Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING A DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND 
DEVELOPMENT REGIONAL WAREHOUSE IN EVERY REGION OF THE 
COUNTRY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has revealed an important gap in 
social services infrastructure, which hampers the timely, cohesive, and 
coordinated response of our government frontliners. The dynamic public 
health situation—driven by community quarantine measures, targeted 
interventions, and family- or household-level aid—have demonstrated the 
need for regional warehouses to meet localized demand and complex logistical 
exigencies. 
In particular, this lack of regional warehouses is a barrier to the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)—the national 
government agency mandated by law to develop, administer, and implement 
comprehensive social welfare programs designed to uplift our fellow Filipinos’ 
living conditions. The DSWD has been given a statutory duty to empower the 
disadvantaged—including families in crisis or at-risk, communities needing 
assistance, and other vulnerable groups. 
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DSWD has been active in 
providing aid and relief to adversely affected Filipino families. Its experience 
has validated that COVID-19 is far from being just a public health crisis. It is 
a socio-economic crisis that continues to threaten the welfare of millions of 
Filipino families all over Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 
December 12, 2022
11:07 am
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Thus, on top of the delivery of essential social services that DSWD 
Field Offices pursue every day, the pandemic has compelled the DSWD to also 
augment and address the increasing and rapidly changing needs of local 
government units (LGUs) and other government agencies, as well as civil 
society, non-government organizations, and people’s organizations. DSWD 
Field Offices’ COVID-19 aid and relief operations also cater to a wide range of 
beneficiaries, from pandemic-marginalized families to Locally Stranded 
Individuals (LSIs) and repatriates.  
 
The expanded responsibilities require the DSWD to process, pack, and 
prepare aid—often, more than its capacity due to the magnitude of need and 
its duties to other beneficiaries, such as victims of fire, natural disasters, and 
other catastrophes. 
 
DSWD’s extensive experience has, however, shown that the use of 
warehouses for storing emergency relief items improves the overall 
responsiveness, efficiency, and effectiveness of the humanitarian supply 
chain. At the same time, warehouses decrease the costs incurred in the 
process of providing social relief and amelioration. Yet, despite the clear 
effectivity and practicality of warehouses, the DSWD currently has a very 
limited number of warehouses that could serve both as a storage facility and 
repacking area during emergencies. 
This bill, therefore, seeks to address this critical gap in social welfare 
infrastructure. By establishing a DSWD regional warehouse in every region of 
the country, this bill aims to drastically improve how social services are 
provided to the most affected Filipinos during this COVID-19 pandemic and 
in calamities and emergencies. This measure further supports our country’s 
overall 
disaster 
preparedness 
and 
disaster 
mitigation 
efforts 
and 
institutionalizes a best practice that ultimately redounds to the benefit of our 
most vulnerable fellow Filipinos. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought.  
 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS   
 
Fifth District, Quezon City 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING A DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND 
DEVELOPMENT REGIONAL WAREHOUSE IN EVERY REGION OF THE 
COUNTRY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “DSWD Regional 
Warehouses Act.”  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to 
protect the people’s right to life and property, and to promote their general 
welfare. Toward this end, the State, in cognizance of the vulnerability of the 
Philippines to calamities and disasters, shall provide for the establishment of 
a regional warehouse in every region of the country to serve primarily as 
storage facility for emergency relief items, to strengthen the region’s disaster 
preparedness, and to improve the delivery of social services in communities 
and local government units. 
SECTION 3. DSWD Regional Warehouse in Every Region. – There shall be 
established a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 
Regional Warehouse in every region of the country. The Regional Warehouse, 
under each regional office of the DSWD, shall serve as a storage facility for 
emergency relief items to strengthen the overall responsiveness, efficiency, 
effectiveness, and adequacy of the humanitarian supply chain and improve 
the delivery of social services in the region especially during calamities, 
disasters, and other emergencies. 
SECTION 4. Appropriations. –  The amount necessary to carry out the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the budget of the DSWD. 
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation 
of this Act shall be included in the annual budget of the DSWD. 
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SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within thirty days 
(30) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DSWD, in consultation with other 
government agencies and concerned stakeholders, shall issue the rules and 
regulations necessary to effectively implement the provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 6. Non-Impairment Clause. – Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed as to diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or 
made available to disadvantaged, marginalized, or specific sectors under 
existing laws. 
 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. – If any provision is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected 
shall remain valid and subsisting. 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified, or amended accordingly. 
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,