Senate
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
F/rst Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1652
of tl)e S';
23 JAN 11 P5 -41
RifiiM£GIY:
Introduced by Senator Raffy T. Tulfo
AN ACT ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY CITY AND 
MUNICIPALITY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippines is one of the most typhoon-prone countries in the world, lying 
on what is often described as the 'typhoon belt'. Approximately 19-20 typhoons enter 
the Philippine Area of Responsibility annually, with 7-9 reaching landfall.
When disaster and calamities strike, covered courts, gymnasiums, schools, and 
even churches serve as evacuation areas to shelter affected residents and families. 
These areas are jam-packed when the situation worsens. Diseases; existing and 
unforeseen may also spread because these areas do not meet standard measures for 
a proper and well-ventilated evacuation center.
Thus, this bill aims to establish evacuation centers that have basic facilities, 
accessible location, and adequate emergency supplies, such as water, medicine and
relief goods in every city and municipality in the Philippines-----1,488 municipalities
and 146 cities.


In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
T. Tulfo
:nator


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 1652
.'lUTC 
(Mfiir of tl)t feaiptaru
23 JWH1 P5-41
Introduced by Senator Raffy T. Tulfo
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Sec. 1. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to uphold the
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constitutional right of the people for the protection of their life and property and the
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promotion of the general welfare. Towards this end, the State, shall establish and
4 
maintain a fully-equipped and fully-operational evacuation center, responsive to
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environmental or climatic events, in recognition of the vulnerability of the Philippines
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to climate change, the occurrence of severe floods, typhoons, and other natural or
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human- induced disasters, illnesses, diseases and other factors that affect the
8 
environment.
9 
Sec. 2. Establishing of Evacuation Centers.- There shall be established an
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evacuation center in every city and municipality in the country which shall provide
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immediate and temporary accommodation for people who have been evacuated or
12 
displaced from their homes due to emergency events such as typhoons, floods, storm
13 
surges, drought and other severe climate disturbances, as well as fire, and the
14 
outbreak of illnesses and diseases that present imminent danger to life and property.


1 
Existing structures that would meet the minimum requirements or could be
2 
upgraded to effectively serve as evacuation center could be designated as such in
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compliance with the local government unit concerned.
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Sec. 3. Requirements. The following shall be the minimum requirements every
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evacuation center that will be established under this Act:
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a. Location Designation- Each location for every evacuation center shall be
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determined by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
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(DENR), in close coordination with the LGUs concerned.
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The location shall be determined based on the following criteria:
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1. It must be centrally located in the community;
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2. It must be of a safe distance from large trees, structures where
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hazardous materials are used and stored, or high-voltage power
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lines;
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3. It must be near a health facility;
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4. It must be located on geotechnically stable land to avoid risk od
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landslides or exposure to potential landslide of adjacent lands;
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5. It must not be located near military base camps, camps of insurgent
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groups, power plants, factories, and other areas where the
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occurrence of human-induced disasters are very high.
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b. Structural and Building Capacity - The evacuation center shall be
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constructed and designed to withstand super typhoons or wind speeds of a
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least three hundred kilometers per hour 300 kph) and seismic activity of at
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least 8.0 magnitude. The structure must be calamity-resilient, built with
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sturdy materials, and in accordance with the specifications and shall and
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are compliant with the provisions of the National Building Code. The
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Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and are complaints
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with the provisions of the National Building Code. The DPWH shall also
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ensure that the construction of such evacuation centers is in accordance
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with the abovementioned requirements during its construction phase.
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The (DPWH) shall be in charge of the construction of evacuation
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centers, including the formulation of building specifications and shall ensure


1 
that the same are based on standards, issuances, and other guidelines set
2 
by the DPWH, that the construction of such evacuation centers is in
3 
accordance with the abovementioned requirements during its construction
4 
phase.
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The specifications of the evacuation centers shall be periodically
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reviewed and, if necessary, revised by the DPWH every three (3) years.
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The evacuation center must at least the following parameters:
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1. The structure must be elevated, in such a manner that is safely above
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the reach of a high tide storm surge level of at least ten (10) meters;
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2. The structure must be a minimum of one (1) meter above the
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average flood level in the area where the same shall be built; and
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3. The structure shall not be less than nine (9) meters in height and
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shall be designed in accordance with earthquake load standards.
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c. Amenities and Accessibility.-The evacuation centers shall be well- ventilated
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and shall have the capacity to accommodate a large number of evacuees.
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The evacuation center shall have the following minimum amenities.
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1. Sleeping quarters for the evacuees;
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2. Separate shower and toilet facilities designated for the males and
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females, with one (1) facility for every twenty (20) persons;
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3. Amenities to enable access thereto by persons with disabilities;
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4. Emergency exit doors;
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5. Food preparation areas with adequate ventilation;
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6. Trash and waste segregation and collection areas;
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7. Health care areas which shall include an isolation or quarantine area
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for potential infectious persons;
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8. Rainwater harvesting and collection facilities; and
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9. Other facilities as may be prescribed by the appropriate authorities.
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Sec. 4. Role of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
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(NDRRMC).- The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
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(NDRRMC) shall be the lead implementing agency of this Act. It shall give utmost
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priority to those areas of the country that (a) are identified as disaster prone; (b) are


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financially incapable to establish their own evacuation centers; and (c) do not have
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existing evacuation centers of their own.
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It shall enter into memoranda of agreement (MOA) with the concerned LGUs for
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the maintenance, operation, and management of a permanent evacuation center in
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their respective areas of jurisdiction. It shall provide technical assistance and support
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service to these LGUs in the management of the facility.
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Local chief executives concerned shall evaluate and provide suitable sites for
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evacuation centers to determine their geographical stability, and public accessibility in
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times of disasters. They shall provide for the maintenance, operation, and
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management of the facility taking into consideration to the goal of life preservation
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and meeting the basic subsistence needs of affected population based on acceptable
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standards during or immediately after a disaster.
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Sec. 5. Coordination Among Agencies. -The NDRRMC shall coordinate with the
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DPWH and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as well as the particular
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LGU with regard to the design specifications, cost estimates, and construction details
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of the evacuation centers that will be constructed pursuant to this Act.
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Concerned government agencies and instrumentalities, when necessary, shall be
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provide assistance to the NDRRMC to ensure the effective and efficient implementation
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of this Act.
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Sec. 6. Operation and Management - The LGUs concerned shall be primarily
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responsible for the operation, supervision, and management of evacuation centers
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established under this Act. They are also hereby authorized to issue rules and
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regulations on their proper use and maintenance.
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The local sanggunian shall promulgate guidelines and procedures for the use and
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operation of the evacuation center under its jurisdiction. The guidelines shall prescribe
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rules on the utilization of the evacuation center when it is not used as such: Provided,
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That the evacuation center may only be used for such other activities or purposes that
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involve the use of collapsible amenities and those that shall not in any way compromise
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that serviceability of the evacuation center or impede the use thereof when a disaster
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occurs: Provided further. That the LGU shall impose such penalties as may be deemed


1 
proper on the organizers of authorized activities when the evacuation center suffers
2 
any damage, defacement, or loss during or as a result of such activities.
3 
The mandatory audit of infrastructures used as evacuation centers shall be
4 
conducted by the City or Municipality at least once every year and immediately after
5 
the occurrence of a hazard or disaster.
6 
Sec. 7. Implementation Rules and Regulations. - With sixty (60) days from the
7 
effectivity of this Act, the NDRRMC shall, in consultation with the DPWH, DOST,
8 
League of Cities of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and
9 
other concerned government and private agencies, promulgate the necessary rules
10 
and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
11 
Sec. 8. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation
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to fund the construction and maintenance of multi-purpose gyms to serve as
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evacuation centers shall be charged against the budget provided for this purpose
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under the DPWH. Thereafter, such amounts necessary for the construction of
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multipurpose gyms as evacuation centers shall be included in the annual General
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Appropriations Act. The LGU concerned shall provide the continued maintenance,
17 
operation and management of the facility.
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Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is
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declared to be unconstitutional or Invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof
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which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force or effect.
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Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws; decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
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parts thereof which are inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are
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hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of
26 
general circulation.
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Approved,