SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATe. 
S.B. No. 
~906 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT 
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~UG 19 1'2:09 
MANDATING THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY RELIEF AND PROTECTION FOR 
CHILDREN DURING A DISASTER, CALAMITY, AND OTHER EMERGENCY 
SITUATIONS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Children are vulnerable during disasters, calamities and other emergency 
situations. They are gravely threatened and endangered by circumstances affecting 
their survival and normal development. Thus, we must institutionalize measures to 
provide them the needed emergency relief and protection. This bill seeks to do just that. 
It seeks to establish a comprehensive and strategic program for children affected by 
disasters, calamities and other emergency situations. By this proposed measure, we are 
protecting children against acts prejudicial to their interest and well-being, such as 
neglect, abuse, and exploitation. 
The comprehensive program for children will include, among others, the 
establishment of shelter for displaced children, immediate delivery of basic necessities 
and services, institutionalization of stronger measures to ensure the safety and security 
of affected children, timely delivery of health, medical, and nutrition services, plan of 
action for prompt resumption of educational services for children, establishment of an 
emergency center, and promotion of children's rights. 
Furthermore, this proposal provides for heightened surveillance against child 
trafficking, child labor, child prostitution. It also provides for professionalization of first 
responders by providing them the training they need. 
In view of all these, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
NG REVILLA, JR. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
SENAT-t:.... 
S.B. No. 
~~06 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT 
"15 
AUG 19 r 2 :09 
MANDATING THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY RELIEF AND PROTECTION FOR 
CHILDREN DURING A DISASTER, CALAMITY, AND OTHER EMERGENCY 
SITUATIONS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Shori Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Children's Emergency 
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Relief and Protection Act." 
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Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
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protect the fundamental rights of children during disaster, calamity, and other 
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emergency situations when children are gravely threatened or endangered by 
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circumstances that will affect their survival and normal development. Towards this end, 
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the State shall establish and implement a comprehensive and strategic program of 
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action to provide the children affected by a disaster, calamity, and other emergency 
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situations with utmost support and assistance necessary for their immediate recovery 
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and protection against all forms of neglect, abuse, exploitation and other acts prejudicial 
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to their interest and well-being. 
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Section 3. Comprehensive Emergency Program for Children. - The Department 
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of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in coordination with the Office of Civil 
16 
Defense (OCD) and with the participation of accredited child-focused national and 
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international 
nongovernment organizations, 
shall formulate 
a Comprehensive 
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Emergency Program for Children which shall be implemented immediately after the 
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declaration of a national or local state of calamity to protect the children and support 
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their immediate recovery. 
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The Comprehensive Emergency Program for Children, hereinafter referred to as 
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the Program, shall be gender-sensitive and shall have the following components: 
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(a) Establishment of Shelter for Displaced Children - The Program shall prioritize 
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and provide housing options for displaced children, families with children, and 
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children separated from their families or relatives. The DSWD shall, in 
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coordination with the local government units of the areas declared under the 
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state of calamity, immediately establish an option for shelter or permanent 
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housing. The shelter shall have emergency latrines, bathing cubicles, and 
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hand washing faCility. It shall provide child-friendly spaces where children can 
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take part in child activities. It shall also have provisions for maternal and baby 
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care and rooms to protect and ensure the right to privacy; 
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(b) Assurance for Immediate Delivery of Basic Necessities and Services - The 
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Program shall facilitate and ensure the immediate delivery of basic 
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necessities and services specifically needed by the affected children and 
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youth in different stages of development. It shall provide the affected children 
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with basic necessities for survival which include food, water, nutrition, 
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medicines, clothing, sanitary and hygiene kits, and other emergency needs 
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such as blankets, mosquito nets, cooking ware and flashlights. The Program 
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shall give priority to the specific needs and nutrition of pregnant women, 
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lactating mothers, newborn babies, and children under two (2) years old; 
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(c) Stronger measures to ensure the safety and security of affected children -
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Under the Program, the DSWD shall, in coordination with the Armed Forces 
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of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), monitor 
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and ensure the safety and the security of the affected children in the areas 
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declared under the state of calamity and shall protect them against all forms 
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of abuse and exploitation; 
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(d) Timely Delivery of Health, Medical, and Nutrition Services -
Under the 
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Program, the DSWD shall, in coordination with the Department of Health 
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(DOH) and the National Nutrition Council (NNC), immediately provide the 
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health, medical, and nutrition needs of the children in the areas declared 
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under the state of calamity including psychosocial interventions for children 
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and youth in different stages of development. The DOH shall give highest 
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priority to the treatment and rehabilitation of pregnant mothers and babies; 
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(e) Plan of Action for Prompt Resumption of Educational Services for Children. -
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The DSWD shall, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepED), 
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ensure the prompt resumption of educational services for children; 
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(1) Establishment of an Emergency Center - Within five (5) days from the 
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declaration of a national or local state of calamity, the DSWD shall set up a 
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children's emergency center in every city or municipality declared under the 
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state of calamity which shall provide the necessary child care services and 
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shall coordinate with the lead agencies to effectively respond to the needs of 
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the children in the area; and 
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(g) Promotion of Children's Rights - The Program shall include activities and 
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processes that will promote and uphold the rights of children by: 
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(1) Promoting a child-centered training for all first responders; 
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(2) Ensuring that children are provided with adequate access to age-
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appropriate information on the proper action, roles, duties and 
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responsibilities of various government agencies during calamities and 
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other emergency situations; 
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(3) Consulting with the affected children on their needs and priorities for 
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post-disaster relief and recovery; and 
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(4) Providing for an effective mechanism for training and meaningful 
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participation of children in community disaster risk reduction program. 
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SEC. 4. Evacuation Centers. - Only in cases where there is no other available 
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place or structure which can be used as a general evacuation center maya school be 
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used as an evacuation center. 
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When a school is used as an evacuation center, the use shall be limited to the 
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areas or spaces in the school that are not used as classroom such as gymnasiums, 
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auditoriums and other open spaces. The use of the school premises shall not exceed 
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thirty (30) days after the declaration of a state of national or local calamity, unless the 
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extension is absolutely necessary. If the use exceeds thirty (30) days, the National 
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Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) shall, in coordination 
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with the Local DRRMC, provide written documentation to the DepED on the following: 
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(a) The name and location of the school; 
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(b) All alternative sites and the rationale for final site selection; and 
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(c) Measures being implemented to prevent interference or disruption to the 
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school and educational activities of children. 
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When temporary learning spaces or other transitional and semi-permanent 
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structures are used as classrooms after a disaster, the DepED shall continuously 
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monitor and assess the condition of such structures in order to ensure the safety of the 
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children and provide optimal learning environments. 
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Where temporary learning spaces or other transitional and semi-permanent 
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structures are used for more than six (6) months after the declaration of a state of 
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calamity, the regional DepED office shall conduct quarterly site inspections and shall 
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certify to the Secretary of Education that such spaces are in good physical condition 
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and sufficient to ensure the safety of the children and their environment. 
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SEC. 5. Unaccompanied or Separated Children. - In case of children who lost 
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their families or who are separated from their families and relatives, the DSWD shall 
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document and provide adequate care, initiate tracing of immediate relatives, and 
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proceed with the reunification services. All appropriate steps shall be taken to ensure 
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the early reunion of unaccompanied or separated children with their families or 
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immediate relatives. 
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SEC. 6. Data Gathering and Reporting - In the aftermath of a national or local 
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state of calamity, the collection and reporting of data at all levels shall be disaggregated 
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by age and gender. Such collected data shall be utilized to understand and respond 
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better to the needs of the children affected by disasters and calamities. 
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SEC 7. Heightened Surveillance Against Child Trafficking, Child Labor, 
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Child Prostitution, and Violence on Children. - Upon the declaration of a national or 
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local state of calamity, the PNP and the DSWD shall immediately heighten 
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comprehensive surveillance and monitoring to prevent child trafficking, labor, and 
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prostitution, including domestic and sexual violence, in the areas declared under the 
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state of calamity. Within three (3) days from the declaration of a national or local state of 
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calamity, the PNP Chief and the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development shall 
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jointly submit written documentation and report on their surveillance and monitoring to 
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the appropriate committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives. 
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SEC. 8. System of Restoring Legal Documents. -
To ensure that vital 
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information pertaining to the personal circumstances of a child are adequately protected 
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and available at all times, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) shall develop a 
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system for the restoration and reconstitution of legal documents that have been 
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destroyed or declared lost or missing during a disaster or calamity, within two (2) weeks 
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after the submission of the application for the reconstitution or replacement of the 
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destroyed or missing document. The PSA shall submit copies of such reconstituted 
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documents to appropriate government agencies for effective monitoring and reporting 
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and to ensure the continued access of the affected children to social services and 
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facilitate the reunification of separated children with their families or immediate relatives. 
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SEC. 9. Training of First Responders - The NDRRMC shall promote and 
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conduct a child-centered training program for all first responders in the calamity area 
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such as community and barangay leaders, school personnel and other rescuers. The 
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training program shall include the following: 
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(a) Proper procedures and measures to safeguard and protect the affected 
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children during and after emergencies and disasters; and 
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(b) Appropriate training on psychosocial interventions for children and youth in 
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different stages of development who are victims of calamities. 
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SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations - Within ninety (90) days from 
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the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, in 
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consultation and coordination with the Director of the OCD, the Secretary of Health, the 
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Secretary of Education, the PNP Chief and the AFP Chief of Staff, shall promulgate the 
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necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision of part of this Act is declared 
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invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in 
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full force and effect. 
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SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, preSidential decrees, 
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rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with any provision of this Act are 
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hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved. 
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