Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. - ~~’

Introduced by Rep. Winston “Winnie” T. Castelo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The overarching intent of this urgent measure is one of getting people aware, educated,
prepared, and more importantly, trained in saving their own lives or limbs in times of
unforeseen natural disasters or hazards. Some examples of these disasters are
earthquakes, floods, typhoons, fires, tsunamis, tornadoes or other such hazards that
could be of consequential magnitude as to inflict deaths or injuries and damages to
properties.

Preparation is, after all, better than reaction. This approach means the mandatory
inclusion in the curriculum of the entire Philippine educational system, both private and
public, that puts in capsule form the relevant shared observations that result when such
a natural disaster strikes.

Along this line, the theoretical side of a relevant subject or course in disaster risk
management as contemplated in this proposed bill shall precisely contain modules for
practical drills or simulations in case, for example, of tsunami when people are around
beaches or coastal areas. For another, there shall be training modules that will educate
school children or students on certain “dos and don'ts” during an earthquake like
avoiding use of elevators or keeping oneself safe beside a strong support like tables, or
away certain types of high-rise buildings.

The one important assumption of this additional subject or course is that CHED and
DepEd will provide useful reading material akin to a ‘Manual of Instruction’ on what a
better informed individual should do or avoid during the unforeseen occurrence of
natural disasters the most common of which are floods caused by heavy rains. In other
words, it is important not just to be aware of flood-prone areas but to carry a ‘survival kit’
or an acquired competency or trained experience on what to do during prolonged
floods.

In this proposed bill, the author contemplates a wide range of natural disasters or
hazards that could strike or otherwise claim several lives. Thus, when certain “dos and
don'ts” are actually taught in schools or universities, it makes our youth better prepared
to deal with the threats to life and limb by said disasters or similar hazards of
consequential nature.


it makes sense to save lives when earthquakes do occur and such similar occurrences
that take their toll on hundreds of lives such as in the case of Typhoons Ondoy and
Yolanda. The competency and manual know-how that a young child or student could
acquire from a curricular subject or course could be applied at home and passed on to
other members of the household for their own protection and safety.

For unless any prospective victim of disaster possesses such acquired knowledge in
disaster mitigation coupled with simulation models or drills on how to go about disasters
or hazards, there will be more victims than we can imagine when the inevitable natural
disasters do confront us.

Thus, it is the aim of this bill to integrate into the curriculum in the elementary, high
‘school and university level a well-rounded knowledge in order to better promote work in
disaster mitigation, risk management, impact reduction and hazards defense.

Every youth and student should be able to appreciate acquired theoretical knowledge
and practical application of certain options, course of action, techniques and minimum
competency in dealing with the dangers or threats of floods, typhoons, fires, tsunamis,
tornadoes, earthquakes or other similar natural disaster.

extensively cover certain commonalities or modalities in dealing’ with such natural
hazards and disasters.

Hence, the immediate passage of this bill is strongly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bit no4204

introduced by Rep. Winston “Winnie” T. Castelo

AN ACT

INTEGRATING INTO THE CURRICULUM IN ALL LEVELS OF THE PHILIPPINE EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM, BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC, A MANDATORY SUBJECT OR COURSE ON DISASTER
RISK MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, BOTH THEORETICAL AND WITH PRACTICAL COMPONENT AS
AN EFFECTIVE PROACTIVE RESPONSE TO NATURAL DISASTERS, CALAMITIES, AND HAZARDS.
LIKE FLOODS, TYPHOONS, FIRES, TSUNAMIS, EARTHQUAKES, AND STRONG WINDS AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES:

Be it enacted in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the
Philippines in Congress assembled”

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Disaster Risk Management
Education Act of 2016."

SEC. 2. The Commission on Higher Education on the part of the collegiate
curriculum and the Department of Education on the part of the high schoo! and
elementary curricula shall prescribe a mandatory subject or course in Disaster Risk
Management Education for students and school children.

SEC. 3. Under this Act, the CHED and DepEd shall draft the course or subject
and integrate it as mandatory requirement in their respective curricula for college
students on the part of CHED and high school students and elementary school children
on the part of DepEd and same shall commence within reasonable time upon the
effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 4. No additional tuition, charge or fee shall be exacted upon those school
children and students required to take this mandatory subject or course but shall be
subsidized by the public or private school concerned.

Further, no additional appropriation shall be allocated separately to implement
the provisions of this Act but shall be charged against the current appropriations of
CHED and DepEd through cooperative collaboration with all universities or schools
concerned.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days upon its publication in the
Official Gazette and it at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,