Republic of the Philippines eX
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES a
Quezon City Date 20 AUG 2095
TIME GAP Pm
‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS ya &
First Regular Session AY
House Bi. No. _ 3945

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D. Montes

(AN ACT
GRANTING UNIVERSAL HAZARD PAY TO DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND
MANAGEMENT (DRRM) WORKERS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Climate Risk Index (CRI), which ranks countries by the human and
economic toll of extreme weather, places the Philippines among countries affected by
recurring extreme events.

It ranked the Philippines in the 10th place of countries most affected by extreme
weather events in 1993-2022 along with Dominica, China, and Honduras as well as
Myanmar, Italy, and India. The CRI described the Philippines as being “Regularly hit by
typhoons, the most destructive being Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which caused USD 13
billion in damage and 7,000 fatalities. The country endured 372 extreme events,
resulting in USD 34 billion in losses”.*

Consequently, the lives of our disaster relief teams and volunteers, are always at
risk. These essential personnel play a significant role in building a resilient and safe
community and sacrifice their lives for others and help mitigate any negative
environmental and economic impact caused by calamities.

On the account of risking their own lives to rescue and give aid to Filipinos
affected by natural and man-made calamities, this bill seeks to provide hazard pay to
disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) workers.

The bill recognizes that investing in their welfare will contribute to building a
safer, more disaster-resilient Philippines.

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

sa Kapakanan
t Kavnloron np Bayan (4K) Party-ist

' Climate Risk Index 2025: Who suffers most from extreme weather events?
(https://www.germanwatch.org/sites/default/files/2025-
02/Climate%20Risk%20Index%202025%20Summary%20EN.pdf)


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D. Montes

AN ACT
GRANTING UNIVERSAL HAZARD PAY TO DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND
MANAGEMENT (DRRM) WORKERS, 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. - The Act shall be known as the “Universal Hazard Pay
for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Workers Act."

SEC. 2. Hazard Pay for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM)
Workers. - The government shall grant a Universal Hazard Pay in the amount of One
Thousand Pesos (Phpi,000.00) per month to all Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management (DRRM) Workers who are exposed to high risks or perils to life in the
performance of their duties and responsibilities.

The grant of the hazard pay under this Act shall not be subject to any form of
tax consistent with the very purpose of this grant of incentive to DRRM Workers.

SEC. 3. Coverage. - For purposes of this Act, DRRM workers shall refer to all
persons who are engaged in the performance of duties covering any or all thematic
pillars of DRRM such as prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and
rehabilitation and recovery, employed by the government or any of its political
subdivisions, instrumentalities, or agencies. The DRRM worker may either be civilian
personnel engaged in a permanent, temporary, contractual, or casual employment or
engaged through a Contract of Service (CoS) and Job Order (JO) and such other
appointments, so long as their position or designation or actual work performed
involves government service work and other functions, which involve activities that
expose the DRRM Worker to occupational risks or perils to life, such as but not limited
to, search, rescue, and retrieval operations, management of the dead and missing,
needs assessment, post disaster needs assessment, emergency
ivities, post-disaster activities, health and epidemic/pandemic response
operations, and low risk DRRM activities in high-risk areas such as those DRRM workers
deployed in identified activities under the different thematic pillars and in critical areas
that are about to be affected, is affected, and during the early recovery from natural or
human-induced hazards.

It shall also include individuals or organized volunteers who augment the
respective personnel complement and logistical requirements of government agencies,
civil society organizations, private sector and local government units in the delivery of


their disaster risk reduction programs and activities as provided under Section 13 of
the "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010".

SEC. 4. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its
enactment into law and thereafter.

SEC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council, through its Chairperson, shall issue the necessary
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within sixty (60) days
from the date of effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected shall continue to be in full force
and effect.

SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, or rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its
publication in the Official Gazette.

Approved,