Republic of the Philippines {
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
Quezon City \

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3046

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Global Climate Risk Index 2014: Who Suffers Most from Extreme Weather Events?
Weather-Related Loss Events in 2012 and 1993 to 2012 published by Berlin-based environmental
organization Germanwatch places the Philippines in the top 3 countries most affected by climate-
related weather catastrophes in 2012. According to the ninth annual Global Climate Risk Index, the
Philippines came in second only to Haiti in terms of “relative and absolute number of human victims,
and relative and absolute economic damage" caused by natural disasters.

The country is prone to disasters and hazards due to its geography and geology. The
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP) provides the following facts,
which are instructive regarding the occurrence of disasters and hazards in the country:

- Tropical cyclones and its sequential effects of rain and windstorms, as well as floods are the
most prevalent types of hydro-meteorological hazards in the country. Between 1997 and 2007, eighty-
four (84) tropical cyclones entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). These typhoons resulted
to a total of 13,155 in human casualty and more than 51 million families have been affected.

- Environmental factors such as denuded forests aggravate flood risks. Even now, the effects of
loose soil and reduced forest cover from past forestry activities are felt in frequent landslides and floods.
Recent events show that the annual monsoon season in the country has brought severe flooding in most
areas.

- In 2011, most of the disasters that claimed the lives of people and affected properties and
livelihoods of the most vulnerable were brought about by increased rainfall which caused massive flash
flooding in areas which don't normally experience such.

-.... the Philippines is situated along a highly seismic area lying along the Pacific Ring of Fire and
is highly-prone to earthquakes. According to the Philippine Institute on Volcanology and Seismology
(PHIVLOCS), the country experiences an average of five (5) earthquakes a day. Earthquake disasters
are not as frequent as the typhoons and flooding that take place in the Philippines. Nevertheless, the
impact generated on affected communities is usually massive and devastating.

- The Philippines is ... prone to volcanic eruptions being situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire
where two major tectonic plates (Philippine Sea and Eurasian) meet. This explains the occurrence of
earthquakes and tsunamis and the existence of around 300 volcanoes of which 22 are active.

- In an analysis of natural disaster hotspots by the Hazard Management Unit of the World Bank in
2005, the Philippines is among the countries where large percentages of population reside in disaster
prone areas. In the 2011 World Risk Report published by United Nations University and the Institute of


Environment and Human Security, looking into the four components of risk (exposure, susceptibility,
coping and adapt capacities), the Philippines is the third most disaster risk country worldwide.

- Aside from natural causes, the country also experiences human-induced disasters. These are
brought about by hazards that are of political and socio-economic origins, among others. Many are
forced to evacuate during times of conflict. Violence continues to plague the country, with most of the
fighting in the South. Intense fighting between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) during the first half of year 2009 resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of
Givilians. The government and the MILF decided to lay down their arms and work toward peace accord
that had failed in 2009 in Malaysia. On the other hand, the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), labelled a terrorist
organization, continued to carry out bombings and rebels were killed during clashes with the military in
the latter part of 2009. These human-induced disasters caused by armed fightings in the South continue
to threaten the security of civilian communities which result into the displacement of thousands of
civilians. So long as there is no peace settlement mechanism in Mindanao, internally displaced civilians
will remain a given collateral damage of every armed conflict. Such disasters consequently cause public
anxiety, lost of lives, destruction of properties and sometimes socio-political stability.

In view of the foregoing, this measure aims to establish standard-based relief shelters and
sites throughout the country with the end in view of decongesting temporary evacuation centers in
public schools and private facilities. The bill addresses the need to prioritize the needs of vulnerable
individuals and groups. Congestion in most evacuation centers usually puts at risk senior citizens,
the disabled, children and pregnant women who are more vulnerable to diseases. Moreover, this
proposal can minimize the loss of lives by bringing the evacuation centers nearer to the populace
and at the most accessible and safe areas.

Due to the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, it is imperative to device long-term
response to this unpleasant situation by establishing permanent evacuation centers throughout the
country consistent with the identified outcomes of the NDRRMP, particularly in providing adequate
temporary shelters.

The NDRRMP specifically states that, “Disasters leave many people homeless. Temporary
shelters in some ways provide a measure of comfort safety for victims. The provision of adequate
temporary shelters is of invaluable importance during cataclysmic times. It is about a temporary
“home” where people, their sources of livelihoods and important valuables find refuge in times of
disasters. Temporary shelters are not just about structures — a lot of things need to be considered
both before, during and after a disaster happens.”

In view thereof, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

Cefn

ANGELINA “HELEN” D.L. TAN, M.D.
4th District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL No. _ 3046

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of State Policy. - It is the policy of the State to uphold the
constitutional right of the people for the protection of their life and property and the promotion of the
general welfare. Towards this end, the State, in recognition of the vulnerability of the Philippines to
climate change, the occurrence of severe floods, typhoons, and other natural or human-induced
disasters, illnesses, diseases and other factors that affect the environment, shall institutionalize the
government's effort to establish and maintain fully-equipped and fully-operational evacuation
centers and make them responsive to environmental or climatic events.

SEC. 2. Establishment of Evacuation Centers. - There shall be established an evacuation
center in every city and every municipality in the country which shall provide immediate and
temporary accommodation for people who have been evacuated or displaced from their homes due
to emergency events such as typhoons, floods, storm surges, drought and other severe climate
disturbances, as well as fire, and the outbreak of illnesses and diseases that presents imminent
danger to life and property.

Evacuation centers shall have, as far as practicable, the following essential facilities:

(a) a centralized kitchen and laundry areas;

(b) a clinic;

(c) a stockroom;

(d) a paging system room with security camera;

(e) an office for social welfare personnel;

(f) a generator;

(g) gender-sensitive areas for women, specifically breastfeeding mothers;
(h) separate comfort rooms for male and female;

(i) @ counseling area;

(() a garbage segregation facility;

(k) a child friendly space and learning area;

(|) spaces for people's livestock, poultry and pets;

(m) stockroom for relief goods;

(n) storm shelters as may be appropriate and necessary; and

(0) other essential facilities as may be determined by the implementing agency

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall be responsible in formulating
the appropriate specifications for evacuation centers and to ensure compliance with these
specifications during the construction of evacuation centers. It shall consider the weather pattern,


topographical features, climate, flexible or alternative uses of space when it is not being used as an
evacuation area, and unique social condition, in the design and construction of evacuation centers
in every city and municipality of the country to ensure that they shall withstand all weather
conditions and address the need of disaster victims for humane temporary shelters and the public in
general. The specifications shall be periodically reviewed and, if necessary, revised by the DPWH
every three years. :

SEC. 3. Role of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
— The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) shall be the lead
agency in implementing this Act. It shall give utmost priority to those areas of the country that are (a)
identified as disaster prone; (b) financially incapable to establish their own evacuation centers; and
(c) do not have existing evacuation centers of their own.

It shall enter into memoranda of agreement (MOA) with the concerned local government
units (LGUs) for the maintenance, operation and management of a permanent evacuation center in
their respective areas of jurisdiction. It shall provide technical assistance and support services to
these LGUs in the management of evacuation centers.

Local chief executives concerned shall evaluate and provide suitable sites for evacuation
centers to determine their geographical suitability, geological stability, and public accessibility in
times of disasters. They shall provide for the maintenance, operation and management of the
evacuation centers taking into consideration the goal of life preservation and meeting the basic
subsistence needs of affected population based on acceptable standards during or immediately
after a disaster.

SEC. 4. Coordination Among Agencies. - The NDRRMC shall coordinate with the DPWH
and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) with regard the design specifications, cost
estimates and construction details of evacuation centers that will be constructed pursuant to this
Act.

Concerned government agencies and instrumentalities, when necessary, shall provide
assistance to the NDRRMC to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of this Act.

SEC. 5. Operation and Maintenance of Evacuation Centers. - The operation and
management of evacuation centers shall be under the auspices of the LGUs where the evacuation
center is situated while the DPWH shall be charged with the maintenance of evacuation centers that
will be constructed under this Act.

The local sanggunian shall promulgate guidelines and procedures for the use and operation
of the evacuation centers under their jurisdiction. The guidelines shall include provisions on the use
of the evacuation center when it is not being utilized as an evacuation center. Provided, however,
That the evacuation center, when it is not being utilized as such, may only be used for those
activities or for such purposes that shall not impede upon the need ‘or its instantaneous utilization
as evacuation area such as a sports complex, bazaar, or other similar facilities with collapsible
amenities.

SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations - The NDRRMC in consultation with the
DPWH, DOST, League of Cities of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and
other concerned government and private agencies shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of
this Act, prepare the implementing rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act.

SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be
charged to the appropriations of the DPWH with respect to the construction and maintenance of
evacuation centers. For this purpose, the DPWH shall include in its program and annual budget the


maintenance of evacuation centers established under this Act.

‘The amount necessary for the operation of the evacuation centers shall be charged to the
funds of the LDRRMC.

Thereafter, such sum as may be needed by the concerned agencies for the continued
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - |f any provision or part thereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid
and subsisting.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter
of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended

SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,