Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, _7519

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT MANDATING THE LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY OF
DISASTER-RELATED INFORMATION

The world is experiencing unprecedented environmental transformations. Disaster
preparedness especially with a vulnerable country like ours is an important part of any
nation's plan in the long term.

It is obvious to anyone that a well-informed public is a well-prepared public. However,
information goes beyond dissemination. It should be accessible and easy to
understand. In a linguistically diverse nation as ours, English and Tagalog may not be
sufficient to effectively communicate the risks posed by natural disasters. Those who
do not fully understand are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters and emergency
due to unfamiliarity and lack of literacy and fluency in the dominant language.

This bill proposes to require all government agencies and local government units to
convert in an easily understandable form and translate to Filipino and any other
appropriate regional language or dialect all their announcements, advisories, press
releases, issuances and any other information relevant to a local or national disaster
or emergency.

The translation of the information shall be to (1) Filipino and (2) other regional
language/s or dialect/s, as deemed necessary by the government agency and local
government unit concerned considering the geographical location. This information
shall be disseminated as widely as possible through all available means.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is most eamestly sought.

Al al
Luis nome UR.


Republic of the Philippines.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _7919

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.
————  ——— —— __

AN ACT MANDATING THE LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY OF
DISASTER-RELATED INFORMATION

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 "Language Accessibility of Public
Information on Disasters Act."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. — The right of the people to information on matters of
public concern is recognized in our Constitution. Indeed, communication and information
occupies a vital role in nation-building. In times of disaster and other emergencies, and to
render meaningful and effective the right of the people to information, it shall be ensured
that announcements, advisories and similar public communications are accessible in terms
of the language or dialect used.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, these terms are defined as
follows:

a. "Disaster"- a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving
widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which
exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.


Disasters are often described as a result of the combination of: the exposure to a hazard;
the conditions of vulnerability that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to
reduce or cope with the potential negative consequences, Disaster impacts may include loss
Of life, injury, disease and other negative effects on human, physical, mental and social well-
being, together with damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of services, Social and
economic disruption and environmental degradation;

b. “Emergency"- unforeseen or sudden occurrence, especially danger, demanding
immediate action;

c. “State of Calamity"- a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to
property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the
affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human induced hazard;

Section 4. Scope of Application. — This Act shall cover disasters and other kinds of
emergencies which are (1) national in scope, as declared through a State of Calamity or

State of National Emergency by the President of the Philippines, and (2) provincial, city or
municipal in scope, as declared through a State of Calamity or Emergency by the
appropriate local government unit.

Section 5. Language Accessibility of Disaster-Related Information. - In relation to
disasters and other emergencies covered by Section 4 of this Act, it shall be mandatory for
all government agencies and local government units to convert in an easily understandable
form and translate to Filipino and any other appropriate regional language/s or dialect/s all
their announcements, advisories, press releases, issuances and any other information
relevant to such disaster or emergency, including but not limited to:

a) Typhoon warnings, signals and other advisories by the Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA);

b) Volcano, earthquake, tsunami and landslide advisories and bulletins by the Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS);

c) Announcements, bulletins and other advisories of the National Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Councils (LDRRMCs);

4) Information on epidemics, outbreaks and public health emergencies of 6 the Department
of Health (DOH); and

e) Information on the Social Amelioration Program, emergency assistance and other social

protection measures of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Section 6. Transiation to Filipino and Other Regional Language or Dialect. — The
translation of the information covered by this Act shall be to Filipino and other regional
languagels or dialects, as deemed necessary by the government agency and local


government unit concemed considering the geographical location of the affected
communities and the intended recipients of the information. The translated information shall
be disseminated as widely as possible through all available media and communication
channels,

Section 7. Role of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino. - The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino
(KWF) shall render the necessary technical assistance and expertise to the government
agencies and local government units and monitor their compliance to the duties mandated
by this Act.

Section 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) in consultation with other
relevant government agencies and stakeholders, shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

Section 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
proclamations, rules and regulations, or any part thereof, which are inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act, or the application
thereof to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of
this Act shall not be affected thereby.

Section 11. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,