RECEIVED
pare, 08 SEP 2016
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REISTRATION UNIT
BILLS AND NCE SERVICE |

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE:
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 3499

Introduced by Representative ALFRED VARGAS.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

On March 31, 2016, a fire hit the Faculty Center of the University of the
Philippines, Diliman Campus. The damages in the 10-hour fire were pegged at Php 3
Million. Two days later, the University of the East in Manila was also hit by fire and left
damages estimated to be worth Php 22 Million.

The two fire incidences brought to a realization the importance of all learning
institutions to reassess their fire safety standards and policies so that areas of
improvement can be properly identified and appropriate measures adopted. Moreover,
it is also imperative for these schools to disclose their fire safety practices and programs
to their students, teachers, and employees to ensure their welfare and safety.

This bill seeks to provide the compulsory disclosure of fire safety standards and
measures in campus buildings. First, it compels all public and private educational
institutions to provide the individuals concerned with fire safety reports. Second, they
are also instructed to send periodic reports on cases of fires and false fire alarms to the
campus community and their local fire departments. These educational institutions are
also required to submit reports to the Department of Education (DepEd) or the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The bill also directs the DepEd and the CHED to draft and implement the rules
and regulations of this proposed legislation.

In line of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is urged.

\LFRED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3499

House Bill No,

Introduced by Representative ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
PROVIDING THE COMPULSORY DISCLOSURE OF FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS AND
MEASURES IN CAMPUS BUILDINGS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION], Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Campus Fire Safety
Right-to-Know Act of 2016.”

SECTION 2, Definition of Terms ~ As used in this Act, the following terms shall be
understood to mean as follows:

1. “Chairman” refers to the Chairman of the Commission on
Higher Education;

2, “CHED" refers to Commission on Higher Education.

PION 3, Disclosure of Fire Safety Standards and Measures in Campus Buildings.
and private educational institutions shall, beginning in the Academic Year
2016 - 2017, and each year thereafter, prepare, publish, and distribute, through
appropriate publications or mailings, to all current students and employees, and to any
applicant for enrollment or employment upon request, an annual Fire Safety Report
containing at least the following information with respect to the school’s campus fire
safety practices and standards:

A.A detailed summary of all educational facilities, including
student housing facilities of the institutions, if any, with a
statement of whether or not the said facilities are equipped with
a fire sprinkler or any other fire safety system, or both,

B. If available, statistics concerning the occurrence on campus,
during the two (2) preceding calendar years of fires and false
fire alarms in the subject facilities.


C. For each such occurrence, a statement of the human injuries or
deaths and the structural damage caused by the occurrence.

D. Information regarding fire alarms, smoke alarms, the presence
of adequate fire escape planning or protocols, rules on portable
electrical appliances, smoking and open flames (such as
candles), regular mandatory supervised fire drills, and planned
and future improvements in fire safety.

E, Preventive steps and/or programs and other fire safety
measures undertaken by the educational institution concerned
to curb and mitigate fire hazards.

SECTION 4, Autonomy of Educational Institutions. - Nothing in the previous
selection shall be construed to authorize the Secretary of the Department of Education
and/or the Chairman, when applicable, to require particular policies, procedures, or
practices by educational institutions with respect to fire safety.

SECTION 5. Periodic Reports, - Each institution covered by this Act shall make
periodic reports to the campus community on fires and false fire alarms which are
reported to local fire departments in a manner that will aid the prevention of similar
occurrences,

SECTION 6. Reports to the Secretary of Education and/or Chairman - On an
annual basis, each institution covered by this Act shall submit to the Secretary of
Education or any of his duly authorized representative, in the cases of primary and
secondary educational institutions and the Chairman or any of his duly authorized
representative, in the cases of tertiary educational institutions, a copy of the
information required to be disclosed under Section 3 hereof, Thereafter, the Secretary
of Education and the Chairman, in proper cases, shall:

A. Review such statistics;
B. Make copies of the statistics available to the public; and

C. In coordination with representatives of the institutions
concerned, identify exemplary fire safety policies, procedures,
and practices and disseminate information concerning those
policies, procedures, and practices that have been proven
effective in the reduction of campus fires.

SECTION 7. Report to Congress by the Secretary of Education and/or Chairman of
CHED - Within one (1) year after the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Education
and/or Chairman of the CHED, in proper cases, shall prepare and submit to the
Congress a report containing the following:

A, An analysis of the current status of fire safety systems in all
educational facilities covered by this Act;


B, An analysis of the appropriate fire safety standards to apply
to these facilities, which the Secretary of Education and/or
the Chairman, in proper cases, shall prepare after
consultation with such fire safety experts, representatives of
educational institutions, and other government agencies as
the Secretary of Education and/or Chairman, considers
appropriate;

C. An estimate of the cost of bringing all non-conforming
dormitories and other campus buildings up to current
building codes; and

D. Recommendations concerning the best means of meeting
fire safety standards in all _ facilities, including
recommendations for methods to fund such cost.

SECTION 8, Lead Agency. - ‘The DepEd and the CHED shall be the lead
government agencies tasked to implement this Act,

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations, ~ The DepEd and the CHED shall
issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations to enforce the provisions of this
Act within one hundred twenty (120) days from the enactment of this law.

SECTION 10. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 11, Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended
accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,