FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
, ' 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEN'2rz93 
s, No. ___ -"-
Hf',:HI!~') 1\$''>: ~_'"' 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to a report from the Geosciences Australia, the Asia-Pacific faces an era of 
large-scale natural disasters which could kill up to a million people at a time, with Indonesia, the 
Philippines an? China most at risk. 
The Philippines by virtue of its geographic location within the Pacific Ring of Fire, the 
tectonic and typhoon belts, experiences an unusually high exposure to natural disasters. The 
country is visited by at leas! 20 to 25 typhoons every year and incidents of flooding and 
landslides are higher in the country than in anywhere else. On average 887 earthquakes every 
year are experienced in the Philippines with some proving to be damaging. In 1999, a research 
group based in Brussels, Belgium found that the Philippines had the greatest number of natural 
disasters in the world from 1900 to 1998. 
These disasters produce significant economic costs, involving direct and indirect 
damages to life and property, and substantial social and environmental impacts compound the 
costs to reduce and manage the disasters. It is for this reason that this bill requires that covered 
Local Govennnent Units should make use of up-to-date technologies in the preparation of their 
Disaster Preparedness Plans.' 
• This bill was originally filed in the 14th Congress. 


I 
2 
HI 
AUG -2 f' 5 :'i.( 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENAJE. 
S. No. 
i::! i::! 9 3 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT IN RELATION TO THE DISASTER PREP AREDNESS PLANS 
OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
3 
SECTION 1. Coverage. As used in this Act, the term local govermnent unit (LGU) 
4 
shall cover only those which have at least Five Hundred Thousand (500,000.00) inhabitants, as 
5 
certified by the National Statistics Office (NSO). 
6 
SECTION 2. Disaster Preparedness Plan. In the preparation of the LGU's Disaster 
7 
Preparedness Plan, up-to-date industry standard or the best technology available, including 
8 
computer models, to develop evacuation time estimates, shall be used to complete such plan. 
9 
SECTION 3. Revision. In the event that a LGU has already developed a Disaster 
10 
Pteparedness Plan, such plan shall be revised to come into compliance with Section 2 of this Act. 
11 
SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
12 
parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or 
13 
modified accordingly. 
14 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If, for any reaSon, any provision of this A9t is 
15 
declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not 
16 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
1 


1 
SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
2 
following its pUblication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
3 
Approved, 
2