FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —_)
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

726

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

This bill seeks to allow local government units to retain fifty percent (50%)
of the collection proceeds from all taxes, fees and fines imposed under
Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1185, otherwise known as the Fire Code of the
pines, to be used for the maintenance and purchase of fire fighting gadgets,
equipment and fire trucks for its local fire stations.

Pursuant to Section 14 of PD 1185, local government units are mandated
to collect fire inspection fees from business establishments within their territories
and to remit the same to the national treasury. However, despite the huge
amount of fire inspection fees remitted to the National Treasury, the national
government fails to provide for the purchase of new fire trucks and equipment
necessary for fire prevention. Hence, dilapidated fire trucks and worn out fire
fighting equipment are perennial problems in the prevention and suppression of
fire.

Fire prevention and suppression require the adoption of uniform fire safety
standards, the incorporation of fire safety facilities and provision of protective and
safety devices in buildings and structures. In order to effectively implement all
efforts to minimize the occurrence of fires and their destructive effects, it is
imperative to empower the local government units to retain fifty percent (50%) of
the said collection proceeds to be used for upgrading equipment and facilities of
their respective fire departments. The remaining fifty percent (50%), however,
will still be remitted to the National Treasury.

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

RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

House Bill No. 726

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

AN ACT
ALLOWING LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS TO RETAIN FIFTY PERCENT
(50%) OF THE PROCEEDS FROM ALL TAXES, FEES AND FINES
COLLECTED UNDER PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NUMBERED ELEVEN
HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE FIRE CODE
OF THE PHILIPPINES, AS AMENDED.

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

SECTION. 1.Section 14 of Presidential Decree No. 1185, otherwise

known as the Fire Code of the Philippines, is hereby amended to read as follows:
“SEC. 14. Collection Of Taxes, Fees and Fines. — All taxes,
fees and fines provided in Section 13 hereof, shall be collected by
the City or Municipal Treasurer [concerned]: PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, THAT FIFTY PERCENT (50%) OF ALL SUCH
COLLECTIONS SHALL BE SET ASIDE AND RETAINED BY THE
CITY OR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT CONCERNED, WHICH
SHALL APPROPRIATE THE SAME EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE
USE OF ITS LOCAL FIRE STATION IN THE PURCHASE OF FIRE
TRUCKS, FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT, APPLIANCES OR

DEVICES, AND THE MAINTENANCE THEREOF; PROVIDED,


FURTHER, THAT THE REMAINING FIFTY PERCENT (50%)

SHALL BE REMITTED [for remittance] to the National Treasury.”

SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication
in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation

Approved,