Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RECEIVED
Quezon City, Metro Manila pate 03 JUL 2025
‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS BY

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. 1258

Introduced by Representative MARCELINO R. TEODORO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 5, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provides that “the maintenance of peace and order, the
protection of life, liberty, and property, and the promotion of the general welfare are essential for the
enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy.”

In line with this, Republic Act No. 10121, also known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Act of 2010, was enacted to strengthen the country’s policies and systems for disaster
preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. It emphasizes the importance of good governance, risk
assessment, early warning systems, public awareness, and the reduction of underlying risk factors.

The Philippines is no stranger to disasters. Located along the typhoon belt and the Pacific Ring of Fire,
the country experiences an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, as well as frequent earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions. These natural hazards repeatedly threaten lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure

The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the country’s vulnerability to supply chain disruptions,
particularly in accessing critical medical supplies and equipment. Panic buying, hoarding, and supply
shortages compromised the ability of healthcare providers and responders to protect and save lives.

This bill seeks to establish a National Emergency Stockpile, under the supervision of the National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) or any succeeding agency. This stockpile will
serve as a centralized reserve of essential items—including medicines, vaccines, medical equipment, food
supplies, basic commodities, and emergency-related materials and facilities—that can be deployed swiftly
during declared national or local emergencies. To ensure rapid response, regional stockpiles will be
strategically located and secured against both natural and human-induced threats such as floods, fires,
earthquakes, theft, and looting.

The enactment of this measure will strengthen the nation’s disaster preparedness and enhance its ability
to respond effectively to future emergencies.

The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Moz, TB

MARCELINO R. TEODORO
Representative
First District, Marikina City


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1238

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REP. MARCELINO R. TEODORO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF A DISASTER
FOOD BANK AND STOCKPILE IN EVERY PROVINCE AND HIGHLY URBANIZED
CITY IN THE PHILIPPINES, PROVIDING FOR THEIR MAINTENANCE, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Disaster Food Bank and
Stockpile Act.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is declared the policy of the State to protect the
people from the adverse effects of calamities and emergencies by ensuring a sufficient
and adequate supply of essential items and materials and preventing whenever
possible the dangerous and costly dependence of the Philippines on foreign nations and
organizations for suppliers of such items and materials and the country's vulnerability
to production and supply-chain disruptions.

Furthermore, Article II, Section 9 of the Constitution declares that “the State shall
promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence
of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate
social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved
quality of life for all”. These policies and principles shall be upheld and promoted by
ensuring adequate and immediate supply of food, water, and other essential goods
during calamities through strategic prepositioning of the same in all provinces and
highly urbanized cities of the Philippines.

In achieving the same, the implementers shall likewise promote agriculture,
livelihood, and income generation for local producers by using the agricultural products
of the locality for the supplies to be stored in the Disaster Food Bank and Stockpile

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covered by this Act.

SEC. 3. Establishment of Disaster Food Bank and Stockpile. — A Disaster Food Bank
and Stockpile, hereinafter referred to as the Stockpile, shall be established as
central repository and supply reserve of food, water, medicines, vaccines, antidotes,
and other critical medical supplies, and other essential goods such as, portable power
source, first aid kits, portable light source, clothing, tents, and communication devices in
every province and highly urbanized city of the Philippines: Provided, That such items
and materials shall be non-perishable or shall have a shelf life of at least two (2) years,
for food items: Provided, further, That if simultaneous establishment of the same in all
provinces and highly urbanized cities is impracticable due to financial and logistical
considerations, priority shall be given to island provinces or island regions, coastal
provinces, earthquake-prone provinces, provinces with a highly active volcano, and other
similarly situated provinces.

The establishment of the Stockpile shall be an inter-agency effort, headed by the
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The expertise and cooperation
of the following agencies shall likewise be required for the full and efficient implementation
of this Act

(”) Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH);

(2) Department of Trade and Industry (DTI);

(3) Department of Agriculture (DA);

(4) Department of Science and Technology (DOST); and

(5) Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
SEC. 4. Location of the Stockpile. - The NDRRMC shall determine the actual locations
of the Stockpile, taking into consideration equitable distribution among the regions of
the country, accessibility, safety and security from natural and human-induced disasters,

and the immediate release of the stockpile in case of a disaster or an emergency. The
actual locations shall be kept strictly confidential and shall not be publicly disseminated.

SEC. 5. Disaster Food Bank and Stockpile Structure. — Every Stockpile shall be housed

in a calamity-proof structure or warehouse, hereinafter referred to as the Structure, to
be designed and constructed by the DPWH.

Said Structure shall be designed with the following specifications and considerations:

(a) The Structure shall be able to withstand Category 5 typhoons, high
magnitude earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and storm surges;

(b) The size and volumetric capacity of the Structure shall be sufficient to hold
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supplies of food, water, essential goods, and other basic necessities for the whole
population of the province for at least three (3) weeks;

(c) The Structure shall be powered using sustainable sources such as solar,
wind, or hydro-electric power, and shall have backup power in case of power outages;

(d) Measures shall be taken to ensure that the Structure is secure from
unauthorized access, thievery, and looting. Limited and secure access granted
to the officials in charge of its maintenance and replenishment shall likewise be
included in the design; and

(e) The Structure shall be vermin-proof and well-insulated and designed to be fire
resistant and fully equipped with fire extinguishers in case of fires resulting from
electrical fault, accident, or arson.

SEC. 6. Quantity and Replenishment of the Stockpile. - The quantity and volume of
the Stockpile shall be strictly and regularly monitored and maintained. Replenishment,
replacement, and addition to the Stockpile shall be done on an annual basis or as often
as may be deemed necessary. Pursuant to this, a computerized system for the
real-time monitoring of the date of expiration and shelf-life of the items and materials in
the Stockpile shall be set up to avoid unnecessary wastage and decay.

If after the lapse of twelve (12) months from any instance of stockpiling, the remaining
unused goods in a Stockpile shall be distributed by the DSWD to the indigent
communities through any of their programs.

The stockpiling and regular replenishment of supplies shall be spearheaded and
facilitated through the coordinated efforts of the DSWD, DTI, DA, and DOST, with
the following guidelines:

(a) The DSWD shall:

(1) Update the institutionalized and standard contents of their family food pack
(FFP) and devise each FFP to contain all regular necessities such as, rice,
canned good, basic medication, water, and ready-to-eat meals including
the locally processed produced products of the local farmers and micro-
producers of the respective provinces/localities; and

(2) Make use of the fund allocation for the procurement of FFPs to purchase the
collated products of the local farmers and micro-producers.

(b) The DA, through their Provincial Directors, shall organize all farmers and micro-
producers in their respective provinces and facilitate the production and
purchase of their local produce. They shall ensure that the demand for raw
materials and agricultural produce are equitably distributed among all farmers
and micro-producers in the locality.

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(c) The DTI, through their Provincial Directors, shall facilitate the purchase of non-
agricultural products, such as clothing, shelter materials, essential equipment,
and other essential goods, from local suppliers and producers. They shall
ensure that the demand for such products is equitably distributed among all
‘suppliers and producers in the locality.

(d) The DOST, through their Provincial Directors, shall facilitate the processing of
all agricultural and non-agricultural raw materials and products into preserved
goods or ready-to-eat meals, as well as the procurement or production of water
filtration devices and systems to be stocked into the Stockpile. The DOST
shall likewise ensure that the processed food packs and products do not expire
for at least two (2) years.

In the stockpiling process, the DSWD and the DILG, through their Regional Directors,
shall provide the DA, DTI, and DOST the necessary data such as, the number of
beneficiaries per barangay, municipality, city, or province, and other necessary
information to make sure that the raw materials to be procured and the stocks to be
processed will be sufficient for all constituents for at least three (3) weeks following a
calamity,

During the initiation and replenishment of stockpiling processes, the DILG and the
DSWD shall monitor any change in the number of beneficiaries to make the
necessary adjustment in the process of procurement of raw agricultural and non-
agricultural goods and stockpiling.

SEC. 7. Utilization and Deployment of the Stockpile. — \n the event of any calamity,
the NDRRMC and the DSWD shall initiate the use and deployment of the stocks in
the Stockpile. Any order of utilization and deployment shall be accompanied with a time-
‘specific plan for the replenishment and replacement of the withdrawn supplies.

The NDRRMC, through the local councils, shall issue an order, memorandum or
circular to access and distribute the goods in the Stockpile. They shall likewise facilitate
the provision of adequate local transportation from the Stockpile to the affected
barangays.

The DSWD and the DILG shall identify the areas affected and coordinate with the
NDRRMC for the system of utilization, deployment, and distribution of goods in the
Stockpile: Provided, That the same shall be efficient and immediate.

A first-in, first-out system or any similar arrangement shall be adopted in the
utilization and deployment of the Stockpile. Items and materials that will be near their
expiration dates or the end of their shelf-life shall be donated and transferred to
the appropriate government agencies and institutions such as the DSWD, the
Department of Health, government hospitals, and local government units for immediate

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distribution to indigent citizens or other beneficiaries as may be identified by the
concemed agency or institution, subject to immediate replenishment and replacement
and reservation for imminent calamities or emergencies.

SEC. 8. Prepositioning of the Stockpile. - \n preparation of the occurrence of a
disaster or calamity that can be reasonably predicted using available technology
or information, the NDRRMC shall preposition items and materials from the Stockpile
in secured Structures near the areas expected to be affected by the disaster or calamity.

SEC. 9, Annual Report. - The NDRRMC shall submit to the Office of the President, the
Senate of the Philippines, and the House of Representatives, within the first quarter of
every year, an annual report relating to the progress of the implementation of this
Act. The confidentiality of the locations of the Stockpile shall be observed in the Annual
Report.

SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the NDRRMC, in consultation with the DSWD, DPWH, DTI, DA,
DOST, and other relevant government agencies, shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations for its effective implementation.

SEC. 11. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this
Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the departments and
agencies concerned. Thereafter, the funding of which shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 12. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason any section, subsection, clause, or
term of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, such parts not affected by such declaration
shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. - All existing laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with
the provisions of this Act are hereby amended, modified, or repealed accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

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