NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
‘22 JUL25 P2:09
SENATE
S. No. 859
RIXEIVcDBY.
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, 3R.
AN ACT
REQUIRING DISASTER-RELATED INFORMATION TO BE STATED IN 
ACCESSIBLE LANGUAGE TO ENSURE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING THEREOF 
AND TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
EXPLANATORY NOTE
More tropical cyclones are entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) 
than anywhere else in the world. An average of 20 tropical cyclones enter this region 
per year, with about 8 or 9 of them crossing the Philippines1.
Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) which ravaged the country in 
December 2021 left around 400 people dead and P24 billion damage in 
infrastructure and agriculture2. It affected 3.2 million families, displaced 12,000 
people and destroyed 400,000 houses3.
Countless lives and properties from disasters could have been saved if proper 
Information is communicated and well understood. The general public could have 
prepared and evacuated if they were given adequate and useful Information, in clear 
and vivid terms, as to the scale and impact of the upcoming calamity. In the same 
vein, peace and order could be maintained and social panic will be prevented which 
is usually caused by wrong and ambiguous information.
This proposed legislation seeks to protect public health and safety by making 
mandatory for all government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to
1 httns://www.Dagasa.dost.gov.ph/climate/tropical-cvdone-informati.on
2 https://newsinfo.inauirer.net/1535184/odette-leaves-p-24-5-b-damage-death-toll-hits-407 
2https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/220427 OCHA%20PHL%20Tvphoon%20Rai%20Situati
nn%2nRePort%208.pdf


convert in an easily understandable form and translate to Filipino and any other 
appropriate regional languages or dialects all announcements and advisories relevant 
to disasters, including typhoons, floods and storm surges, volcanic activities, 
earthquakes, landslides, human-induced hazards and public health emergencies.
This bill has already been approved on Third and Final Reading by the Flouse 
of Representatives during the Eighteenth Congress.
In this light, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
lOly BONG
RAMO^BONG REVILLA, 3R.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHIUPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
/ 
C>‘'/ ^ 
• 4
of I’u'S-'T’-eriivp
•22 JUL25 P2 ‘09
SENATE
s.No. 859
mxEiv.ja
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
REQUIRING DISASTER-RELATED INFORMATION TO BE STATED IN 
ACCESSIBLE LANGUAGE TO ENSURE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING THEREOF 
TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as language Accessibility of
2 
Public information on Disasters Act"
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The right of the people to information on matters
4 
of public concern is recognized in our Constitution. Indeed, communication and
5 
information occupy a vital role in nation-building. In times of disaster and other
6 
emergencies, and to render meaningful and effective the right of the people to
7 
information, it shall be ensured that announcements, advisories and similar public
8 
communications are accessible in terms of the language or dialect used.
9 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
10 
a) Disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a
11 
society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental
12 
losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or
13 
society to cope using its own resources.
14 
Disasters are often described as a result of the combination of the exposure
15 
to a hazard, the conditions of vulnerability that are present, and insufficient
16 
capacity or measured to reduce or cope with the potential negative


1 
consequences. Disaster impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease and
2 
other negative effects on human, physical, mental and social well-being,
3 
together with damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of services,
4 
social and economic disruption and environmental degradation.
5 
b) Emergency is unforeseen or sudden occurrence, especially danger,
6 
demanding Immediate action;
7 
c) State of Calamity is a condition involving mass casualty and/or major
8 
damages to property and roads, disruption of means of livelihoods and
9 
normal way of life in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of
10 
natural or human-induced hazard.
11 
Sec. 4. Scope of Application. - This Act shall cover disasters and other kinds of
12 
emergencies which are (1) national in scope, as declared through a State of Calamity
13 
or State of National Emergency by the President of the Philippines and (2) provincial,
14 
city or municipal in scope, as declared through a State of Calamity or Emergency by
15 
the appropriate local government unit.
16 
Sec. 5. Language Accessibility of Disaster-Related Information. - In relation to
17 
disasters and other emergencies covered by Section 4 of this Act, it shall be mandatory
18 
for all government agencies and local government units to convert in an easily
19 
understandable form and translate to Filipino and any other appropriate regional
20 
language/s or dialect/s all their announcements, advisories, press releases, issuances
21 
and any other information relevant to such disaster or emergency, including:
22 
a) Tropical Cyclones, signals, flood warning, storm surge, dry spell/drought,
23 
and other advisories by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
24 
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA);
25 
b) Volcanic activity and eruption, earthquake, tsunami and landslide advisories
26 
and bulletins by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
27 
(PHIVOLCS);
28 
c) Announcements, bulletins and other advisories of the National Disaster Risk
29 
Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Local Disaster Risk
30 
Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMC) and network of Disaster
31 
Risk Reduction and Management Councils composed of national, regional,
32 
provincial, city, municipal DRRM councils and barangay committees;


1 
d) Information on epidemics, disease outbreaks, infestation, and other public
2 
health emergencies of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department
3 
of Agriculture (DA);
4 
e) Advisories and warnings released by the Department of Environment and
5 
Natural Resources (DENR) - Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the
6 
Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), human-induced hazards, and human
7 
security concerns of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the
8 
Philippine National Police (PNP); and
9 
f) Information on the Social Amelioration Program, emergency assistance and
10 
other social protection measures of the Department of Social Welfare and
11 
Development (DSWD).
12 
As much as practicable, such disaster-related information shall be issued and
13 
disseminated using plain language and devoid of scientific jargon or technical
14 
terminologies. It shall also contain specific information on the extent and scale of
15 
impending impact and damage down to barangay level.
16 
Sec. 6. Translation to Filipino and Other Regional Language or Dialect. - The
17 
translation of the Information covered by this Act shall be to Filipino and other regional
18 
language/s or dialect/s, as deemed necessary by the government agency and local
19 
government unit concerned considering the geographical location of the affected
20 
communities and the intended recipients of the information. The translated
21 
information shall be disseminated as widely as possible through all available media
22 
and communication channels.
23 
Sec. 7. Rote of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino. - The Komisyon sa Wikang
24 
Filipino (KWF) shall render the necessary technical assistance and expertise to the
25 
government agencies and local government units including the Bangsamoro
26 
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and monitor their compliance with
27 
the duties mandated by this Act.
28 
Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the
29 
effectivity of this Act, the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), In consultation with
30 
other relevant agencies and stakeholders, shall promulgate the necessary rules and
31 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.


1 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
2 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise
3 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
4 
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
5 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or
6 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended
7 
accordingly.
8 
Sec. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
9 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,