wiring or connections, unsupervised open
flames, and neglected electrical equipment or gadgets. Republic Act (RA) No. 9514, otherwise
known as the “Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008", lays the framework for the enforcement and
administration of fire safely measures (Ur persons, buildings, structures and facilities.

Under RA 9514, buildings are classified into residential, assembly, educational, health care,
detention and correctional, mercantile, business, industrial, storage, mixed occupancies, and other
miscellaneous occupancies. As consistently observed, and regardicss of the existing fire safety
measures, protective and warming systems, and fire safety programs, the statistics on fire incidents
involving residential buildings remain high and frequent.

Thus, to enhance the safety of the occupants, this bill secks to require owners of any
residential building or structure to maintain a portable fire extinguisher. Given the ease in its usage,
as well as the minimal uaining and orientation needed to operate a portable fire extinguisher,
installing or maintaining one may help in abating and suppressing incident fires, and preventing
small fires from growing into big fires that may cause injury, death and destruction of properties.

Further, as residential fires often occur in densely populated areas where occupants are less
likely to niaintain portable fire extinguishers due (w the added Gnancial weight, it can add up ww the
everyday woes of the low-income houscholds, this bill includes a provision for subsidy ia the
procurement and maintenance of the portable fire extinguishers.

Finally, to ensure the awareness of the public on fire safety and compliance, the bill
mandates the Bureau of Fire Protection to conduct regular inspection of residential buridings,

especially those communities that are prone to fires.

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

ON
RECEIVED

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REP. EDUARDO R. RAMA JR.
2" District, City of Cebu


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular S

HOUSE BILL No. 806

Introduced by Representative EDUARDO R. RAMA, JR.

AN ACT REQUIRING OWNERS OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS OR
STRUCTURES TO MAINTAIN PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

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

SECTION 1. Every owner of any residential building or structure shall maintain portable
fire extinguishers in commensurate with the number of occupants and the frequency of occupancy,
usc, cquipment contained in the residential building, and the hazard classification of the arca,
regardless of whether the residential building or structure is already equipped with fixed fire
protection system and equipment.

As used in this Act, residential building or structure refers to any structure built for
occupancy purposes such as apartments, condominiums, dormitorics, single detached, single
attached, row houses, and all other similar structures established permanently as dwelling,

SECTION. 2. The city or municipality shall, through the city or municipal fire marshal
(C/MEM), determine the size, specification or type and number of portable fire extinguishers
appropriate for the different classes of rcsidcntial buildings under its jurisdiction.

Subject to the evaluation of the C/MFM and approval of the Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP), the number of portable fire extinguishers in any residenuial building may increase or
decrease on the basis of the frequency or regularity of its occupancy

SECTION. 3. The low-income households shall receive a subsidy or support from the
local government unit and the national government to purchase the required portable fire
extinguishers.

‘The city ot municipal planning and development officer (C/MPDO) shall assess the
poverty threshold and identify the income classes in the local government unit concerned. The


results of the assessment and classification, upon validation by che Philippine Statistics Authority,

shall serve as reference for the subsidy or support.

SECTION. 4. The BFP, in coordination with the office of the C/MFM, is authorized and
mandated to conduct regular inspection of residential buildings at reasonable hours to test the
cfficiency of the portable fire extinguishers maintained in any residential buildings.

SECTION. 5. The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be
charged against the BFP Modernization Trust Fund ceeated under Section 7 of Republic Act (RA)
No. 11589, otherwise known as the “Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act.” Thereafter, such
sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shail be included in the
appropriation for the BFP in the annual General Appropsiations Act

‘The amount needed by the city or municipality for the implementation of this Act shall be
charged against the share of the city or municipality from all taxes, fees and fines collected pursuant
to RA 9514, otherwise known as the “Hire Code of the Philippines of 2008.”

SECTION. 6. Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the
Interior and Local Government shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the

effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION. 7. All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof
which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly

SECTION. 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days aftcr its publication in the (ficial
Gacelle or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,