Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _7164

Introduced by Representative Deogracias Victor “DV” B. Savellano

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish emergency evacuation centers in all provinces in
the Philippines.

The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world affected
by almost all kinds of natural calamities and disasters. Calamities such as floods,
typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other severe climate disturbances,
including fire, outbreak of illnesses and diseases have taken many lives and
caused tremendous damage to properties. During these times, many people are
displaced and need to be relocated to evacuation centers.

Taking into account the increasing frequency and intensity of calamities
occurring in the Philippines, evacuation is often resorted to as a life-saving
measure.

It is a common practice that schools, covered courts, and other government
buildings are used as evacuation centers during calamities. However, this practice
results to interruption of classes and disruption of services of government offices.
The lack of basic facilities in schools, covered courts, and other government
infrastructures pose great threats to health, safety, and overall wellbeing of the
evacuees. The establishment of permanent evacuation centers with the necessary
facilities and complete amenities will address these issues.

There is an urgent need for the government to prepare for the eventual
occurrences of these natural calamities and man-made disasters. The construction
of emergency evacuation center that is durable, safe, properly-designed, and
suitable to the needs of the evacuees and prospective users must be established.
If not being used as temporary shelter, these emergency evacuation centers may
be used as learning centers for educational purposes. Provincial governments are

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directed to prioritize and invest in establishing permanent emergency evacuation
centers to serve as temporary shelter for individual and displaced families in
times of calamities and disasters.

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

DEOGRACIAS VICTOR “DV” B. SAVELLANO


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, _7164_

Introduced by Representative Deogracias Victor “DV” B. Savellano

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EMERGENCY EVACUATION CENTERS IN ALL
PROVINCES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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 “Emergency
Evacuation Center Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to serve and
protect the life and property of the people, and promote the general welfare. The
State recognizes the vulnerability of the Philippines to all kinds of natural
calamities and disasters. Calamities such as floods, typhoons, earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, and other severe climate disturbances, including fire,
outbreak of illnesses and diseases have taken many lives and caused damage to
properties. Towards this end, the State shall construct a durable, safe, properly-
designed, and fully-equipped emergency evacuation center in all provinces to
serve as temporary shelter for individuals and displaced families in times of
calamities and disasters.

SEC. 3. Establishment of Emergency Evacuation Center. — Emergency
evacuation centers shall be established in all provinces to serve as immediate
and temporary shelters that guarantee the safety and wellbeing of the people

who are evacuated or displaced from their homes due to natural calamities and


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disasters. If not being used as temporary shelters of the evacuees, emergency
evacuation centers may be utilized as learning center for disaster trainings,
calamity drills, and other disaster preparedness and prevention activities.

SEC. 4. Facilities and Amenities — Emergency evacuation centers must
have the capacity to accommodate a large number of evacuees. It must have the
following amenities and facilities:

(a) Sleeping quarters;

(b) Separate bathing facilities and toilet cubicles for males and females,
with a facility-to-user ratio of 1-20 persons;

(c) Breastfeeding areas or lactation stations;

(d) Wheelchair ramps and handrails for elderly and people with
disabilities;

(e) Centralized kitchen or areas for food preparation with adequate
ventilation;

(Q Eating or dining areas;

(g) _ Fire alarm system and emergency exit doors;

(h) Trash and waste segregation and collection areas;

(i) Health care areas including an isolation or quarantine area for
potentially infectious people;

(0) Storage room for supplies;

(k) Generators and fuel;

(1) Laundry and drying areas;

(m) _ Pet and livestock holding areas;

(n) Rainwater harvesting and collection facilities;

(0) Recreation areas and child-friendly space that may be used as
playground;

(p) Command center with conference room for government officials

and agencies; and


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(q) Other facilities necessary in an evacuation center.

SEC. 5. Location of Emergency Evacuation Center. — The emergency
evacuation center shall be located on a stable and safe area of the province, not
susceptible to landslides, flooding, storm surges, and other hydrological and
meteorological hazards. Site selection must be based on the most current risk
assessments using geo-hazard maps produced by the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the
Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical
and Astronomical Services Administration and the Philippine Institute of
Volcanology and Seismology.

The location of the emergency evacuation center shall be based on the
following conditions or considerations:

(a) Must be strategically located to enable immediate access to basic
goods, services, and utilities;

(b) Near to any health facilities;

(c) Far from military base camps, camps of insurgency groups, high
voltage power plants, and other areas where occurrence of human induced
disasters are very high; and

(d) Must allow for year-round access to and from the evacuation
centers by means of vehicular transportation specially before, during and after a
hazard event.

SEC. 6. Structural and Building Capacity. — The emergency evacuation
center must be designed and constructed in compliance with Republic Act No.
6541, as amended, otherwise known as the “National Building Code of the
Philippines,” and can withstand super typhoons or wind speed of at least three
hundred (300) kilometers per hour, or storm surge level of at least ten (10)

meters, and moderate seismic activity of at least 8.0 magnitude on the Richter


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Scale. Emergency evacuation centers must be sufficiently ventilated in such a
way that fresh air and natural lights are ensured during operation.

SEC. 7. Responsibilities of the Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH). — The DPWH shall be responsible for formulating the
design and specifications of the emergency evacuation centers based on existing
laws, issuances, rules and regulations, and in compliance with the National
Building Code. The design and specification must be based on the needs of the
evacuees and shall consider the weather pattern, topographical features, and
climate condition of the province where the emergency evacuation center is
located. The alternative uses of emergency evacuation centers shall be taken
into account by the DPWH. It shall review and revise the design and
specification of the evacuation centers every three (3) years.

SEC. 8. Management of Emergency Evacuation Center. — The provincial
government of the province where the evacuation center is located shall be
primarily responsible for the operation, supervision, and management of the
emergency evacuation center.

The provincial government shall, in consultation with the Department of
Education, promulgate guidelines, rules and regulations for the effective
operation, supervision, and management of the emergency evacuation centers
when being used as learning centers for educational purposes.

The amount necessary for the operation, management and supervision of
the emergency evacuation centers shall be charged to the funds of Provincial
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

SEC. 9. Mandatory Audit. — The provincial engineer or building officials,
shall conduct a mandatory audit of the emergency evacuations centers at least
once a year or immediately after the occurrence of a hazard or disaster to ensure

the structural integrity and safety of the evacuees.


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SEC. 10. Role of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council (NDRRMC). — The NDRRMC shall be the lead agency in overseeing
the implementation of this Act. It shall provide technical assistance and support
services to the provincial government in the management and maintenance of
emergency evacuation centers.

SEC.11. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the implementation
of this Act shall be charged to the current appropriations of the NDRRMC.
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its continued implementation
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within thirty (30) days
from the effectivity of this Act, the chairperson of the National Disaster Risk
Reduction Management Council shall, in consultation with the Secretary of the
Interior and Local Government, Secretary of Public Works and Highways and
Secretary of Education, issue the rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of this Act.

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act, are hereby deemed repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,