Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL No. 425

Introduced by HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In the Province of Camarines Sur, flooding remains among the most destructive and
persistent natural disasters. This threat is especially severe and recurrent in the province due to
its geographical features, climate vulnerability, and the lack of an integrated and sustainable flood
management system.’

The 5th District of Camarines Sur, also called Rinconada, is highly prone to flooding. It
includes the towns of Baao, Bato, Balatan, Buhi, Bula, Nabua, and the city of Iriga. Because of its,
low-lying terrain, it naturally collects rainwater from nearby areas in Camarines Sur and Albay.
The Bicol River runs through the district, which is also surrounded by three major lakes located in
Buhi, Bato, and Baao. The Bicol River and surrounding lakes often suffer from siltation, which
reduces their capacity to hold water.? Combined with the lack of adequate flood control systems,
these interconnected waterways make the area highly vulnerable during heavy rains

The devastating impact of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine in October 2024 exposed the poor
state of flood preparedness and resilience in the province. According to news reports, the
torrential downpour dumped more than two months’ worth of rainfall in just 24 hours, triggering
massive flooding in the Bicol Region, most severely in Camarines Sur.?

The Rinconada district was among the hardest hit, with major flooding inundating homes,
damaging infrastructure, and isolating entire communities. For instance, Waras Bridge, located at
the boundary between Iriga City and Baao, collapsed.‘ In Nabua and Bula, floodwaters reached
unprecedented levels, inundating homes up to the second floor. Camarines Sur Provincial
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council data showed that 83,628 families or 32% of
the total number of families affected in the entire Camarines Sur are from Rinconada.*

These repeated calamities underscore the urgent need to adopt a comprehensive,
integrated, and multi-sectoral flood prevention, control, defense, and management system
specific to the province of Camarines Sur.

Works Bank. (2021). Philippines: Climate Risk Country Profle. htps:/icimateknowtedgepor‘al worldbank ory/country/philppines
2 Inquirer net. (2020, March 2). Dredging of Cagayan, Bico! rivers approved. htpsinewsin'o mnquirerneU1361491
2 ABS.CBN News. (2024, October 24). Albay received two months worth of rain in 24 hours amid Kristine onslaught.
hits liwww_albs-cbn,com/regions/2024/10/24/-albay-received-2-months-worth-of-ain-in-24-!haurs-amid-kistine-onslaught- 1035
* Ugalde, M. T (2024, November 8). Waras Bridge collapse sparks public protest Bicol Mail https:JNwww bicolmail netsingio-
post waras-bnidge-collapse-sparks-publc-protest
* Camarines Sur PORRMC. (2024). Situational Report on Tropical Storm Kristine


While national laws such as Republic Act No. 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Act of 2010) and Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991)
provide general guidelines for disaster management, these must be localized and institutionalized
at the provincial level to effectively address unique topographical and hydrological conditions.

This bill, therefore, seeks to institutionalize an integrated flood management system for the
Province of Camarines Sur. It promotes strong collaboration among national government
agencies, local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations, and indigenous peoples’
groups, with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as lead implementer and
the PDRRMO of Camarines Sur as a central planning and coordination partner.

This proposed measure envisions a system that integrates both structural interventions and
community-based strategies. It also emphasizes the importance of protecting the environment,
preserving cultural heritage, ensuring inclusive service delivery, and respecting the rights of
indigenous people. Ultimately, it seeks to make Camarines Sur more resilient to weather
disturbances particularly flooding to protect life, property, and livelihoods and contribute to the
national goals for climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and sustainable development.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage ope easae is arey sought

MIGUEL LI . VILLAFUERTE

=


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Queson City

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

425

HOUSE BILL NO. _*“'

Introduced by HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE

(AN ACT ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED FLOOD PREVENTION,
CONTROL, DEFENSE, AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE PROVINCE OF
CAMARINES SUR AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensive and Integrated Camarines
Sur Flood Prevention, Control, Defense, and Management System Act."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy and Objective. — It shall be the policy of the State to:

(a) Protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in
accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature;

(b) Protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health
consciousness among our people to effectively carry out the programs and projects
of the government essential for the growth and health of the nation, especially in
times where the country experiences natural or manmade disasters, calamities,
risks and security threats;

(c) Adopt disaster risk reduction and management approach that is holistic,
comprehensive, integrated and proactive in lessening the socioeconomic and
environmental impacts of disasters including climate changes, and promote the
involvement and participation of all sections ad all stakeholders concerned, at all
levels, especially the local community;

(d) Recognize and strengthen the capacities of local government units (LGUs) and
communities in mitigating and preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the
impact of disasters;

(e) institutionalize the policies, structures, coordination mechanisms and programs with
continuing budget appropriation on disaster risk reduction from national down to
local levels towards building a disaster-resilient nation and communities;

Towards this end, this Act aims to establishing a comprehensive and integrated flood
prevention, control, defense, and management system in the province of Camarines Sur to
mitigate flooding caused by climate change and other factors.

SECTION 3. Flood Prevention, Control, Defense, and Management System. — The
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall serve as the lead implementing agency


for the construction and development of the comprehensive and integrated flood prevention,
control, defense, and management system in the Province of Camarines Sur.

In the exercise of its mandate, the DPWH shall give primary importance to the coordination
and planning guidance of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office
(PDRRMO) of Camarines Sur. The DPWH shall work in close collaboration with the PDRRMO in
‘order to ensure that all interventions align with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Plan (PDRRMP), and are responsive to the province's local conditions, hazards,
and vulnerabilities.

The DPWH shall also coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR), Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), Department of Transportation (DOTr), National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (NDRRMC), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA),
National Commission on indigenous Peoples (NCIP), LGUs within the Province of Camarines
Sur, and accredited civil society and indigenous peoples’ groups representing local communities.

SECTION 4, Operating and Guiding Principles. — in establishing the Camarines Sur flood
prevention, control, defense, and management system, the DPWH, in coordination and
consultation with the aforementioned government agencies, LGUs and civil society and
indigenous peoples group, shall adhere to the following principles of safety, resilience and
sustainability.

As far as practicable, the Camarines Sur flood prevention, control, defense, and management
‘system shall secure the residents of Camarines Sur from floods while:

(a) ensuring the residents’ access to adequate, affordable and safe housing and
resettlement;

(b) providing residents access to safe, affordable, accessible, ecofriendly and
sustainable transport systems and improving road safety:

(©) enhancing inclusive, ecofriendly and sustainable urbanization;

(@) protecting and safeguarding the cultural and natural heritage of the province in
a manner consistent with Republic Act No. 10066 (“National Cultural Heritage
Act of 2009 ");

(€) significantly reducing the number of deaths and the number of people affected

() by floods and water-related disasters;

(g) substantially decreasing the direct economic losses caused by flood and water-
related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable
situations;

(h) supporting positive economic, social and environmental links between urban,
peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development
planning;

()) supporting LGUs and indigenous communities within the province of Camarines
Sur, through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable,
ecofriendly and resilient flood prevention, control, and defense infrastructures;
and

() respecting the rights of the indigenous peoples communities to their ancestral
domains/lands, to free and prior consent, to indigenous knowledge systems and
political structures, and such other rights as provided under Republic Act No.
8371 ("Indigenous Peoples ' Rights Act of1997 ") where infrastructure projects
of the DPWH undertaken to give effect to this shall directly or indirectly affect or



involve areas inhabited by indigenous peoples/communities.

SECTION 5. Funding. — The amount needed for the implementation of the construction of the
Camarines Sur flood prevention, control, defense, and management system shall be included in
the appropriations of the DPWH under the General Appropriations Act. Such funds may be
augmented through loans, in accordance with the provisions of the law on government borrowing
from financial institutions. This project may also be funded through a Public-Private Partnership
in accordance with laws, rules and regulations governing such partnerships.

SECTION 6. Transfer or Geographical Reassignment of Public Health Workers. —

(a) A disaster risk and emergency responder shall not be transferred and/or
reassigned, except when made in the interest of public service or exigencies of
service, in which case, the employee concerned shall be informed of the
reasons therefor in writing.

(b) If the public health worker believes that such transfer and/or reassignment lacks
justification, he/she may appeal his/her case to the Civil Service Commission,
which shall cause his/her transfer and/or reassignment to be held in abeyance:
Provided, That no transfer and/or reassignment whatsoever shall be made
three (3) months before any local, national or special elections: Provided,
further, That the necessary expenses of the transfer and/or reassignment of the
public health worker and his/her immediate family shall be paid for by the
Government.

(c) For the purposes of this Act, a "transfer' is a movement from one position to
another which is of equivalent rank, level or salary without break in service;
while a "geographical reassignment” (hereinafter referred to as "reassignment")
is a movement from one geographical location to another.

SECTION 7. Submission of Reports. — Within ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act,
and at the end of every calendar quarter thereafter, the Secretary of Public Works and Highways,
in close coordination with the PDRRMO, shall submit progress reports to each House of Congress
on the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is deciared invalid, the remainder
of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SECTION. 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and their
implementing rules, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

‘SECTION.10. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in one (|) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,