Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
MANDATING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND ALL 
BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONDUCT OF A 
QUARTERLY NATIONWIDE SIMULTANEOUS EARTHQUAKE AND EMERGENCY 
PREPAREDNESS DRILL AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine archipelago being situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it 
vulnerable to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The Philippine Institute of 
Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) records an average of twenty earthquakes daily 
with about 100 to 150 being felt every year. 
An earthquake vulnerability assessment for Metro Manila reports that a 7.2 
magnitude tremor in Metro Manila could cause 52,000 casualties and 500,000 injured, 
among other bleak scenarios. 
While the exact time and place where natural disasters like earthquakes could 
hit are difficult to predict, planned responses can mitigate their catastrophic impacts.  
The bill seeks to protect public safety and instill emergency preparedness through 
mandatory participation of all educational institutions and business establishments in 
the nationwide simultaneous earthquake and emergency drills. It is hoped that through 
this measure, a developed sense of awareness of what to do and appropriate response 
will be inculcated among the citizenries. Through the conduct of regular emergency 
drills, efficient evacuation and rescue plans could be disseminated and further 
developed, as response mechanisms could also be tested and improved over time. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is urgently sought. 
REP. PM VARGAS 
Fifth District, Quezon City 
May 16, 2023
8:24 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
MANDATING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND 
ALL BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONDUCT OF 
A QUARTERLY NATIONWIDE SIMULTANEOUS EARTHQUAKE AND 
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DRILL  
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 “Mandatory 
Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake and Emergency Preparedness Drill Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared a policy of the State 
to uphold the people’s constitutional right to life and property by strengthening 
the country’s institutional capacity for disaster risk reduction and management 
and building the resilience of communities to natural and man-made disasters. 
It shall adopt an approach that is integrated and proactive in lessening the 
socioeconomic and environmental impacts of disasters and emergencies and 
promote the participation of all sectors and stakeholders concerned at all levels. 
It shall ensure public safety and emergency preparedness by requiring the 
citizenry to participate in the Quarterly Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake 
and Emergency Preparedness Drill (NSEEPD). 
SECTION 3. Coverage. – This Act shall apply to all public and private 
educational institutions and business establishments, including facilities 
handling, storing, and transporting hazardous materials in the Philippines. 
SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
a) Emergency – refers to a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous
situation requiring immediate action;
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b) Establishments – refer to any government agency, public and private 
school, hospital, leisure park, shopping mall, restaurant, food park, 
café, gym, and facility that handles, stores, and transports hazardous 
materials; 
c) Hazardous material – also known as HazMat refers to any item or agent, 
whether biological, chemical, radiological, or physical, which has the 
potential to cause harm to humans, animals, or the environment, either 
by itself or through interaction with other factors; and 
d) Motor vehicles – refer to any vehicle propelled by any power other than 
muscular power using the public highways, but except road rollers, 
trolley cars, street-sweepers, sprinklers, lawn mowers, bulldozers, 
graders, forklifts, amphibian trucks, and cranes if not used on public 
highways, vehicles which run only on rails or tracks, and tractors, 
trailers and traction engines of all kinds used exclusively for 
agricultural purposes. 
SECTION 5. Earthquake and Emergency Preparedness Protocols. – All 
public and private schools and business establishments, including facilities that 
handle, store, and transport hazardous materials shall, in coordination with the 
Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Department of the Interior and Local Government 
(DILG), and the Local Government Units (LGUs) formulate emergency 
preparedness protocols and conduct a quarterly earthquake and emergency 
preparedness drill to provide the citizenry with the knowledge on how to react 
appropriately and safely in the event of an earthquake and other emergencies. 
SECTION 6. Conduct of Emergency Preparedness Drills. –  
a) Emergency 
Preparedness 
Protocols 
of 
Schools 
and 
Business 
Establishments shall include: 
i.) 
The establishment of emergency communications system and 
mass evacuation routes and plans in case of earthquakes, and 
emergencies including hazmat releases, accidents and other 
hazardous phenomena; 
ii.) 
Instructions concerning the location, use and operation of 
hazardous material protection suits, footwear, masks, gloves and 
other protective equipment; 
iii.) 
Conduct of drills and simulation exercises; and 
iv.) 
Evaluation of every concluded drill on the efficacy and efficiency 
of the plans, problems and intervening threats encountered, and 
the potential remedies to such problems. 
b) Emergency preparedness drills in Hazardous Material releases and 
accidents shall be conducted on a quarterly basis in facilities that 
handle, store, and transport hazardous materials: Provided, That 
nighttime drills shall be done at least thrice a year. 
c) A record of all drills shall be kept, and persons in charge of the facilities 
shall file quarterly written reports with the Regional Disaster Risk 
Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), indicating the date 


and time of each drill held. Such documentation shall also be readily 
available and presented upon the request and/or inspection of the local 
office of disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) or any 
relevant office of the local government unit where the establishment is 
located. 
d) Coordination and communication with appropriate and competent local 
and/or national disaster risk reduction authorities shall also be made 
to build capacity for disaster risk reduction and enhance emergency 
response plans. 
SECTION 7. Conduct of Emergency Preparedness Drills for Motor Vehicles 
Transporting Hazardous Materials. –  
a) All facilities using or contracting motor vehicles for transporting 
hazardous materials shall conduct at least two (2) emergency 
preparedness, containment, and evacuation drills in a year: Provided, 
That nighttime drills shall be done at least once a year. The first 
emergency drill shall be conducted during the first quarter of the year 
and the second during the third quarter. 
b) Each drill shall include the instructions and practices concerning the 
proper 
evacuation 
of 
the 
vehicles 
and 
proper 
containment, 
suppression, and disposal of hazardous materials in case of releases, 
accidents, and other hazardous phenomena during transportation. 
c) Facility operators and drivers shall be instructed and trained by the 
RDRRMC to enable them to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
d) The persons in charge of the facilities shall certify in writing to the 
RDRRMC that the drills required herein have been conducted 
indicating the date and time each drill held. 
SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – Within sixty (60) 
days from the effectivity of this Act, the necessary rules and regulations for the 
proper implementation of its provisions shall be promulgated by the OCD, in 
consultation and coordination with the DILG, DepEd, and CHED. 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not 
otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation 
contrary to, or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, 
modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication either in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation in the Philippines. 
Approved,