Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _” 519

Introduced by HON. MANUEL F. ZUBIRI

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Every year, countless natural disasters inflict themselves on the Philippines, whether
storms, typhoons, volcano eruptions, or earthquakes, given the country’s geography.
Though the location has provided it with excellent political leverage and economic
advantages, these come with a price as the Philippines yearly experiences losses of lives
and property due to the havoc wreaked by nature. The World Risk Index places us as the
third-best country at risk to natural disasters, just beneath Vanuatu and Tonga, with no
improvement from our 2013 ranking’.

Though human lives are easily more accounted for, other damages to property are more
difficult to trace and estimate. Animals, whether domestic or non-domestic, likewise suffer
from the effects of natural disasters. Because disaster risk and reduction policies put an
onus (and rightfully so) on human lives, animals are rarely accounted for and thus suffer.

To address the plight of our animals, breeders, and farmers, which are just as important as
a livelihood especially in rural provinces like Bukidnon, this bill seeks to mandate provincial,
city, and regional officers to craft a community animal disaster plan. Community Animal
Disaster Plans are implemented in some states in the United States as it avoid the death of
animals, keeps animal owners from braving the natural disaster because of their inability to.
leave their pets behind, minimizes sickness and contamination, ensures proper disposal of
dead animals arising from natural disasters, and helps thos¢ in the livestock business to
minimize their losses after the happening of an event of fgrce majeure’.

1 United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security, World Risk Report
2016, http:/ / weltrisikobericht.de/ wp-content/ uploads/2016/08/WorldRiskReport2016,
Accessed 28 September 2017

2 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Creating A Community Animal Disaster Plan
(2016), http://veterinaryextension.colostate.edu/ menu! /disaster/animal-disaster-toolkit pdf, 28
September 2017


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7519

Introduced by Representative MANUEL F. ZUBIRI

AN ACT MANDATING A COMMUNITY ANIMAL DISASTER PLAN 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. Declaration of Policy — It is the purpose of this Act to protect and
promote the welfare of all animals in the Philippines by mandating local government units to
create community animal disaster plans in the occasion of any natural or manmade
disaster

SECTION. 2. Definition of Terms — For the purposes of this act, the term

(A) “Animal Disaster Plan” shall mean the protocol in place for the evacuation and
sheltering of household pets, service animals, commercial livestock, and non-
‘commercial livestock in times of disaster, natural or man-made;

(8) ‘Commercial Livestock” shall include animals raised for production, which include,
but are not limited to cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, quails, turkeys, and
other kinds of poultry or other domesticated fow!;

(C)*Community Animal Response Team’ is a group of people trained to ensure the
health and safety of animals before, during, and after a disaster

(D) ‘Non-commercial livestock” are animals that do not live in the house but in barns,
fields, or paddocks and are raised for companionship, production, or utility;

{E) "Household pets are animals as domesticated animals, such as a dog, cat, rabbit,
rodent, bird, fish, reptile or turtle that is kept in the home for pleasure other than for
‘commercial purposes;

(F) “Service animals’ are animals are animals individually trained to do work or perform
tasks for the benefit of an individual with disability, including a physical, sensory,
psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The tasks performed by a service
animal must be directly related to the handler’s disability;

SECTION 3. Mandatory Community Animal Disaster Plan. — All provincial, city, and
municipal shall be hereby mandated to create an animal disaster plan for all commercial
livestock, non-commercial livestock, household pets, and service animals in their own
respective local government units. Such animal disaster plan is a document that shall
contain the following information:

(1) An assignment of responsibilities to organizations and individuals for carrying
out specific actions at projected times and places in a disaster that exceeds the
capability or routine responsibility of any one agency;

(2) The lines of authority and organizational relationships, showing how all actions
shall be coordinated in view of the animal population in the local goverment
unit;

(3) A description of how animals will be protected in emergencies and disasters;

(4) An identification of personnel, equioment, facilities, supplies, and other
resources available in the jurisdiction or by agreement with other jurisdictions,
which will be for use during response and recovery operations;

(6) An identification of steps to mitigate concerns during response and recovery
activities


(4) An identification of personnel, equipment, facilities, supplies, and other
resources available in the jurisdiction or by agreement with other jurisdictions,
which will be for use during response and recovery operations;

(6) An identification of steps to mitigate concerns during response and recovery
activities; and

(6) An identification of steps necessary for the proper and hygienic disposal of
animals that perish in disasters in order to prevent the spread of disease and
pestilence among humans and animals alike.

SECTION 4. Community Animal Response Teams. ~ All cities or municipalities
must have a community animal response team to be formed by the city veterinarian or the
municipal veterinarian. The response team may include volunteers, members of non-
government organizations concerned, animal owners, animal breeders, other local
government officials, and other members of the community concerned.

SECTION 5. Designated Animal Evacuation and Deceased Animal Disposal Areas.
— Provincial, city, and municipal veterinarians shall designate an area in their jurisdiction to.
be used as animal evacuation and deceased animal disposal areas.

SECTION 6. Implementing Agency. - The Department of Agriculture, in consultation
with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), shall
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act

SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, parts of laws, decrees, presidential
issuances, proclamations, orders, ordinances, and administrative regulations in conflict with
the provisions of this Act are hereby amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,