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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 5867

Introduced by Honorable Sherwin T. Gatchalian

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish an evacuation center in every
municipality and city in the country and to ensure the structural
capacity of evacuation centers.

The Philippines has been frequently affected by climate-related
weather events in recent years which have damaged property and caused
the loss of many lives. More intense typhoons, higher sea levels, and
storm surges have affected a great number of the population. Coastal
communities and informal settlements in urban areas are the most
vulnerable to floods in times of weather disturbances. Every time a
typhoon hits the country or when monsoon rains cause heavy flooding,
many people are displaced and need to be relocated to evacuation
centers. The importance of a permanent and fully operational evacuation
center with the necessary facilities in place cannot be disregarded during,
a calamity, whether natural or human-induced, or in times of armed
conflict when residents of a community need to be relocated.

In the Philippines, it is a common practice to use schools as
evacuation centers in times of calamities which causes the disruption of
school activities. Hence, this bill proposes to establish an evacuation
center in every municipality and city with priority given to the local
government units with the most vulnerable communities and with less
secure infrastructure. This measure also emphasizes the need to ensure
the structural capacity of existing evacuation centers and those that will
be constructed in the future. It is imperative that strict compliance with
the National Building Code of the Philippines is observed and that inputs
of structural engineers are integrated into the design and specifications
of evacuation centers to ensure that it can withstand climatic and other
hazards.

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It is also recognized that building an evacuation center for all
municipalities and cities at the same time is not feasible. Under this
measure, the NDRRMC is mandated to determine which municipalities
and cities will be given priority and be provided with a new evacuation
center. In order to ease the pressure on classrooms of schools already
utilized as evacuation centers, constructing additional facilities in these
schools is also an option in areas where it will be difficult to have a new
evacuation center.

‘The establishment of permanent evacuation centers with the
necessary facilities will address the issues encountered by evacuees
including congestion, exposure to hazards and lack of facilities. It will
also enhance the delivery of social services during calamities and help
minimize the loss of lives.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested.

Representa‘ Jenzuela City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular S

House Bill No. _

Introduced by Honorable Sherwin T. Gatchalian

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY MUNICIPALITY
AND CITY, PROVIDING FOR THE NECESSARY FACILITIES,
ENSURING THEIR STRUCTURAL CAPACITY, AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the
“Evacuation Center Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — This Act recognizes the
constitutional right of the people for the protection of their life and their
property and the promotion of their 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 governments’ effort to
stablish and maintain fully equipped and fully-operational evacuation
enters and provide the necessary facilities to sites used as evacuation
nters to make them responsive to environmental or climatic events.

of the State to
ation centers and

Furthermore, it shall be the continuing poli
provide the appropriate facilities for evacuees in evac
to ensure the structural capacity of evacuation centers.

SEC. 3. Establishment of Evacuation Centers. -There shall be
established an evacuation center in every city and municipality in the
Philippines 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 disea:
danger to life and property.

that presents imminent

SEC. 4. Facility Requirements. — The following shall be the
minimum requirements for every evacuation center that will be
established under this Act:

a) Location ~ The evacuation center should not be at risk of
isolation. It should be located at a safe distance from danger areas or
hazards. The Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
(LDRRMC) of the local government unit (LGU) concerned shall coordinate
with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to
determine the appropriate location of the evacuation center.

‘The following shall be considered in identifying an ideal site for an
evacuation center:

1) Drainage;

2) Elevation;

3) Protection from strong winds;

4) Accessibility to and proximity from the vulnerable
community;

5) Availability of the following in the immediate vicinity:
i) Parking areas for emergency and other vehick
ii) Allocated area for additional portable toilets;
iii) Storage tanks for potable and non-potable water; and
iv) Safe shelter for livestock.

b) Structural Capacity - New evacuation centers and
improvements in schools used as an evacuation center which will be
constructed after the effectivity of this Act must be made of construction
materials which are in accordance with the specifications of Republic Act
No. 6541, otherwise known as the “National Building Code of the
Philippines,” and be able to withstand wind speeds of three hundred
twenty (320) kilometers per hour or two hundred (200) miles per hour
and moderate seismic activity of at least 7.2 magnitude.

‘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. The specifications shall be
periodically reviewed and, if necessary, revised by the DPWH every three
years.

c} Suitability and Capacity of Premises — If the building is not
primarily a shelter or permanent site as an evacuation center,


considerations should be made on its impact to normal business if its
operation as an evacuation center is prolonged or its normal function is
taken off for an extended period of time.

‘The number and diversity of evacuees as well as public health and
safety concerns should be considered in the suitability of the premi

It must likewise be able to provide electricity, back-up power
supply, water, sewerage system, solid waste management, and physical
mobility for people with mobility aids.

d) Physical Amenities ~The evacuation and relief center should
be able to provide the following minimum facilities:

1) Sleeping area;

2) Bating area;

3) Shower and toilet facilities which should accommodate
twenty (20) people per shower or toilet room, and should be
utilized according to gender;

4) Kitchen or food preparation area;

5) Trash collection area;

6) Clinic area including an isolation area for potentially
infectious people;

7) Laundry area;

8) Recreation area; and

9) Pet and livestock holding area.

©) Pood Safety - Kitchen and dining facilities should be able to
cater for the number of people in the evacuation center. Food preparation
and storage facilities should comply with satisfactory standards of the
Department of Health on cleanliness to minimize the potential for
contamination and invasion of insects and pests.

SEC. 5. Priority in the Establishment of Evacuation Centers. ~
The NDRRMC shall, in coordination with local chief executives of
provinces, cities, and municipalities, identify areas to be given the
highest priority in the establishment of new evacuation centers.

Upon determination by the NDRRMC and the chief executives of
LGUs, the NDRRMC shall make a priority list of LGUs needing
evacuation centers. The frequency of occurrence of calamities, whether
natural or human-induced, and the number of displaced persons in the
LGU during said calamities in the past three years may be considered in
coming up with the priority list.


SEC. 6. Improvement of Schools or Structures Used as
Evacuation Centers. - When an LGU is included in the priority list of
LGUs which need an evacuation center pursuant to Section 5 of this Act
and there is no available site where the government can construct a new
evacuation center, the NDRRMC may instead consider the improvement
of facilities in schools or other structures already being used as
evacuation center by the LGU to make it comply with the provisions of
Section 4 of this Act, particularly on the requirement on location and
structural capacity.

SEC. 7, Role of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council. - The National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (NDRRMC) shall be the lead agency in
implementing this Act. It shall ensure that the requirements of this Act
are faithfully complied with.

SEC. 8. Coordination Among Agencies. - The NDRRMC shall
coordinate with the DPWH and the Department of Science and
Technology with regard the design specifications, cost estimates and
construction details of new evacuation centers that will be constructed
pursuant to this Act.

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

SE

9, Operation and Maintenance of Evacuation Center:
‘The operation and management of evacuation centers shall be under the
auspices of the LGU where the evacuation center is situated while the
DPWH shall be charged with the maintenance of evacuation centers that
will be constructed under this Ac

‘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 cent
including its utilization as a classroom, livelihood center, youth center,
or multi-purpose center to benefit the constituents of the LGU.

The Department of Education shall be charged with maintaining
the additional facilities of schools which will be constructed in
accordance with Section 6 of this Act.

SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the
implementation of this Act shall be charged to the appropriations of the
Department of Public Works and Highways with respect to the


construction and maintenance of new evacuation centers. For this
purpose, the DPWH shall include in its programs and annual budget the
maintenance of evacuation centers constructed under this Act.

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

The construction and maintenance of additional facilities for
schools already used as evacuation centers shall be charged to the
appropriations for the Department of Education. Thereafter, such
amount needed by the concerned Department for the continued
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 11, Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this
Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or
provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, rules
and regulations, and other issuances inconsistent with this Act are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 13. EBffectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)

days after publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,