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 
CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER RESILIENCY AND 
ALERTNESS MANAGEMENT (DREAM), DEFINING ITS MANDATE, 
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines is the most exposed country in the world to tropical 
storms with approximately 20 typhoons a year1. Storms frequently make 
landfall on the islands of Eastern Visayas, Bicol Region and Northern Luzon, 
while the Southern Island and region of Mindanao is often free of typhoons. 
In modern meteorological records, the deadliest storm was Typhoon 
Yolanda or internationally called as "Haiyan” which became the strongest 
landfalling tropical cyclone ever recorded as it crossed the Visayas in central 
Philippines on November 2013. 
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 
(DRRMC) was created through Republic Act No. 10121, otherwise known as 
the "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010”. It was 
a response to Typhoon Ondoy which ruined 4.9 million families and led to the 
declaration of a state of calamity in 23 provinces and in Metro Manila. 
Despite the government’s efforts and preparations, 6,300 people 
perished. Damage of properties Estimated at 100 billion pesos. Business, 
property and agriculture were in such magnitude that economic activities 
were placed on standstill. A few days after typhoon Yolanda ravaged the 
Visayas region, the national government was criticized and blamed by 
1 Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). 
https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/climate/tropical-cyclone-information 
August 1, 2022
8:10 am
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international media for the slow response and lack of support to the victims 
in the affected areas 
In more recent account, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Northern 
Luzon, the country’s most populous island, killing five and injuring more than 
a hundred. Across northern Luzon, infrastructures were heavily damaged 
including 400 homes, dozens of schools, several hospitals and bridges, and 
the centuries-old Vigan Cathedral and Banta Bell Tower, according to the 
Office of Civil Defense.2 
The damage from typhoons, earthquakes, and other disasters should 
never be this devastating. We must strengthen our disaster risk reduction 
strategies by institutionalizing a whole-of-society approach in implementing 
the Sendai Framework through a department focused on disaster risk 
reduction. 
This bill seeks to create a Department for Disaster Risk Reduction and 
Management Council, Office of Civil Defense, and other Offices related thereto 
and shall be known as the Department of Disaster Resiliency and Alertness 
Management (DReAM). This new Department will drastically reduce, If not 
totally eliminate. the bureaucratic red tape which has caused many delays in 
the delivery of Immediate assistance needed by the victims, and importantly 
will make our authorities to respond faster which is an important factor In a 
typhoon ravaged community. It becomes imperative therefore, that Congress 
should introduce measures in line with this policy. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is urgently 
sought. 
REP. PM VARGAS   
Fifth District, Quezon City 
2 CNN Philippines. “7.0-magnitude earthquake kills 5, injures 130 in northern Philippines.” 
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/26/asia/philippines-luzon-earthquake-intl-hnk/index.html 


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 
CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER RESILIENCY AND 
ALERTNESS MANAGEMENT (DREAM), DEFINING ITS MANDATE, 
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Department of 
Disaster Resiliency and Alertness Management (DReAM) Act". 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It shall be the policy of the State to 
uphold the people's constitutional rights to life and property by addressing 
the root causes of vulnerabilities to disasters; strengthening the country’s 
institutional capacity for disaster preparedness and emergency management; 
and, building the resilience of local communities to disasters, natural or man-
made, including climate change impacts. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following 
shall refer to: 
(a) “Adaptation“ - the adjustment in natural or human systems in response
to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm 
or exploits beneficial opportunities 
(b) "Alertness" — the state of active attention by high sensory awareness
such as being watchful and prompt to meet danger or emergency, or being 
quick to perceive and act. It is related to psychology as well as to physiology 
2786


(c) "Capacity" - a combination of all strengths and resources available
within a community, society or organization that can reduce the level of 
dangers, or effects of a disaster. Capacity may include infrastructure and 
physical means, institutions, societal coping abilities, as well as human 
knowledge, skills and collective attributes such as social relationships, 
leadership and management. Capacity may also be described as capability. 
(d)
"Civil Society Organizations" Or "CSOs" - non-state actors whose. aims
are neither to generate profits nor to seek governing power. CSOs unite people 
to advance shared goals  and interests. They have a presence in public life, 
expressing the. interests and values of their members or others. and are based 
on ethical, cultural. scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations. CSOs 
include nongovernment organizations (NGOs), professional associations, 
foundations, 
independent 
research 
institutes, 
community-based 
organizations (CBOs), faith-based organizations, people's organizations, 
social movements, and labor unions. 
(e) Climate Change" - a change in climate that can be identified by changes
in the mean and/or variability of its properties and that persists for an 
extended period typically decades or longer, whether due to natural variability 
or as a result of human activity. 
   (f) 
"Community-Based 
Disaster 
Preparedness 
and 
Emergency 
Management" or "CBDPEM" - a process of disaster preparedness and 
emergency management in which at risk communities are actively engaged in 
the identification, analysis, treatment, monitoring and evaluation of disaster 
hazards in order to reduce their vulnerabilities and enhance their capacities, 
and where the people are at the heart of decision-making and Implementation 
of disaster preparedness and emergency management activities. 
(g)
"Complex Emergency" - a form of human-induced emergency in which
the cause of the emergency as well as the assistance to the afflicted is 
complicated by intense level of political considerations. 
(h) "Contingency Planning" - a management process that analyses specific
potential events or emerging situations that might threaten society or the 
environment and establishes arrangements in advance to enable timely, 
effective and appropriate responses to such events and situations. 
(i)
"Disaster" - a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a
society Involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental 
losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or 
society to cope using its own resources. Disasters are often described as a 


result of the combination of: the exposure to a hazard, the conditions of 
vulnerability that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce 
or cope with the potential negative consequences, Disaster impacts may 
Include loss of life, injury, disease and other negative effects on human, 
physical, mental and social well-being together with damage to property, 
destruction of assets, loss of services, social and economic disruption and 
environmental degradation. 
 
   (j) "Disaster Mitigation" - the lessening or limitation of the adverse impacts 
of hazards and related disasters. Mitigation measures encompass engineering 
techniques and hazard- resistant construction as well as Improved 
environmental policies and public awareness. 
 
   (k) "Disaster Preparedness" - the knowledge and capacities developed by 
governments, professional response and recovery organizations, communities 
and Individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from, the 
Impacts of likely, imminent or current hazard events or conditions. 
Preparedness action is carried out within the context of disaster risk 
reduction and management and aims to build the capacities needed to 
efficiently manage all types of emergencies and achieve orderly transitions 
from response to sustained recovery. Preparedness is based on a sound 
analysis of disaster hazard and good linkages with early warning systems, 
and Includes such activities as contingency planning, stockpiling of 
equipment and supplies. the development of arrangements for coordination, 
evacuation and public information, and associated training and field 
exercises. These must be supported by formal institutional, legal and 
budgetary capacities. 
 
   (I) "Disaster Prevention“ - the outright avoidance of adverse impacts of 
hazards and related disasters. It expresses the concept and intention to 
completely avoid potential adverse Impacts through action taken in advance 
such as construction of dams or embankments that eliminate flood risks, 
land-use regulations that do not permit any settlement in high-risk zones, 
and seismic engineering designs that ensure the survival and function of a 
critical building In any likely earthquake. 
 
  (m) ”Disaster Response" - the provision of emergency services and public 
assistance during or immediately after a disaster In order to save lives, reduce 
health Impacts, ensure public safety meet the basic subsistence needs of the 
people affected. Disaster response is predominantly focused on immediate 
and short-term needs and is sometimes called "disaster relief". 
 


  (n) ”Disaster Risk" - the potential disaster losses in lives, health status, 
livelihood, assets and services, which could occur to a particular community 
or a Society over some specified future time period 
 
   (o) ‘Disaster Risk Reduction and Management" - the systematic process of 
using administrative directives. organizations, and operational skills and 
capacities to Implement strategies, policies and improved coping capacities in 
order to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility of disaster. 
Prospective disaster preparedness and emergency management rebels to risk 
reduction and management activities that address and seek to avoid 
development of new or increased disaster risks, especially if risk reduction 
policies are not put in place. 
 
   (p) "Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Information 
System"- a specialized database which contains, among others, information 
on disasters and their human material, economic and environmental impact, 
risk assessment and mapping and vulnerable groups. 
 
   (q) "Early Warning System” - the set of capacities needed to generate and 
disseminate timely and meaningful warning Information to enable 
individuals, communities and organizations threatened by a hazard to 
prepare and to act appropriately and in sufficient time to reduce the 
possibility of harm or loss. A people-cantered early warning system 
necessarily comprises four (4) key elements: knowledge of the risks; 
monitoring analysis and forecasting of the hazards communication or 
dissemination of alerts and warnings. and local capabilities to respond to the 
warnings received. The expression "end-to-end warning system“ is also used 
to emphasize that warning systems need to span all steps from hazard 
detection to community response. 
 
   (r) “Emergency” - unforeseen or sudden occurrence, especially danger, 
demanding immediate action. 
 
   (s)  “Emergency Management”— the organization and management of 
resources and responsibilities for addressing all aspects of emergencies, in 
particular preparedness response and initial recovery steps. 
 
   (t} ”Exposure” - the degree to which the elements at risk are likely to 
experience hazard events of different magnitudes. 
 
   (u) ”Geographic Information System“  a database  which  contains, among 
others, geo-hazard assessments, information on climate change, and climate 
risk reduction and management 


 
   (v) "Hazard” - a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or 
condition that may cause loss of life. injury or other health Impacts, property 
damage, loss of livelihood and  services. social and economic disruption, or 
environmental damage. 
   (w) "Land-Use Planning" - the process undertaken by public authorities to 
Identify. evaluate and decide on different options for the use of land, Including 
consideration of long- term economic, social and environmental objectives and 
the implications Not different communities and interest 
groups, and the subsequent formulation and promulgation of plans that 
describe the permitted or acceptable uses. 
 
   (x) "Mitigation" - structural and non-structural measures undertaken to 
limit the adverse impact of natural hazards, environmental degradation, and 
technological hazards and to ensure the ability of at-rlsk communities to 
address vulnerabilities aimed at minimizing the impact of disaster Such 
measures Include, but are not limited to, hazard-resistant construction and 
engineering works, the formulation and implementation of plans, programs, 
projects and activities, awareness raising knowledge management policies on 
land-use and resource management, as well as the enforcement of 
comprehensive land-use planning building and safety standards. and 
legislation. 
 
   (y) "Philippine Disaster Preparedness and Emergency management Plan" or 
"PDPEMP"- provides for comprehensive, all hazards, multi-sectoral, inter-
agency and community-based approach to disaster risk reduction 
management. 
 
   (z)  "Philippine Disaster  Preparedness and Emergency management Plan" or 
‘PDPEHP” - the document to be formulated and Implemented by the Philippine 
Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Authority that sets out 
goals and specific objectives for reducing disaster risks together with related 
actions to accomplish these objectives. The PDPEMP shall provide for the 
identification of hazards, vulnerabilities and risks to ’be managed at the 
national level; disaster risk reduction and management approaches and 
strategies to be applied m managing said hazards and risks; agency roles, 
responsibilities and lines of authority at all government levels; and vertical 
and horizontal coordination of disaster risk reduction and management to the 
pre-disaster and post-disaster phases. 
 
   (aa) “Post-Disaster Recovery” - the restoration and improvement where 
appropriate, of facilities, livelihood and living conditions. of disaster-affected 


communities, including efforts to reduce disaster risk factors, in accordance 
with the principles of "build back better". 
 
  (bb) ‘Preparedness” - pre-disaster actions and measures being undertaken 
within the context of disaster risk reduction and management and are based 
on sound risk analysis as well as pre-disaster activities to avert or minimize 
loss of life and property such as, but not limited to, community organizing, 
training planning, equipping stockpiling, hazard mapping insuring of assets, 
and public information and education initiatives. This also includes the 
development/enhancement of an overall preparedness strategy, policy, 
Institutional structure, warning and forecasting capabilities, and plans that 
define measures geared to help at-risk communities safeguard their lives and 
assets by being alert to hazards and taking appropriate action in the face of 
an imminent threat or an actual disaster. 
 
  (cc): “Private Sector” - the key actor in the realm of the economy where the 
central social concern and process are the mutually beneficial production and 
distribution of goods and services to meet the physical needs of human 
beings. The private sector comprises private corporations, households and 
nonprofit institutions serving households. 
 
  (dd) “Public Sector Employees” - all persons in the civil service. 
 
  (ee) “Rehabilitation” - measures that ensure the ability of affected 
communities/areas to restore their normal level of functioning by rebuilding 
livelihood and damaged Infrastructures and increasing the communities’ 
organizational capacity. 
 
  (ff) “Resilience” - the ability of a system, community or society exposed to 
hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate and recover from the effects of a 
hazard In a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation 
and restoration of Its essential basic structures and functions. 
  
  (gg) "Response" - any concerted effort by two (2) or more agencies, public or 
private, to provide assistance or Intervention during or immediately after a 
disaster to meet the life preservation and basic subsistence needs of those 
people affected and In the restoration of essential public activities and 
facilities. 
 
  (hh) "Risk" - the combination of the probability of an event and its negative 
consequences. 
 


  (ii) "Risk Assessment" - a methodology to determine the nature and extent of 
risk by analyzing potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions of 
vulnerability that together could potentially harm exposed people, property, 
services, livelihood and the environment on which they depend. Risk 
assessments with associated risk mapping include: a review of the technical 
characteristics of hazards such as their location, Intensity, frequency and 
probability; the analysis of exposure and vulnerability including the physical. 
social, health, economic and environmental 
dimensions; and the evaluation of the effectiveness of prevailing end 
alternative coding capacities in respects to likely risk scenarios. 
 
  (jj) "State of Calamity" - a condition involving mass casualty and/or major 
damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, made and normal 
way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of 
natural or human-Induced hazard. 
 
 (kk) ‘Sustainable Development“ - development that meets the needs of the 
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their 
own needs. It contains within It two (2) key concepts: (1) the concept of 
“needs”, in particular, the essential needs of the world's poor, to which 
overriding priority should be given; and (2) the idea of limitations Imposed by 
the state of technology and social organizations on the environment’s ability 
to meet present and future needs. It is the harmonious integration of a sound 
and viable economy, responsible governance, social cohesion and harmony, 
and ecological Integrity to ensure that human development now and through 
future generations is a life- enhancing process. 
  
 
  (ll) ‘Vulnerability " - the characteristics and circumstances of a community, 
system or asset that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard. 
Vulnerability may arise from various physical, social, economic, and 
environmental factors such as poor design and construction of buildings, 
Inadequate protection of assets. lack of public information and awareness, 
limited official recognition of risks and preparedness measures, and disregard 
for wise environmental management 
 
  (mm) “Vulnerable and Marginalized Groups“ - those that face higher 
exposure to disaster risk and poverty including, but not limited to, women, 
children, elderly, differently-abled people, and ethnic minorities. 
 
SECTION 4. Creation of the Department of Disaster Preparedness and 
Emergency Management — There is hereby created another Executive 
Department to be known as the Department of Disaster Preparedness and 


Emergency 
Management 
Authority, 
hereinafter 
referred 
to 
as 
the 
“Department' 
which 
shall 
institutionalize 
the 
policies, 
structures, 
coordination 
mechanisms 
and 
programs 
with 
continuing 
budget 
appropriation: on disaster preparedness and emergency management from 
national down to local levels towards building disaster-resilient nation and 
communities. The Department shall be an Independent agency of the national 
government and shall maintain its principal office here in Metro Manila and 
have Regional offices nationwide for the proper conduct of its operations. 
 
SECTION 5. Powers and Functions :of the Authority — The Department 
shall have the following powers and functions: 
 
(a) Advise the government and all other stakeholders on matters relating 
to disaster preparedness and emergency management consistent with 
the policies and scope as defined in this Act; 
 
(b) Formulate and Implement the PDPEMP and ensure that the physical 
framework, social, economic and environmental plans of communities, 
cities, municipalities and provinces are consistent with such plan. 
 
(c) Identify, assess and prioritize hazards and risks in consultation with 
key stakeholders; 
 
(d) Develop and ensure the implementation of national standards in 
carrying out disaster preparedness programs including mitigation, 
prevention, response and rehabilitation works, from data collection and 
analysis, planning implementation, monitoring and evaluation; 
 
(e) Review and evaluate the  Local Disaster Preparedness and  Emergency 
Management Plans (LDPEMP) to facilitate the integration of disaster 
preparedness measures into the local Comprehensive Development 
(CDP) and Comprehensive Land-Use Plan (CLUP); 
 
(f) Ensure that the LGU s, through the Local Disaster Preparedness and 
Emergency Management Offices (LDPEMOs) are properly  informed and 
adhere to the national standards and programs ; 
 
(g) Formulate standard operating procedures  for the deployment of rapid 
assessment teams, information sharing among different government 
agencies. and coordination before and after disasters at all levels; 
 
(h) Establish standard operating procedures on the communication system 
among provincial, city, municipal; and barangay disaster preparedness 


and emergency management council. for purposes of warning and 
alerting them and for gathering Information on disaster areas before, 
during and after disasters; 
(i) Establish Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Training 
Institutes in such suitable location as may be deemed appropriate to 
train public and private individuals, both local and national, in such 
,subject as disaster preparedness and emergency management among 
others. The Institute shall consolidate and prepare training materials 
and publications of disaster preparedness and emergency management 
books and manuals to assist disaster preparedness and emergency 
management workers in the planning and Implementation of this 
program and projects. The Institute shall conduct research programs 
to upgrade know ledge and skills and document best practices on 
disaster preparedness and emergency management. The institute is 
also mandated to conduct periodic awareness and education programs 
to accommodate new elective officials and members of the LDPEMO; 
 
(j) Ensure that all disaster preparedness and emergency management 
programs, projects and activities requiring regional and international 
support shall be in accordance with duly established national policies 
and aligned with international agreements; 
 
(k) Ensure that all government agencies and LGUs give top priority and 
take adequate and appropriate measures in disaster preparedness and 
emergency management: 
 
(l) Create an enabling environment for substantial and sustainable 
participation of CSOs, 
 
(m)private groups, volunteers  and communities and recognize their 
contributions in the government's disaster preparedness efforts  
 
(n) Conduct 
early 
recovery 
and 
post-disaster 
needs 
assessment 
institutionalizing gender analysis as part of it, 
 
(o) Establish an operating facility to be known as the Philippine Disaster 
Preparedness and Emergency Management Operations Centre in all 
regions (PDPEMOC) that shall be operated and staffed on a twenty-four 
(24) hour basis; 
 
(p) Prepare the criteria and procedure for the enlistment of accredited 
community disaster volunteers (ACDVs). It shall include a manual of 


operations for the volunteers which shall be developed by the Authority 
in consultation with various stakeholders; 
 
(q) Provide advice and technical assistance and assist in mobilizing 
necessary resources to increase the overall capacity of LGUs, 
specifically the low income and in high-risk areas; 
 
(r) Create the necessary offices to perform Its mandate as provided under 
this Act; and 
 
(s) Perform such other functions as may be necessary for effective 
operations and implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 6. The Secretary and Its Qualifications - The Secretary shall 
manage  the day-to- day conduct of operations of the Department. He/She 
shall be assisted by Undersecretaries. No person shall be appointed 
Secretaries and Undersecretaries unless they have experience and or 
knowledge in the duties to be perform as head of the Department, known for 
their dedication and service, citizens and residents .of the Republic of the 
Philippines, of good moral character and with proven competence in public 
administration and management 
 
SECTION 7. Appointment Of officials / Employees of the Department - 
The Secretary shall have the power to appoint all officers and employees of 
the Department whose appointment shall be based on merit fitness and shall 
he governed by the Civil Service Laws and other related laws. 
 
SECTION 8. Absorption of the National Disaster Risk Reduction 
Management Council, Office of Civil Defense and other Offices related 
to It - The existing agency such as the National Disaster Risk Reduction 
Management Council (NDRRMC), Office of Civil Defense other Offices related 
to it shall be absorbed by the new Department on Disaster and Resilience. 
The powers, functions, all applicable funds and appropriations, records, 
assets, and properties of the said agencies are hereby absorbed by the 
Department. The Department shall, by virtue of this Act, succeed to all rights 
and assume all contracts and liabilities of the said agencies and offices which 
shall be acted upon in accordance with the Auditing Code and other pertinent 
laws, rules and regulations. Employees from the NDRRMC and Office of Civil 
Defense shall retain in their position and will continue to render their services 
in the said office. 
  
SECTION 9. Organizational Structure of the Department - The Secretary 
is  hereby authorized to formulate and adopt an organizational structure for 


the Department, Including the creation of Regional offices nationwide and 
integrating the LGU-based local disaster council in times of disaster, for ae 
efficient and effective discharge of its powers  and functions. The staffing 
pattern of the Department shall be prescribed by the Secretary, In accordance 
with rules and regulations prescribed by Civil Service Commission and the 
Department of Budget and Management, within sixty (60) days after the 
approval of-this Act. Authorized positions created therein shall be filled  by 
regular appointment  by the  President or the Secretary as the case maybe, 
provided, however,  that such  individuals  comply  with the qualifications 
standards set by the  Civil  Service  Commission  for  the  position  that  they 
shall be appointed to. 
 
SECTION 10. Inter-Agency Committees — Upon request of The Department, 
all government agencies involved In the approval and Implementation of 
projects of the Department or its duly authorized or endorsed entities, 
whether government or private, shall expeditiously act upon and resolve the 
matter subject to the approval of the President. The Secretary may, whenever 
necessary, initiate the activation of an ad-hoc interagency committee for  an 
efficient orchestration of efforts of concerned entities in the implementation of 
programs, projects and activities of the Department. 
 
SECTION 11. Appropriations - To carry out the provisions of this Act, the 
appropriations for the current fiscal year as well as the existing funds, assets, 
and resources of the transferred offices to be identified in Section 8 hereof 
shall be transferred to the Department. Thereafter, such amounts as maybe 
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be Included in the 
Annual General Appropriations Act 
 
SECTION 12. Coordination During Emergencies. - The Department, In 
coordination with the local government unit, shall take the lead in preparing 
for, responding to, and recovering from the effects of any disaster. The 
Department shall always act as support to LGUs which have the primary 
responsibility as first  disaster responders. Private sector and civil society 
groups shall work in accordance with the coordination mechanism and 
policies set by the Department and concerned LGUs. 
 
SECTION 13. Declaration of State of Calamity. - The Department shall 
recommend to the President of the Philippines the declaration of a cluster of 
barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, and regions under a state of 
calamity, and the lifting thereof, based on a predetermined criteria set. The 
President's declaration may warrant International humanitarian assistance 
as deemed necessary. The declaration and lifting Of the state of calamity may 
also be Issued by the local sanggunian, upon the recommendation of the 


Department, Based on the results of the damage assessment and needs 
analysis. 
 
SECTION 14 . .Remedial Measures. - The declaration of s state of calamity 
shall make mandatory the immediate undertaking of the following remedial 
measures by the Department as defined in this Act: 
(a) Imposition of price ceiling on basic necessities and prime commodities 
by the President upon the recommendation of the Implementing agency 
as provided for under Republic Act No. 7581, otherwise known as the 
"Price Act", or National Price coordinating Council: 
(b) Monitoring  prevention and control by the Local Price Coordination 
Council of overpricing/profiteering and hoarding of prime commodities, 
medicines and petroleum products; 
(c) Programming/reprogramming of funds for the repair and safety 
upgrading of public infrastructures and facilities; and 
(d) Granting of no-interest loans by government financing or lending 
Institutions to the most affected section of the population through their 
cooperatives or people's organizations. 
 
SECTION 15. Mechanism for International Humanitarian Assistance –  
 
(a) The Importation and donation of food, clothing medicine and equipment 
for relief and recovery and other disaster management and recovery-
related supplies is hereby authorized in accordance with Section 105 of 
the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, as amended; and the 
prevailing provisions of the General Appropriations Act covering 
national internal revenue taxes and import duties of national and local 
government agencies; and 
 
(b) Importations and donations under this section shall be considered as 
Importation by and/or donation to the Authority. 
 
SECTION 16. Prohibited Acts. - Any person, group or corporation who 
commits any of the following prohibited acts shall be held liable and be 
subjected to the penalties as prescribed in Section 18 of this Act: 
 
(a) Dereliction of duties which leads to destruction, loss of lives, critical 
damage of facilities and misuse of funds; 
(b) Preventing the entry and distribution of relief goods in disaster-stricken 
areas, including appropriate technology, tools, equipment, accessories, 
disaster teams/experts; 


(c) Buying,  for  consumption  or  resale, from   disaster  relief agencies  
any  relief goods, equipment or other and commodities which are 
intended for distribution to disaster affected communities; 
(d) Buying, for consumption or resale, from the recipient disaster affected 
persons any relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities received 
by them; 
(e) Selling of relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities. which are 
intended for distribution to disaster victims; 
(f) Forcibly seizing relief goods, 
equipment or other aid commodities 
intended for or consigned to a specific group of victims or relief agency; 
(g) Diverting or misdelivery of relief goods, equipment or other aid 
commodities to persons other than the rightful recipient or consignee; 
(h) Accepting  possessing,  using or 
disposing relief goods, equipment 
or other aid commodities not intended for nor consigned to him/her; 
(i) Misrepresenting the source of relief goods, equipment or other aid 
commodities by: 
(1) Either covering replacing or defacing the labels of the containers to 
make it appear that the goods, equipment or other aid commodities 
came from another agency or persons; 
(2) 
Repacking the goods, equipment or other aid commodities into 
containers with different markings to make it appear that the goods 
came from another agency or persons or was released upon the instance 
of a particular agency or persons: 
(3) 
Making false verbal claim that the goods, equipment or other and 
commodity its untampered original containers actually came from 
another agency or persons or was released upon the instance of a 
particular agency or persons; 
(j) Substituting or replacing relief goods, equipment or other aid 
commodities with the same items or inferior/cheaper quality; 
(k) (Illegal solicitation’s by persons or organizations representing others as 
defined in the standards and guidelines set by the PDPEMP; 
(l) (l) Deliberate use of false at inflated data in support of the request for 
funding, relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities for 
emergency assistance or livelihood projects; and 
(m)Tampering 
with 
or 
stealing 
hazard 
monitoring 
and 
disaster 
preparedness equipment and paraphernalia. 
 
SECTION 17. Penalty Clause - key individual, corporation, partnership, 
association, or other juridical entity that commits any of the prohibited acts 
provided for in Section 17 of this Act shall be persecuted and upon conviction 
shall suffer a fine of not- less that one Hundred pesos  (Php100,000,00) or 
any amount not exceed Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00) and 
imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and one (1) day but not more than 


twelve (12) years at the. discretion of the court, including perpetual 
disqualification from public office if the offender is a public officer, and 
confiscation  or forfeiture  in  favor of  the government of 
the objects and 
the instrumentalities used in committing any of herein prohibited acts. If the 
offender is a corporation, partnership or association, or other juridical entity, 
the penalty shall be imposed upon the officer or officers of the corporation, 
partnership, association or entity responsible for the violation without 
prejudice to the cancellation or revocation of these entities‘ license or 
accreditation issued to them by any licensing or accredited body of the 
government. If such offender is an alien, he or she shall, in addition to the 
penalties prescribed in this  Act, be deported without further proceedings after 
service of the sentence. However, the prosecution for offenses set forth in 
Section 18 of this Act shall be without prejudice to any liability for violation 
of Republic Act No. 3185, as amended, otherwise known as the Revised Penal 
Code, and other civil liabilities. 
  
SECTION 18. Annual Report - The Department shall submit to the Office of 
the President, the Senate and the House or Representatives, within the first 
quarter of the succeeding year, an annual report relating to the progress of 
the implementation of the PDPEMP. 
 
SECTION 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department 
through its Secretary, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the 
effective Implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days after approval of 
this Act. In consultation with key stakeholders, It shall take the lead in the 
preparation of the implementing rules and regulations with the active 
involvement of the technical management group of the Department. 
 
SECTION 2O. Congressional Oversight Committee -There is hereby created 
a Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor and oversee the 
Implementation of the provisions of this Act. The Committee shall be 
composed of sir(6) members from the Senate and six (6) members from the 
House of Representatives with the Chairpersons of the Committees on 
National Defense and Security of both the Senate and the House of 
Representatives as joint  Chairpersons of this Committee. The five (S) other 
members from each Chamber are to be designated by the Senate President 
and the Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively. The minority 
shall be entitled to pro rata representation but shall have at least two (2) 
representatives from each Chamber. 
 
SECTION 21. Sunset Review - Within five (5) years after the effectivity of this 
Act. or as  the need arises, the Congressional Oversight Committee shall 
conduct a sunset review. For purposes of this Act, the term "sunset review" 


shall mean a systematic evaluation by the Congressional Oversight 
Committee of the accomplishments  and Impact of this Act as well as the 
performance and organizational structure  of la  Implementing agencies,  for  
purposes of determining remedial legislation. 
 
SECTION 22. Repealing Clause. - Republic Act 10121 and all other laws, 
decrees, executive orders, proclamations and other executive issuance’s 
which are inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby 
amended or repealed accordingly. 
  
SECTION 23. Separability Clause. - If any provision  of this Act shall  be 
held  unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected 
shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 24. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national 
newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,