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Republic of the Philippines * pre _9.0 JUN 2015
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES we /
Quezon City 7] fag
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO.__138

Introduced by the Honorable Victoria Isabel G. Noel

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to provide for emergency warehouses in areas devastated by calamities
to provide affected consumers access to basic necessities or prime commodities at discounted
and tax free prices.

Several days after the Philippines was ravaged by typhoon Yolanda, the people
seriously affected by the disaster tremendously suffered from the shortage of food, clean
water, medicines and other basic necessities for survival

This bill aims to extend assistance to the victims or consumers affected by calamities"
or other emergency situations by ensuring their access to basic necessities or prime
commodities during these times of misfortunes through the establishment of emergency
warehouses. It also exempts the goods to be sold in emergency warehouses from value added
tax or other sales tax to reduce their prices.

This initiative will ensure the constant flow and availability of basic goods in affected
areas and will protect the consumers from undue increase of prices and possible hoarding or
price manipulations of traders during calamities

Further, this measure will set an important, notable and immediate post disaster action
by the government to alleviate the unfortunate conditions of the victims of calamities by

providing the most necessary items for their subsistence.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought

VICTORIA ial NOEL


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 24
Quezon City -

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 138

Introduced by the Honorable Victoria Isabel G. Noel

ANACT
PROVIDING FOR EMERGENCY WAREHOUSES IN AREAS DEVASTATED BY
CALAMITIES TO PROVIDE AFFECTED CONSUMERS ACCESS TO BASIC
NECESSITIES OR PRIME COMMODITIES AT DISCOUNTED AND TAX FREE
PRICES

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

SECTION |. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Emergency Warehouse

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
extend assistance to the victims of calamities and ensure their access to basic goods during
calamities or other emergency situations. Towards this end, the government shall establish
emergency warehouses in calamity areas wherein basic necessities and prime commodities
will be made available for sale to the victims at discounted and tax free prices as a priority
initiative to provide immediate support to the affected communities.

SEC. 3. Emergency Warehouses. — In the event of calamities and disasters, the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shall immediately set-up and deploy emergency

warehouses in calamity areas to sell basic necessities or prime commodities to affected


consumers at discounted and tax free prices. Affected consumers may avail of the discounted
and tax free prices subject to the limitations and conditions to be prescribed by the DTI

For purposes of this Act, emergency warehouse refers to any structure or vehicle with
protected enclosures for storage of large volume of goods and stocks and at the same time
serves as an outlet in selling such goods and stocks.

SEC. 4. Duration. — The Department of Trade and Industry shall, in consultation with
the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), determine the
period of deployment of the emergency warehouse in a particular calamity area ~

SEC. 5. Tax Exemption. — All goods to be sold in emergency warehouses shall be
exempt from the imposition of value-added tax and other sales tax

SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Trade and Industry shall, in coordination with the
Secretary of Finance, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of this Aci

SEC. 7. Appropriations. ~ The amount necessary for the effective implementation of
this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations for the Department of Trade and
Industry. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8 Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulation or
parts thereof inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 9. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,