Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3542

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: HON. “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER RESILIENCE, DEFINING ITS
POWERS AND FUNCTION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The Philippines which is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire and typhoon belt in the Pacific, is
one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Based on the 2018 World Risk Report published
by Ruhr University Bochum, the risk index value of the Philippines is 25.14% that makes it in third
place with the highest disaster risk of the 173 countries.'

According to the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT), the Philippines has lost a total of
26.35 billion USD in damages due to natural disasters including typhoons, floods, earthquakes, volcanic
activities, droughts, landslides, insect infestations, epidemics, mass movements and wildfires over the
past decades. EM-DAT is the international disaster database of the Centre for Research on the
Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) of the Universite Catholique de Louvain in Brussels, Beligium.
81.7% of it or 21.51 billion USD were lost due to typhoons only. An average of 20 typhoons enter the
Philippines every year and according to the Asian Disaster Reduction Center, five of these are
considered destructive.

Philippines ranks 112 at the ND-GAIN Country Index, Vulnerability and Readiness. The ND-
GAIN Index summarizes a country’s vulnerability to climate change and other global challenges in
combination with its readiness to improve resilience?

Our country is vulnerable, the social and economic cost of natural disasters in the country is
increasing due to population growth, change in land-use patterns, migration, unplanned urbanization,
environmental degradation and global climate change, Yet we are still prepared we lack in coping
capacities; and we lack of adaptive capacities. Needless to say, there’s a lot to be desired in terms of the
readiness of ourpeople in dealing with natural disaster.

We need to establish a well-designed department that is focused on putting
resilience on an equal footing with mitigation.

ion and

Thus, the passage of this bill is eamestly sought.

Representative
First District of Bulacan

2 (Macaraeg, 2018)Macaraeg, P. (2018, September 17). Thisis How Much Natural Disasters Cost Ph in Terms
of Damages and Deaths. Retrieved from Entrepreneur Philippines.

2 (University of Notre Dame) University of Notre Dame. (n.d.). Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
3542
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER RESILIENCE, DEFINING ITS
POWERS AND FUNCTION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

ARTICLE I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the “Disaster Resilience Act”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies and Principles. - The State recognizes that:

a) The Philippines is one of the country’s most vulnerable to climate change and various kinds natural
hazards, including among others typhoons, earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, landslide, storm
surges, and drought;

b) Tremendous physical and economic, losses are sustained by the country, and in the certain cases,
damage to our national, cultural and historical heritage, each time such natural hazards wreak havoc
on an unsuspecting and unprepared populace;

©) There is an urgent need io establish a focused, streamlined, independent, empowered, capacitated,
+ full time, specialized agency on disaster risk reduction and management as well as emergency
response, which is national in scope and civilian in character;

4) The people are the most important assets of the nation, and all disaster risk reduction and
management efforts shall be responsive to the humanitarian needs of the people, the dignity and
value of the human person, and respect for property.

Towards this end, the state shall endeavor to ensure:

a) That a strategic, systematic, continuous, comprehensive, inclusive and integrated approach to
disaster risk and management is established, with the end in view of substantially reducing
vulnerabilities and the risk of disaster and other humanitarian emergencies, towards the
preservation of life and property, thereby ultimately preventing or deterring the loss of lives and the
social, economic, cultural, and environment assets of the country;

b) That a permanent, institutionalized, cohesive and comprehensive framework for disaster
preparedness, prevention and mitigation, and response is adopted to be implemented by a highly
specialized and focused agency bearing its own mandate, powers and funding in coordination and
with the participation of the Philippine government, other foreign governments and financial
institutions, international organizations the private sector and civil society;

©) That the differing concerns and needs of various sectors or those with higher vulnerabilities such as
women, children, elderly, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples, are specifically served,
with respect to disaster resilience and disaster management;

4) The implementation of the principles, concept and action plans of climate change and disaster risk
reduction contained in international and national frameworks and commitments in various phases of
policy formulation, development and investment plans, poverty reduction strategies and other


development tools, and techniques by all national and local agencies, institutions and

and mitigation;

To inculcate a culture of resilience and preparedness for natural disasters at the national, regional
and local levels, and adopt a whole-of-society approach in disaster resilience to enhance
collaboration, planning and dialogue among all sectors of society, and in improving their strategies
and/or action plans for disaster risk reduction.

SECTION 3. Definitions of Terms. — As used in this Act:

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Adaptation shall refer to the adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or
expected climactic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial
opportunities.

Assisting Actor shall refer to any Assisting International Actor and any Assisting Domestic Actor
responding to a disaster in the country.

Assisting Domestic Actor shall refer to any not-for-profit entity established under domestic laws,
which is responding to a disaster in the country

Assisting International Actor shall refer to any foreign state, organization, entity or individual
responding to a disaster within or transiting through the country to responding to a disaster within
or transiting through the country to respond to a disaster in another country.

Biological Hazards shall refer to hazards that are of organic origin or conveyed by biological
vectors, including pathogenic microorganisms, toxins and bioactive substances. Examples are
bacteria, viruses or parasites, as well as venomous wildlife and insects, poisonous plants and
‘mosquitoes carrying disease-causing agents;

Build Forward Better shall refer to an approach to building and/or reconstructing an area or
community which entails a shift from simple entails a shift from simple recovery and restoration to
safer, more adaptive, resilient, and inclusive communities.

Business Continuity shall refer to the capacity of a business entity to continue the delivery of its
products and/or services at acceptable pre-defined levels following a disruptive incident;

Capacity shall refer to the combination of all strengths, attributes and resources available within a
community, society or organization that can reduce the level of risk, or impacts of a disaster.
Capacity may include infrastructure and physical means, institutions, societal coping abilities, as
well as human knowledge, skills and collective attributes such as social relationships, leadership
and management. Capacity may also be described as capability.

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) shall refer to non-state whose aims are neither to generate
profits nor to seek governing power, but to unite people to advance shared goals and interests, They
have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or other, based
on ethical, cultural, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations. CGOs include
nongovemment research institutes, community-based organizations (CBOs), faith-based
organizations, people’s organization, social movements, and labor unions

Climate Change shall refer to a change in the state climate that can be identified by changes in the
mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persist in an extended period, typically
decades or longer, whether due to natural variability or as a rest of human activity as defined under
Republic Act No. 0729, otherwise known as the “Climate Change Act of 2009”. These include
intemal processes or external forces such as modulation of the solar cycles, volcanic eruptions and
persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use.

Climate Mitigation shall refer to efforts to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions or enhance
greenhouse gas sequestration;

Cultural Heritage shall refer to the totality of cultural property preserved and developed through
time and passed on to posterity;


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Contingency Planning shall refer to a management process that analyzes specific potential events or
emerging situations that threaten society or the environment and establishes arrangements in
advance to enable timely, effective and appropriate responses to such events and situations.

Department shall refer to the Department of Disaster Resilience or the DDR;

Development Assistance shall refer to any financial, material or other forms of assistance to support
the economic, social, and environmental well-being of areas and/or people by a natural disaster;

Disability shall refer to an evolving concept that results from the interaction between persons with
impairments, societal barriers, as defined under Republic Act No. 7277, and attitudinal and
environmental barriers that hinder their fall and effective participation in society on an equal basis
with others.

Disaster shall refer to 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. Unless otherwise used
specifically in this Act, the term “disaster shall refer to ‘natural disaster”;

Disaster Contingency Fund shall refer to a fund, in lump-sum form, managed by the Department to
expediently provide funds and resources for disaster relief or response in affected areas;

Disaster Mitigation or Mitigation shall refer to the lessening or limitation of the adverse impacts or
hazards and related disasters. Mitigation measures include hazard-resistant structures as well as
improved environmental, land use planning, climate change and other sectoral policies and public
awareness;

Disaster Preparedness shall refer to the knowledge and capacities developed by governments,
professional, professional response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals to
effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from, the impacts of likely, imminent or current
hazard events or conditions. It includes preparedness for response such as contingency planning,
stockpiling of equipment and supplies, the development of arrangements for coordination,
evacuation, and public information and preparedness for recovery such as procurement of land for
resettlement sites.

Disaster Prevention shall refer to the intention to avoid, or the outright avoidance, of potential
adverse impacts of disasters and related hazards through actions(s) taken in advance. It expresses
the concept and intention to completely and avoid potential adverse impacts through action taken in
advance such as construction of dams or embankments that eliminate flood risks, land-use
regulations that do not permit any settlement in high risk zones, and seismic engineering designs
that ensure the survival and function of a critical building in any likely earthquake.

Disaster Resilience shall refer to the ability of a system, community, or society exposed to hazards
to resist, absorb, accommodate, adapt to, transform and recover from the effects of a hazard and/or
the long-term impact of climate change in a timely and efficient manner, including through the
reservation and restoration of its essential basis structures and functions through risk management;

Disaster Response shall refer to the provision of emergency services and public assistance during or
immediately after a disaster in order to secure and save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public
safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected. Disaster response includes
disaster relief focused on immediate and short-term needs of the victims and the vulnerable.

Disaster Resilience Fund shall refer to the budget managed by the Department, which includes
funds appropriated to it by Congress pursuant to an Appropriations Act, the Disaster Contingency
Fund, and the Rehabilitation and Recovery Fund;

Disaster Risk shall refer to the potential disaster losses in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets and
services that could occur to a particular community or society in the future, and is determined by a
combination of the vulnerability, capacity, exposure of persons and assets, hazard characteristics
and the environment.

Disaster Risk Governance shall refer to the way in which public authorities, civil servant, media,
Private sector, and civil society coordinate at community, national and regional levels in order to


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manage disaster and climate related risks. This means ensuring that sufficient levels of capacity and
resources are made available to prevent, prepare for, manage and recover from disaster. It also
entails mechanisms, institutions and processes for citizens to articulate their interests, exercise their
legal rights and obligations, and mediate their differences.

Disaster Risk Management (DRM) shall refer to the systematic process of using administrative
directives, organizations, and operational skills and capacities to implement strategies, policies and
improved coping capacities in order to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility of
disaster;

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) shall refer to the prevention of new, and/or reduction of existing
disaster risk(s) and the management of residual risk, to enhance resilience to disasters;

Early Warning System shall refer to an integrated system of hazard monitoring, forecasting and
prediction, disaster risk assessment, and communication and preparedness activities and processes
that enable individuals, community's national government agencies, local government units, the
private sector and others to take timely action to reduce disaster risks and adequately prepare for
disaster;

Eligible Assisting Actor shall refer to any assisting actor that has been determined to be eligible to
receive legal facilities as provided for in this Act and/or its Implementing Rules and Regulations
IRR);

Emergency shall refer to an unforeseen or sudden occurrence, especially danger, demanding
immediate and decisive action;

Emergency Management shall refer to the organization and management of resources and
responsibilities for addressing all aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and
initial recovery steps;

Environmental Hazards the hazards that may be chemical, natural, and biological, and can be
created by environment degradation or physical or chemical pollution in the air, water, and soil.
However, many of the processes and phenomena that fall into this category may be termed drivers
of hazard and risk rather than hazards themselves, such as soil degradation, deforestation, loss of
biodiversity, salinization, and se-level rise;

Exposure shall refer to the degree to which the elements at risk are likely to experience hazard
events of different magnitudes;

Geographic Information System (GIS) shall refer to a system used to capture, store, manipulate,
manage and display all types of spatial or geographic data;

Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) shall refer to areas with a marginalized
population, which is physically and socio-economically separated from the mainstream society and
characterized by physical factors isolated due to distance, weather conditions and transportation
difficulties (island, upland lowland, landlocked, hard to reach and underserved communities);
and/or socio-economic factors (high poverty incidence, presence of vulnerable sector, communities
in or recovering from situation of crisis or armed conflict);

Geological or geophysical hazards shall refer to the hazards that originate from internal earth
processes, such as earthquakes, volcanic activities and emissions, and related geophysical
Processes, which include mass movements, landslides, rockslides, surface collapses, and debris or
mud flows. Hydro meteorological factors are important contributors to some of these processes.
While tsunamis are triggered by undersea earthquakes and other geological events, they essentially
become an oceanic process that is manifested as a coastal water-related hazard;

Hazard shall refer to a phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition that may cause loss of
life, injury or impacts to health; social and economic disruption, environmental damage, o loss
off/disruption to property, livelihood, and/or services;

Historical landmarks shall refer to sites or structures that are associated with events or
achievements significant to Philippine history as declared by the National Historical Institute or the
applicable agency;


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Human-Induced Hazard shall refer to an event that is caused by humans and occur in or close to
‘human settlements or a particular environmental area. This can include environmental degradation,
technological or industrial conditions, pollution, accidents, e.g. high-density events, industrial and
transport accidents, complex emergencies, armed conflict, situations of generalized or organized
violence, and violation of human rights.

Humanitarian assistance shall refer to financial, material or other similar forms of assistance to
address the immediate needs of people affected by a natural disaster;

Hydro meteorological hazards shall refer to hazards that are of atmospheric, hydrological, or
‘oceanographic origin, such as tropical cyclones (also known as typhoons and hurricanes); floods,
including flash floods; drought; heat waves and cold spells; and coastal storm surges. Hydro
meteorological conditions may also be a factor in other hazards such as landslides, wild land fires,
locust plagues, epidemics, and in the transport and dispersal of toxic substances and volcanic
eruption material;

Impact and needs assessment shall refer to the assessment of the nature and magnitude of a disaster,
its impact on affected populations, the type and extent of emergency, and the requirements for
recovery and rehabilitation of affected area(s);

Immediate Danger shall refer to a situation where, on the basis of official forecasts, it could
reasonably be expected that a disaster will occur in a particular geographical area and within an
estimated period of time, and where necessary preparedness actions or financing are required;

Integrated Disaster Resilience Information System shall refer to a specialized database, which
contains, among other, information on disasters and their human, material, economic and
environmental impact, risk assessment and mapping, and vulnerable and marginalized groups;

International Disaster Relief and Initial Recovery Period shall refer to the period that commences
upon the issuance of a request for international disaster assistance or upon acceptance of an offer,
and shall contimue until terminated, pursuant to guidelines set in the implementing rules and
regulations;

Internally Displaced Persons shall refer to persons or groups of persons who have been forced or
obliged to flee or to leave their homes and places of habitual residence within national borders;

International Personnel shall refer to staff and volunteers of any assisting actor providing disaster
relief or initial recovery assistance being persons who are neither citizens of nor domiciled in the
Philippines prior to their recruitment by the international assisting actor;

Land Use Planning shall refer to the process undertaken by public authorities to identify, evaluate
and decide on different options for the use of land, including consideration of long-term economic,
social and environmental objectives and the implementations for different communities and interest
‘groups, and the subsequent formulation and promulgation of plans that describe the permitted or
acceptable uses;

Legal Facilities shall refer to entitlements and exemptions that are granted to Assisting Domestic or
International Actors that are declared to be eligible pursuant to this Act and its implementing rules
and regulations;

Local Disaster Resilience Plan (LDRP) shall refer to a document prepared by an LGU based on the
National Disaster Resilience Framework (NDRF) and the National Disaster Resilience Plan and
Investment Plan (NDRPIP) that sets out specific programs, objectives and goals to implement
disaster risk management and climate change adaptation measures at the local level. The plan
includes, among others, an evaluation and analysis of emerging disaster risks, hazards and
vulnerabilities applicable to an LGU, and specific programs and activities to ensure responsive,
effective, and appropriate disaster preparedness and managements at the local level;

National Continuity Policy shall refer to a comprehensive national policy consisting of a set of
programs and projects aimed at capacitating the government to ensure the continuity of governance
and the delivery of public services during and after any disaster;


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National Disaster Resilience Framework (NDRF) shall refer to a framework that provides for a
comprehensive, multi-sectoral, whole-of-government, and whole-of-society approach to attaining
safe, adaptive, and resilient communities that can resist, prevent, mitigate against, absorb,
accommodate, adapt to, recover, or build back better from the effects of a natural hazard in a
timely and efficient manner through, among others, disaster risk reduction and management, and
climate change adaptation and mitigation. The NDRF shall be composed of a National Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management Framework (NDRRMF), and National Framework Strategy on
Climate Change (NFSCC);

National Disaster Resilience Plan and Investment Program (NDRPIP) shall refer to a plan
formulated and implemented by the national and local governments, in collaboration with NGOs,
the private sector, academe, international development partners, and others, and others, in
accordance with the NDRF that sets out the outcomes, goals and objectives, priorities, programs
and corresponding action plans for disaster risk reduction, preparedness, management, and climate
change mitigation. The NDRPIP shall also include, among others, goals, objectives and action
plans for a national continuity policy. - It shall be in conformity with the national disaster risk
reduction and management framework.

‘National Hazard shall refer to naturally occurring physical phenomena caused either by rapid or
slow onset events, which can be geological (earthquakes, ground rupture, liquefaction, landslides,
tsunamis, sinkholes, and volcanic activity), hydrological and meteorological (floods, sever winds,
typhoons, storm surges), climatological variability (extreme temperatures, El Nino, La Nina, forest
fires), or biological (disease, epidemics and insect/animal plagues);

Open Data shall refer to a set of data that can be freely used, shared and built-on by anyone,
anywhere, for any purpose, it must be available in bulk, and should be available free of charge, or
at least at no more than a reasonable reproduction cost. The information should be digital,
preferably available by downloading through the internet, and easily processed by the end-user’s
computer. The data must permit people to use, re-use, and redistribute it, including intermixing it
with other data sets and distributing the results. Lastly, it does not allow conditions to be placed on
how people can use such data but permit a data provider to require that data has been changed, or
that any new datasets created using their data are also shared as open data;

Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan (PDRP) shall refer to a plan intended to help government officials
working in small communities or across an entire nation, to define and follow a process to pre plan
for disaster recovery, and thereby strengthen their own future recovery efforts and outcomes;

Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) shall refer to a process to evaluate a hazard’s level of risk
given the degree of exposure and vulnerability in a specific area likely to be affected by an
imminent hazard. It presents the possible impacts on the population and forms a basis to determine
the appropriate level of response actions from the national level government agencies down to the
local government units. It is hazard-specific, area focused, and time-bound;

Recovery shall refer to rehabilitation measures that ensure the ability of affected communities or
areas to return their normal level of functioning by restoring livelihoods and services,
reconstruction of damaged infrastructures and increasing the communities’ organizational
capacity;

Rehabilitation shall refer to restoration of basic services and facilities for the functioning of a
community or a society affected by a disaster;

Response shall refer to any effort to provide assistance or intervention during or immediately after
a disaster to meet the life preservation and basic subsistence needs of affected people and
communities; and in the restoration of essential public activities and facilities;

Retrofitting shall refer tothe reinforcement of upgrading of existing structures to make them more
resistant and resilient to the damaging effects of hazards;

Risk Assessment shall refer to a methodology to determine the nature and extent of risk by
analyzing potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability that together could
potentially harm exposed people, property, services, livelihood and the environment on which they
depend;


Ill) Risk assessment shall refer to the process of formally or informally shifting the financial
consequences of particular risks from one party to another whereby a household, community,
enterprise or state authority will obtain resource from the other party after a disaster occurs, in
exchange for ongoing or compensatory social or financial benefits provided to that other party;

mmm) Safety stock shall refer to items, such as raw materials, component parts, or finished goods,
maintained in inventory to reduce the risk that such item will be out of stock, in anticipation of
unforeseen shortages or unusual demand for such items;

nnn) Service Continuity shall refer to the capacity of a government instrumentality to continue
delivering its mandated outputs and/or services to the public during and after a disaster;

000) State of Calamity shall refer to a condition involving endangered to and/or loss of lives, damages
to property, economic and/or social disruption, interruption and/or loss of livelihood and/or
services, and destruction and/or damages to infrastructure as a result of natural disaster(s) or
related hazards(s);

ppp) Simplified or Pre-Arranged Contract shall refer to a written agreement in the nature of an option
contract between the procuring entity on one hand, and the most responsive and lowest calculated
bidder on the other, granting the procuring entity the option to either place an order for any of the
g00ds identified therein or not buy at all, within a given period of time;

qqq) Sustainable Development shall refer to development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs;

mr) Volunteers shall refer to individuals, groups or entities that offer and/or provide services or
assistance, without compensation, to help people and/or areas affected by disasters;

sss) Vulnerability shall refer to the conditions determined by physical, social, economic,
organizational, and environmental factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of an
individual, a community, assets or systems to the impacts of hazards;

ttt) Whole-of Society Approach shall refer to an approach that encourages the meaningful the active
participation and synergy of the different stakeholders of society toward climate change adaptation
and mitigation, and disaster risk reduction and management at the national and local levels;

uun) Whole-of-Government Approach shall refer to an approach that instills and fosters collaboration
among all government instrumentalities both at the national and local levels toward shared
sustainable development goals and outcomes; and

vw) Whole-of-Nation Approach shall refer to an approach that seeks to bring about a concerted effort
towards sustainable development, national peace and security by creating consensus and
understanding of development, national peace and security that is shared not just among core
security forces and oversight government, institutions, but also by the nation’s stakeholders, e.g.
government, civil society, private sector, and the communities.

ARTICLE 0
THE DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER RESIELICE
MANDATE, POWERS, AND FUNCTIONS

SEC 4, Creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience. — there is hereby created the Department of
Disaster Resilience, hereinafter referred to as the Department;

‘The Department shall be the principal government institute responsible for ensuring safe, adaptive, and
disaster-resilient communities. It shall lead, spearhead, initiate, and integrate the crafting and
implementation of comprehensive continuous, and strategic plans, programs, projects, and activities to
reduce the risk of all types of natural hazards and effects of climate change, and manage the impact of
disaster with the primordial goal of saving lives and minimizing damage to property, in close
collaboration with all relevant stakeholders at the national and local levels;

The Department shall oversee and coordinate the preparation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
of disaster and climate resilience plans, programs, project and activities, provide leadership in the
continuous development of strategic and systematic approaches to disaster prevention, mitigation,


preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation and anticipatory adaptation strategies, measures,
techniques, and options. It shall also manage and direct the implementation of national, local, and
community-based disaster resilience programs in collaboration with relevant national govemment
agencies, LGUs, CSOs, and other stakeholders, as applicable.

SEC 5. Powers and Functions of the Department, - The Department shall exercise and perform the
following powers and functions:

1. Craft the policies and lead the implementation of the programs, projects, and activities necessary to
reduce the country’s vulnerabilities to natural hazards and climate change, using the PDRP and the
relevant climate change and DRR frameworks as anchors;

2. Review and build upon, to the extent necessary, the existing resilience framework, plans, and
strategies in the crafting of an NDRF and the corresponding NDRPIP;

3. Oversee, review, and approve the translation, integration and implementation of the NDRPIP into
LDRPs,

4. Communicate and disseminate critical information to help the public prepare for, respond to and
recover from a disaster;

5. Receive, manage, and administer the Disaster Resilience Fund, the Disaster Contingency Fund,
donations and other funds, assets and/or properties received by the Department to accomplish the
purposes of this Act;

6. Recommend to the President of the Philippines the declaration of a state of calamity due to a natural
disaster, and the lifting thereof when conditions stabilize;

7. Direct any government entity to help ensure the attainment of the goals and objectives of this Act;

8. Advance the country’s interest relating to disaster resilience and climate change in the regional and
global arena;

9. Advise the President on matters concerning disaster resilience and make recommendations, as
appropriate; and

10. Perform such other function, as provided by law or assignment of the President, and undertake all
other necessary actions to ensure the attainment of the overall goals and objectives of this Act.

Disaster Risk Reduction;

1. Develop coordinated national, regional, and local strategies for the effective prevention and
mitigation of disaster risk resulting from natural hazards, including the effects of climate change;

2. Monitor and ensure the integration of disaster risk reduction and management, and climate change
adaptation policies into national development plans;

3. Establish a disaster resilience information system to facilitate the creation of an integrated risk
assessment platform-built form the inputs of government agencies and private scientific and
academic institutions, national government agencies and local goverment units, local
communities, and other stakeholders and that is able to provide readily accessible and actionable
information for purposes of risk governance and humanitarian action;

4. Formulate plans and programs to establish and implement government redundancy, service and
business continuity, and National Continuity Policy, as a high priority and urgent undertaking;

5. Ensure the use of advanced science and technology in anticipatory planning of communities against
the impact of natural hazards and climate change through consultation, and employment with a
regular department funding the academic or higher institutions;

6. Develop and implement policies and programs related to the constructions of new settlements or
relocation of settlements in safe areas that shall to the extent such policies and programs relate to
disaster risk reduction, mitigations, prevention or building forward better, prevail over policies or
decisions of other government departments, government agencies, government owned or controlled
corporations, LGUs and other government instrumentalities;

7. Design and implement an incentive system for greater private and public investment, both at the
local and national level, on disaster risk reduction;

8. Oversee and ensure the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in
development and land use planning, and the preparation of contingency plans;

9. Create an enabling environment that shall promote broader multi-stakeholder participation for
disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and mitigation;

10. Communicate and disseminate critical information to help the public prepare for, respond to, and
recover from a disaster;

11. Establish and monitor local and national capacity for disaster risk financing and insurance and other
risk transfer strategies in coordination with the Department of Finance (DOF), the Government
Service Insurance System (GSIS), and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), and the Insurance
Commission;


12. Coordinate directly with local government units and private entities to address Disaster Risk
Assessment (DRA) of regions and provinces at the meso-scale, cities and municipalities at the
micro-scale, and barangays at the meta-scale;

13, Review and evaluate local disaster resilience plans and other local plans to ensure their consistency
with the National Disaster Resilience Framework; and

14, Undertake all other programs, projects, and actions necessary to attain the overall goals and
intended outcome of the key result area.

Disaster Preparedness and Response:

1, Lead, manage, and collaborate with the relevant government instrumentalities, non-government
stakeholders, and intemational partners in providing the minimum basic needs of people in affected
areas before, during and/or immediately after a disaster to save lives and minimize casualties;

2. Ensure the efficient prepositioning of goods, maintenance, and disposal of safety stocks;

3. Prepare pre-disaster recovery plans in anticipation of future disasters by engaging the community
and planning for recovery activities that are comprehensive and long-term;

4, Establish a corps of first responders in partnership with national and local stakeholders, both public
and private;

5. Formulate standards for contingency planning for adoption by both national government agencies

«and local government units

6. Recommend to the President of the Philippines the declaration of a state of calamity due to a natural
disaster, and the lifting thereof when conditions stabilize;

7. Oversee and maintain a national early-waring and emergency alert system that must provide a
specific, areas-focused and time-bound warning that are accurate, timely, understandable, and
readily accessible to national and local emergency response organizations and the general public;

8. Implement Pre-disaster Risk Assessments to include deployment of rapid assessment teams to gather
information for precise actions as a basis for emergency preparedness and humanitarian response;

9. Coordinate information-sharing and other disaster risk reduction protocols following the principle of
inter-operability among national government agencies and local government units

10. Establish and maintain a national humanitarian logistics system with a network of warehouses,
transport and resources, including response assets and disaster relief food and non-food items;

11, Call upon the relevant government instrumentalities, non-government stakeholders, CSOs, and
international partners for assistance in ensuring the protection and preservation of life and property
such as through the use of their resources and facilities, among others. This function includes the
power to call on the reserve force as defined in Republic Act no. 7077 to assist in search and rescue,
and the relief and disaster preparedness and response operations;

12, Organize, train, equip, and maintain a system of capacity for search, rescue and retrieval and the
delivery and distribution of relief goods;

13, Monitor and support LGUs in the management of evacuation centers and ensure the welfare and
dignity of intemnally-displaced persons;

_ 14, Procure goods and services prior to, during, and after emergencies for preparedness, response, and
recovery activities, including those prompted by a declaration of a state of calamity or of an
imminent disaster;

15. Issue special procurement rules and regulations, in close coordination with the Government
Procurement Policy Board, for preparedness, response, and recovery activities, including those
prompted by a declaration of a state of calamity or of an imminent disaster;

16. Assist in mobilizing necessary resources to increase the overall capacity of local government units,
specifically those with low income and situated in high-risk areas;

17. By the authority of the President, secure the assistance of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), DILG-Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), DOTr-
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and other uniformed services in undertaking disaster preparedness
and response operations in at risk and/or in disaster-affected areas; and

18. Undertake all other programs, projects, and actions necessary to attain the overall goals and intended
outcomes of this key result area.

Recovery and Building Forward Better;

1. Prepare, organize, lead, implement, and manage post-disaster assessment and recovery, rehabilitation
programs and plans, in coordination with the affected local government units, national government
agencies, and other stakeholder;

2. Establish a system that utilizes templates exposure database, and other tools; and develop the
Department's in-house capacity for the prompt and expedient preparation of rehabilitation plans,
when needed, for disaster affected areas;


10.

i.

12,

13.

14,

15,

16,

Prepare and implement the recovery and rehabilitation plan(s) for disaster affected areas;

Implement the cluster approach to expedite reconstruction efforts, ¢.g., post-disaster shelter
recovery, and orchestrate and serve as the clearing house for the participation of assisting actors in
such efforts;

Collaborate with relevant government agencies and non-government stakeholders in understanding
programs and projects to restore and/or generate livelihood and entrepreneurial activities and
opportunities in disaster-affected areas;

Ensure that the principle of building forward better, not mere restoration, is applied to all recovery
reconstruction efforts; and

Undertake all the programs, projects, and action necessary to attain the overall goals and intended
‘outcomes of this key result area.

Other powers and function;

Constitute, call, convert and/or deputize agencies of government, and invite non-government and
private organization, or assist, advice, and/or coordinate with the department to achieve the goals and
purpose of this act;

Provide operating guidelines to achieve the LDROs, for the declaration of imminent disaster in their
respective areas, which shall allow then to implement preemptive measure and use their quick
response funds in order to save lives and minimize damage to property, loss of livelihood, and
another asset

Establish and monitor local and national capacity for disaster risk financing and insurance and other
risk transfer strategies in coordination with DOF, GSIS, LBP, and the insurance commission;
Coordinate information-sharing and other disaster risk reduction protocols following the principle of
inter-operability among national government agencies and local government units, before, during,
and after a disaster;

Administer, mobilize, monitor, and oversee the utilization of disaster resilience related funds,
including but not limited to, the national disaster resilience funds and the supplemental disaster
resilience support fund for low income provinces, cities, and municipalities, multi-hazard local
government units;

Inspect and examine the status of project, programs, and activities undertaken by national
government agencies and local government units in furtherance of disaster efforts;

Whenever it becomes necessary, to save live and/or minimize damages to livelihood and property,
assume supervision over the implementation for any government program, project, or activity in
anticipation of, during, and in the aftermath of a disaster,

Negotiate, enter into, institutionalize, and coordinate arrangement with any private person or entity
for the purpose of ensuring the adequate and prompt availability of goods and services necessary in
anticipation of, during, and in the aftermath of disaster;

Manage all funds appropriated to it by law and from other sources, including all donation and grants
received by it;

Promulgate rules and regulation for the receipt, management, and accounting of donation that are
consistent with the rules of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the use of foreign and local
donation and during calamities and disaster;

Receive humanitarian assistance from local and foreign sources, recommend the acquisition of
development assistance for the purpose of disaster resilience, acknowledge and certify the receipt of
all humanitarian assistance, and ensure their judicious use and management;

Establish and operate a platform, including an online platform, to monitor and provide public access
to infon-nation on humanitarian assistance received by the department;

Secure the assistance of the AFP, PNP, DILG- BFP, DOT:-PCG, and other uniformed services and
government instrumentalities to ensure the attainment of the three key result areas, and the overall
goals and objectives of this act;

In consultation with the COA, promulgate rules and regulation for the retention, re-exportation,
donation, and disposition of unused goods and equipment after the termination of disaster relief and
initial recovery operation;

Assist appropriate national government agencies and offices and concerned local government units
in protecting national culture heritage including national treasures and national historical landmarks,
sites or monuments from hazards and disaster, and

Perform such other function, as provided by law or assignment of the president, and undertake the
necessary action to ensure the attainment of the overall goals and objectives of this act.


ARTICLE IL
EMERGENCY MEASURE

Sec 6 Emergency measure -

a

The department shall undertake and implement such immediate measures as may be necessary to
ensure the protection and prevention of life or property in anticipation of, during, and in the
aftermath of emergencies, hazard and disaster, including preemptive and forced evacuation.

Local government units shall enact an ordinance on and implement necessary and appropriate
emergency measures, including preemptive and forced evacuation, to ensure the protection and
preservation of life or property in anticipation of, during, and in the aftermath of disaster. It shall be
‘mandatory for local government units to provide evacuation centers, with due consideration to the
capacity of local facilities, when requested by the department, in anticipation of, during, and in the
aftermath of emergencies, hazard and disaster. In providing such evacuation centers, due regard shall
be given to the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, respecting the dignity and culture of
persons, observing equality and using proportionate force in implementing such emergency measure.

Preemptive evacuation shall be the preferred as the primary mode of moving that will be affected
by the disaster forced evacuation shall be considered as an emergency measure of last resort, and
shall be carried out by the affected local government unit, pursuant to a duly issued order by the
local chief executive: provided, that in case of the failure of the local chief executive to issue such an
order, the forced evacuation shall be implemented by the department, which may direct and compel
the assistance of law enforcement and other relevant government agencies to implement such
measure

Any person who willfully and deliberately disregards or disobeys a preemptive or forced
evacuation implemented by the local government by the local government unit or the department, as
the case may be, releases such local government unit or the department from any liability for injury,
death, damage to, or loss of property due to such disobedience

Whenever necessary, the department may recommend to the President the calling out of the Armed

Forces of the Philippines to prevent or suppress lawless violence occurring before, during, and in the
aftermath of disaster.

The Department may ration the distribution of basic goods in critical shortage, and/or restrict on ban
the transfer of such goods outside the area covered by the emergency measure.

‘The Department may temporarily take over or direct the operation of any private utility or business
for urgent public purpose in anticipation of, during, and in the aftermath of emergencies, danger of
loss of lives and/or damage to property, subject to the payment of just compensation

Local government units shall likewise enact the abovementioned emergency measures including
preemptive and forced evacuation, to ensure the protection and preservation of life or property in
anticipation of, during, and in the aftermath of disaster,

With the concurrence of the DOF, the Department shall recommend to the monetary board the

deferment of payment for monetary debts of LGUs and/or private entities that have been affected by
the disaster.

ARTICLE IV
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

SEC.7. The Secretary. — The Department shall be needed by the Secretary of Disaster Resilience,
hereinafter referred to as the Secretary, who shall be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation
by the Commission on Appointments.

The Secretary shall preferably have a solid background in any of the scientific engineering, and
public management fields relevant to resilience to natural hazards and climate change; and
demonstrated managerial acumen.


SEC 8. POWERS AND FUNCTION OF THE SECRETARY. - the Secretary shall exercise the
following powers and function;

a. Establish and promulgate policies, rules, and regulation for the affected and efficient operation of the
Department and implement these to carry out its mandate, function, programs, and activities;

b. Exercise executive direction over the operation of the Department and administrative supervisions
over its attached agencies;

¢. Exercise control and supervision over all function and activities of the Department and its officers
and personnel;

4. Appoint officers and employees for the Department, except those whose appointments are vested in
the President, in accordance with civil service law, rules, and regulation;

e. Exercise disciplinary authority over officers and employees of the Department in accordance with
law, and investigate such officers and employees, or designate a committee or officer to conduct an
investigation;

£ Manage the financial, human, and other resources for the Department;

. Collaborate with other government agencies, the private sector, and civil society organization on the
policies, programs, project, and activities of the Department, as may be necessary

h. Advice the President on the promulgation of executive and administrative issuances and the
formulation of regulatory and legislative proposals on matters pertaining to disaster resilience;

i, Represent the Philippines and articulate contribution to global, regional, and other inter-
governmental disaster risk reduction and humanitarian platform, in coordination with the department

_ of Foreign Affairs; and
j. Perform such other function as may be provided by low or assigned by the President.

‘Sec. 9. The Undersecretaries. -the Secretary shall be assisted by at least four (4) Undersecretaries, who
shall be responsible for the following functional areas, including the establish of a robust and responsive
ICT system to effectively support the mandate operation of the Department;

a. Disaster Risk Reduction — the formulation, adoption, and implementation of policies and programs
to reduce existing and future disaster risk to minimize loss and damage to lives and properties,
including the formulation of the required policies and programs in the NDRF and relevant national
investment plans;

b. Disaster Preparedness and Response ~ the implementation of project and programs to prepare and
response to disaster, including the enhancement of capabilities of local government units, the
development of a database of exposure or elements at risk per area and database of volunteers, the
establishment of safe and strategic evacuation centers, and the implementation of responsive and
efficient prepositioning and distribution of goods;

c. Recovery and Building Forward Better — the formulation and implementation of rehabilitation plans
for disaster-affected areas and ensuring the implementation of disaster recovery and rehabilitation
measures, such as post-disaster shelters and livelihood projects, in collaboration with relevant
government agencies, local government units, and other stakeholders; and

4. Support to Operations, — the formulation and implementation of policies, programs, projects, and
activities to ensure the efficient, effective, and responsive performance of the Department's mandate,
powers, and functions. Support to operations include knowledge management, institutional
development and planning, finance, administration, and human resources management.

‘The Undersecretaries shall have operational control and supervision over the bureaus, divisions,
offices, and units assigned to their respective functional areas.

SEC. 10. The Assistant Secretaries and Directors. — the Department shall have such number of Assistant
Secretaries and Directors as may be necessary for the effective and efficient implementation and
performance of its mandate, powers, and functions.

SEC. 11. Qualifications. — All the Undersecretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and other official of the
Department shall preferably be specialist and have a good track record in any of the following fields, as
applicable to their mandated key result areas and functions; disaster risk reduction and management,
Science and technology, environmental science or management, urban planning, civil engineering, public
finance, information and communications technology, logistic management, mass communication, among
others field directly relevant to ensuring the country’s disaster resilience. The appointing authority and
other responsible officials shall ensure that the Department’s human resources possess the competencies,
skills, behavioral attributes, training and experience necessary for them to become efficient, effective, and
responsive in performing their function and contribute to the attainment to the overall goals and delivery
of the intended outcomes of this Act.


SEC.12. Structure and staffing pattern. - the Department shall determine its organizational structure and
staffing pattern and create such services, division, and units, as it may require or deem necessary, subject
to the approval of the Department of Budget and Management.

SEC.13. Regional Disaster Resilience Offices. - the Department shall establish and maintain regional
disaster resilience offices (RDOs) in each administrative region, to be headed by a Regional Director. The
Department shall create policies and programs to establish collaboration and coordination among the
different RDOs.

SEC.14. Powers and function of RDOs. — the RDOs shall have the following powers and function:

a. Review the LDRPs and Provincial DRPs of LGUs within its jurisdiction, and require the
amendment of such LDRPs and/or Provincial DRPs if necessary, to ensure compliance with the
NDRF and relevant national investment plans;

b. Monitor and direct LDROs and PDROs to implement their respective LDRPs and PDRPs;

c. Recommend to the appropriate local legislative body the enactment of ordinance to implement
the LDRP, NDRP and relevant national investment plans at the city, municipal or provincial
level, and comply with other requirements of this Act;

4 Review reports on the utilization of the LDRF and other disaster risk and management
resources of LGUs within its jurisdiction and give recommendations as necessary;

fe. Disburse to, and monitor the use by, LGUs of funds granted by the Department pursuant to this
Act and its IRR;

£ Provide, upon the request of LGUs or unilaterally at its own discretion, assistance to LGU(s)
within its jurisdiction as necessary to ensure the implementation of LDRPs/Provincial LDRPs,
NDRF and relevant national investment plans, and to render efficient and timely disaster
preparedness, response and recovery measures;

Identify and report to the Department issues and problem relating to, or affecting, the disaster
resilience of LGUs within its jurisdiction, and make recommendations to the Department and/or
to the LGUs to address such issues or problems;

bh. Formulate and establish mechanisms to mobilize and direct LDROs and PDROs within its
jurisdiction as necessary for disaster preparedness and response at the regional level;

i Establish and maintain, in coordination with the Department, a Regional Command and Control
Center (RCC), which includes, among others, an information management system at the
regional level, which consolidates and integrates information from the provinces, cities, and
‘municipalities within its jurisdiction, a multi-hazard early warning and communication systems,
and a monitoring system that enables the RDRO to oversee, supervise, monitor and respond to
the needs of LGUs within its jurisdiction in relation to disaster resilience activities;

|. Assist in the implementation of rehabilitation plan(s) for LGUs within its coverage; and

k. Conduct other activities and act on other matters, in accordance with policies and procedures of
the Department and applicable laws, to achieve the purpose of this Act.

SEC 15. Special Disaster Response Teams. — The RDROs may organize and/or activate Special Disaster
Response Teams (SDRTs) to assist LGUs in responding to hazards and disasters that are beyond their
capacities, as deemed necessary.

SEC 16. Local Disaster Resilience Offices. — the local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Offices in
provinces, cities and municipalities are hereby renamed as the Provincial, City and Municipalities
Disaster Resilience Offices, respectively, and shall collectively be called the Local Disaster Resilience
Offices (LDROs, Provincial, city and municipal governments establish their respective LDROs.

‘The Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committees are hereby renamed as the
Barangay Disaster Resilience Committees (BDRC).

All local Disaster Risk Reduction Managements Councils are hereby abolished. The LDROs
shall be under the contro! and supervision of the provincial govemnor or the city or municipal mayor, as
the case may be. The budgetary requirements for personal services, maintenance and other operating
expenditures, and capital outlay of the LDROs shall be sourced from the General Fund of the local
government units concerned; Provided, that the personal services limitations under Section 325(a) of
Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, shall not apply in
relation to the creation and appointment of at least five (5) positions in the LDROs. Other maintenance
and operating expenditures and the capital outlay requirements of LDROs in the implementation of


disaster risk reduction management and climate change adaptation programs shall be charged to the Local
Disaster Resilience Fund of local government units.

SEC. 17. Local Disaster Resilience Officer. ~ The LDRO shall be headed by a full-time Local Disaster
Resilience Officer, who shall have a regular plantilla position and shall be appointed by the local chief
executive; Provided, that the qualifications standards pertaining to experience and training set by the Civil
Service Commission for the position may be waived by the Department in exceptional cases upon the
request of the local chief executive.

SEC. 18. Powers and Function of City and Municipal Disaster Resilience Offices. - The city and
Municipal Disaster Resilience Offices shall have the following powers and functions:

a) Formulate and implement, in coordination with the Department, a comprehensive and Integrated
Local Disaster Resilience Plan in accordance with the NDRF and the relevant national investment
plans;

b) Design, program, coordinate, and implement disaster resilience activities consistent with the
standard and guidelines provided by the Department, and implement the NDRF and the relevant
national investment plans at the city or municipal level;

©) Prepare and submit to the Sangguniang Panglungsod or Bavan, as the case may be, the LDRP, the
proposed programming of the LDR Fund, other dedicated disaster Resilience resources, and other
funds of the LDRO;

d) Recommend to the Sangguning Panglungsod or Bavan, as the case may be, the enactment of
ordinances to implement the LDRP, NDRF, relevant national investment plans, and the provisions of
this Act;

€) Prepare and submit to the Department a report on the utilization of its local Disaster Resilience Fund
and other disaster risk reduction and management resources;

f) Establish and maintain, in coordination with the Department, an information management system
within the LGU, which among others, consolidates and includes local risk information (such as
natural hazards, profile of the LGUs vulnerable or marginalized groups), local risk maps, and a
disaggregated database of human resource, equipment, services, resources, directories and location
of critical infrastructures with their capacities (such as hospitals and evacuation centers);

&) Operate and maintain, in coordination with the Department a multi-hazard early warning and
communication system to provide accurate and timely information to the public;

h) Organize and conduct training and knowledge management activities on disaster resilience at the
local level, in coordination with the Disaster Research, Education and Training Institute;

i) Recommend to the local chief executive the procurement of emergency works, goods, and services
in compliance with the regulations, orders, and policies of DBM and Government Procurement
Policy Board (GPPB), to implement the LDRP or support early recovery and post-disaster activities;

j) Recommend, in coordination with the DOF and other relevant agencies, to the local chief executive,
access to foreign loans to finance projects, programs, and policies for disaster preparedness,
response, recovery, and rehabilitation, subject to terms and conditions agreed upon by the local
government unit and the lender;

k) Monitor and mobilize instrumentalities and entities of the LGU and its partner LGUs, CSOs, private
sector, organized volunteers, and sectoral organizations for disaster resilience activities, in
accordance with policies and procedures of the Department and applicable laws;

1) Coordinate and provide the necessary support or assistance to the Department in the implementation
of rehabilitation plan(s) within the city or municipality covered by the LDRO;

m) Coordinate with the Department, other government agencies, members of the private sector and
other stakeholders in the LGU to establish a business continuity plan as part of their LDRPs disaster
preparedness measures;

n) Establish linkage/network and coordination mechanisms with other LGUs and the Department for
disaster resilience activities and to achieve the purposes of this Act; and

©) Conduct other activities and act on other matters, in accordance with policies and procedures of the
Department and applicable laws, to achieve the purposes of this Act.

SEC 19. Powers and Functions of the Provincial Disaster Resilience Office. — the Provincial Disaster
Resilience Offices shall have the following powers and functions;

a. Formulate and implement, in close coordination with the Department and the local government
units under jurisdiction of the provincial government, a comprehensive and integrated Provincial
Disaster Resilience Plan in accordance with the NDRF;


D. Review the LDRPs of cities and/or municipalities within its jurisdiction, and require the
amendment of such LDRPs if necessary, to ensure compliance with the Provincial DRP and
NDRF;

c. Design, program, coordinate, or implement disaster resilience activities consistent with the
standards and guidelines provided by the Department, and implement the NDRF and the relevant
national investment plans at the provincial level;

4. Prepare and submit to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the Provincial DRP, the proposed
programming of the province’s Local Disaster Resilience Fund, other dedicated disaster resilience
resources, and other funding sources of the PDRO;

e. Recommend to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan the enactment of local ordinance to implement the
Provincial LDRP, NDRF, and relevant national investment plans at the provincial level and
comply with other requirements of this Act:

£. Prepare and submit to the Department, a report on the utilization of the province’s Local Disaster
Resilience Fund and other disaster risk reduction and management resources;

g. Establish and maintain, in coordination with the Department, a Provincial Command and Control
Center (PCCC), which includes, among other, an information management system at the
provincial level, which consolidated and integrates information from the cities and/or
municipalities within its jurisdiction, a multi-hazard early waming and communication system
that is connected with the cities and/or municipalities within its jurisdiction, and a monitoring
system that enables the PDRO to oversee, supervise, monitor and respond to the needs of cities
and/or municipalities within its jurisdiction in relation to disaster resilience activities.

h. Recommend to the provincial Govemor the procurement of emergency works, goods, and
services in compliance with the regulations, orders, and policies of DBM and GPPB, to
implement the provincial LDRP or support early recovery and post-disaster activities of the
PDRO;

i. Recommend, in coordination with the DOF, to the Provincial Governor to access foreign loans to
finance its policies, programs, projects, ‘and activities for disaster preparedness, response,
recovery and rehabilitation, subject to terms and conditions agreed upon by the Provincial
Governor and the lender,

|. Formulate and establish mechanisms to mobilize and direct LDROs within its jurisdiction as
necessary for disaster preparedness response at the provincial level;

k. Coordinate and provide the necessary support or assistance to the Department in the
implementation of rehabilitation plan(s) within the cities and/or municipalities covered by the
PDRO; and

1. Conduct other activities and/or act on other matters, in accordance with policies and procedures
of the Department and applicable laws, to achieve the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 20. Service continuity of the Department. — to ensure service continuity, the Department and
its regional and attached offices shall be established in a reasonably resilient location; and/or
undertake the necessary interventions to make its offices and systems disaster-resilient.

ARTICLE V
WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT AND WHOLE OF NATION APPROACH

SEC. 21. Synergy with Stakeholders. — the Department shall ensure seamless synergy and
coordination with stakeholders, including national government agencies, local government units,
government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs, CSOs, the academe, and the private sector,
in relation to disaster resilience programs and projects and the development and promotion of
research, education, and training mechanisms. The Department shall establish a platform, paradigm,
and mechanisms for convergence and coordination with stakeholders, including the development of
standards, protocols, and procedures for seamless collaboration for disaster resilience.

SEC 22. Establishment of MultiStakeholders Convergence Unit. — the Department with the
assistance of other relevant government agencies and stakeholders, shall establish a Multi-
Stakeholders Convergence Unit (MSCU), which shall closely engage the private sector, CSOs,
academe, and other non-government stakeholders and strengthen public-private collaboration
towards disaster resilience by way of the following interventions, among others:

a. Implementation of business continuity practices to ensure the continued delivery of products and
services, in the event of disasters;

b. Crafting and implementation of a National Continuity Policy to ensure government service
continuity during and after emergencies and disasters, and ensure the quick retum of government
to full operations;


Establishment, incorporation, and application of business continuity plans as part of the LDRPs
of LGUs,

Facilitation or assistance in obtaining and/or processing incentives for the private sector and
other non-government stakeholders, such as but not limited to tax credits;

Preparations and facilitation of the issuance of special rules for Micro, Small, and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs) such as, but not limited, mechanisms involving procurement and liquidity
to create enabling environments for disaster preparedness, recovery and building forward better;
and

Formulation of investment programs for disaster affected areas in partnership with the private
business sector and civil society organizations.

‘The MSCU shall establish a platform that includes, among others, a database for monitoring and
coordinating efforts and resources of stakeholders.

SEC. 23. Rules and Responsibilities of Stakeholders. — The commitment, goodwill, knowledge,
experience and resources of relevant stakeholders are critical to realize a safer, adaptive, resilient and
inclusive Filipino community.. Citizens have the shared visions and duty to provide support to the
State in the implementation of policies and programs, particularly the Disaster Resilience
Framework and Disaster Resilience Plan at che national, regional and local level.

a

Civil society, non-government organizations, intemational non-governmental organizations,
private sector, practitioner, and volunteers shall participate, in collaboration with public
institutions, in the exchange of information, learning and guidance on disaster resilience. The
Department shall encourage and institutionalize their engagement in the implementation of
local, regional, national and global plans and strategies; enhance public awareness and
promote a culture of disaster resilience;

The women, children, and youth, as agents of change, shall endeavor to contribute actively and
participate in disaster resilience trainings and information dissemination;

Senior citizens, and persons with disabilities shall contribute their knowledge and experience
on disaster preparedness and resilience;

Indigenous peoples and Muslim Filipinos shall share their traditional knowledge and practical
experience on disaster preparedness and resilience;

Urban and rural poor, and migrants shall participate in building resilient resettlement
communities;

Emergency responders and volunteer organizations shall contribute to resilience by promptly
and efficiently responding to disaster and emergencies consistent with the policies of the
Research, Education, and Training Institute of the Department;

Academia, scientific and research entities, and networks are encouraged to undertake relevant
research on disaster resilience in partnership with the Department and other stakeholders for
the better decision-making;

The private sector is encouraged to integrate disaster resiliency projects and programs in their
corporate social responsibility initiatives; and

The media shall provide prompt and accurate information to the public on early waming
system, natural hazards, and disaster resilience activities of the Department.

Sec. 24. Disaster Resilience Assembly. - The Department, with the assistance of RDROs,

shall establish and convene a Disaster Resilience Assembly (DRA), at the regional and national
level, which will be held on a semestral basis, or as frequently as necessary to ensure the proactive
engagement of the relevant government and non-government stakeholders, such as the Union of
Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP),
CSOs, academe, DRRM practitioners, the private sector, and the national government agencies,
among others, to ensure effective collaboration towards achieving the goals of this Act.

The LGUs may convene local DRAs within their jurisdictions, as necessary for the

attainment of disaster resilience at the local level.

Sec. 25. Inter-operability of Systems. - The Department shall establish mechanisms to

ensure the inter-operability of systems among government agencies, and to allow access of agencies
to the IDRIS (Integrated Disaster Resilience Information System). It shall develop protocols to allow
real-time access to information by government agencies in relation to natural disasters and the
implementation of disaster resilience measures.


Sec. 26. National organization of all Local Disaster Resilience Officers. — There shall be a
national organization of all local disaster resilience officers for the primary purpose of:

a. Developing capacity, and exchanging knowledge, experiences, and best practices
concerning local government disaster resilience;

b. Fostering inter-operability of the local disaster resilience offices’ systems: Facilitating
inter-LGU cooperation and collaboration;

c. Providing inputs and feedback to the Department on resilience concerns at the local
level; and

4. Enhancing synergy in other areas of common concer.

ARTICLE VI

MAINSTREAMING, INTEGRATION AND CONVERGENCE OF DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION

Sec. 27. Integration of DRR and Climate Change Adaptation in the National Disaster
Resilience Framework and Disaster Resilience Plan. — the existing NDRRM Framework Plan, and
the National Climate Change Strategic Framework and Plan shall be integrated and harmonized into
the NDRF and NDRPIP, the NDRF and NDRPIP shall be reviewed and updated every three (3)
years.

See. 28. Ecosystem-Based Approach to Prevention and Mitigation Rehabilitation and
Recovery from Disasters. - The Department shall ensure the application of ecosystems-based
approaches in disaster risk reduction, particularly through ecosystem management and restoration as
defined in this Act, and ensuring that environmental and natural resource policies are risk-informed.

ARTICLE VII

NATIONAL DISASTER OPERATIONS CENTER, ALTERNATIVE COMMAND CENTER,
AND RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE

Sec. 29 National Disaster Operations Center. - the Department shall establish, within one
(1) year from the approval of this Act, and act as the primary operator of, the National Disaster
Operations Center (NDOC), Alternative Command and Control Centers (ACCCs), and a Disaster
Resilience Research and Training Institute (DRRT1).

‘The NDOC is a physical center equipped with the necessary tools and systems to monitor,
manage, and respond to disasters in all areas of the country. The NDOC shall also provide the
necessary support for the overall coordination and implementation of emergency and disaster
response measures throughout the country.

The ACCCs are command centers established in other locations as altemative or to provide
supplemental support to the NDOC. The number and location of ACCCs shall be determined by the
Department as may be necessary in each of the country’s major island groups. Temporary ACCC
may likewise be established by the Department, if necessary.

Sec. 30 DRRTI functions and inter-agency knowledge sharing. — the DRRTI shall be a
platform for providing training, and for collecting, consolidating, managing, analyzing, and/or
sharing knowledge and information to improve and/or enhance disaster resilience. The DRRT! shall:

a. Establish reliable and up-to-date IDRIS through close and seamless collaboration with the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Information and
Communications Technology (DICT), and other appropriate agencies;

b. Conduct disaster-related research programs, seminars, and trainings for all types of
stakeholders

c. Consolidate, organize and/or prepare training materials and publications;

4. Conduct other activities consistent with promoting the formation and dissemination of
knowledge and information relating to disaster resilience and disaster management;


e. Establish a database that includes relevant information from other government agencies and
third parties for the department to better prepare and respond to natural hazards including,
but not limited to, an inventory of hazardous materials per area; and

£ Consult and coordinate with, and consolidate information/data from, relevant government
agencies, such as, but not limited to, DOST, LGUs and relevant CSOs to enhance the IDRIS
and to promote knowledge sharing among all stakeholder.

Sec. 31. Compliance and Accreditation of DRRTI with International Standards. - The
Department shall strive to obtain certification from, and accreditation by, international accreditation
bodies of the DRRTI to ensure DRRTI’s compliance with intemational standards. The Department
shall likewise ensure collaboration with key countries and international organizations to incorporate
best practices on disaster resilience in the Department's policies and programs

ARTICLE VIL
INTEGRATION, MAINSTREAMING DISASTER RESILIENCE INFORMATION,
EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION CONVERGENCE

Sec. 32. Integrated Disaster Resilience Information System. — The Department shall
establish a National and Regional Information Management System for Disaster Resilience, which
shall be a database of all relevant disaster risk reduction and climate change data, including a
geographic information system on geo-hazard assessments and climate risk. It shall be the repository
of current and multi-temporal information for wide-scale disaster risk analysis. The IDRIS shall be
accessible at all times to the responsible officials and entities to enable the timely, reliable, and
accurate collection, processing, analysis, and dissemination of information to support overall
decision-making and effective coordination at both the national and sub-national level. The protocols
and procedures for this shall be defined in the IRR of this Act.

Sec.33. Disaster Resilience Education and Training. — To instill a culture of safety and
security including emergency preparedness and disaster resiliency, the Department, in partnership
with the public and private sectors shall encourage the inclusion of appropriate information on
disaster resilience in their various training programs and immersion activities. The Information
Education and Communication materials on disaster resilience shall be informative and holistic,
gender, culture and disability sensitive using various available platforms.

ARTICLE IX
DISASTER RISK TRANSFER, INSURANCE AND INCENTIVES

Sec. 34, Disaster Risk Transfer Insurance and Social Welfare. —

a. The Department shall oversee all disaster risk-sharing and risk-transfer instruments and other
related initiatives to ensure the protection of property and livelihood, both public and private.

b. The Department, in collaboration with the DOF, BSP, LBP, GSIS, and the Insurance
Commission, shall create, establish, and implement, among others, disaster insurance pools,
revolving funds, insurance and risk-transfer and schemes and/or facilities, and other financial
disaster resilience measures to ensure the protection of public and/or private properties and
livelihood against the adverse effects of natural disasters. For this purpose, the Department
and/or DOF may engage or require the participation of government banks, insurance agencies
and financial institutions.

c. To attain disaster resilience and to achieve the purposes of this Act, the Department shall have
the discretion and authority to require government agencies and GOCCs to insure their assets
and/or properties such as, among others, vessels, vehicles, equipment, machineries, permanent
buildings, properties stored therein, or properties in transit, against insurable risks and pay the
premiums therefor, to compensate the Government and/or GOCC, as applicable, for any
damage to, or loss of properties due to a natural disaster.

d. The Department shall endeavor the local government units to insure primary assets for
unforeseen or contingent potential losses, damages and disruption from natural hazards
chargeable against their respective Local Disaster Resilience und (LDRF).


Sec. 35. Recognition and Incentives. ~ The Department, in partnership with the private sector, shall
establish an incentives program that recognizes outstanding performance of LDRO, NGOs, CSOs,
schools, hospitals, and other stakeholders in promoting and implementing significant disaster risk
reduction management-climate change adaptation programs and innovations, and meritorious acts of
individuals groups or institutions during natural.

See. 36

ARTICLE X
PREPAREDNESS AND INTEGRATED EARLY WARNING

‘Standards for Disaster Preparedness Activities. —

a. The Department shall establish standards and protocols for disaster preparedness,
contingency planning, localizing and operationalizing disaster risk reduction and
management, preparedness for disaster response, preparedness for early recovery,
continuity of essential services and other relevant preparedness activities.

b. The LGUs shall identify safe and strategic sites, and establish evacuation centers with
appropriate and adequate facilities in accordance with government-approved standard as
provided under Republic Act No. 10821, otherwise known as “The Children’s
Emergency Relief Protection Act”, to avoid disruption of school classes and lessen the
use of school buildings and facilities as evacuation centers.

The LGUs shall immediately compensate said schools used as evacuation centers. The
schools may seek compensation for renovation, replacement, or repairs of damaged facilities
for such use.

Sec. 37. Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Risk Communication Standards. —

a

Sec. 38.

a

‘There shall be a streamlined policy goveming carly warming systems and risk
communication protocols to ensure effective and efficient measures to prepare for, respond
to and recover from potential risks and disasters.

The Department shall formulate and implement multi-hazard early warming protocols
integrating all disaster preparedness systems in collaboration with local executives,
community-based organizations for proper use and application.

Early Warning Mandate. -

‘The Department shall issue an integrated early waming alert for the impending occurrence
of hazards that will enable the public to prepare timely and act appropriately to minimize
potential harm or loss.

The Department shall require mobile phone service providers to send out alerts at regular
intervals in the event of an impending natural hazard, in accordance with Republic Act No.
10639, otherwise known as the “Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act”.

The Department shall recognize and proactively support local or indigenous modes of early
warning systems and allow open access to near real-time data from both local and
intemational sources made available through various platforms such as websites, mobile
apps, and social media to empower local communities and individuals.

‘Any person who transmits early waming concerning the abovementioned phenomena by
means of signs in designs, colors, lights, or sound shall do so in compliance with the
‘methods recognized or approved by the Department.

‘The Department at the national and local level shall use an integrated early waming system
to ensure it is consistent and locally contextualized with the communication protocol and
safe evacuation procedure of the affected communities.

‘The Department shall work with other agencies or organizations on pre-crisis information
mapping of the humanitarian needs of at-risk communities that will enhance the overall
repositioning of resources at the national and local level.

The Department shall recognize and proactively support local or indigenous modes of early
warming systems and allow open access to near real-time data from both local and
international sources made available through various platforms such as websites, mobile
apps, and social media to empower local communities and individuals.


ARTICLE XI

DISASTER RESPONSE AND EARLY RECOVERY

Sec. 39 Declaration of State of Calamity. - the Department shall declare a cluster of
barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, and regions under state of calamity, and the lifting
thereof, based on the criteria set by the Department.

‘The declaration and lifting of the state of calamity may also be issued by the local
‘Sanggunian, upon the recommendation of the LDRO, based on the results of the damage assessment
and needs analysis: Provided, that through the Department, the LDRO may seek from the local
legislative body or Sanggunian, the declaration of a state of imminent disaster to enable the local
executives to implement pre-emptive evacuation and precautionary measures in order to save lives
and minimize damage to property, loss and disruption of livelihood that require the use of funds and

resources under the LDRF.

Sec. 40. Levels of Responsibility for Disaster Preparedness and Response. - The primary
responsibility for disaster preparedness and response shall be exercised at the local or national level,
as applicable, in close and seamless collaboration with the relevant national government
instrumentalities, non-government stakeholders, and intemational partners. The four levels of
responsibility and the conditions that warrant each are as follows:

Support: Provincial Disaster
Resilience Officer

Municipal and/or City Disaster
Resilience Officers concerned.

LEVELS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS CONDITIONS
RESPONSIBILTY
Level 1: City of Responsibility | Lead Official: Mayor of the | Ifa disaster affects a single city
| affected city or municipality _| or municipality.
Support: City ot Municipal
_ _ Disaster Resilience Officer
| Level 2: Province ‘Lead Official: Ifa disaster affects two or more
Provincial Governor of the | municipalities and/or cities
affected province within a province

Level 3: Region

‘Lead Official:
Regional Director, DDR

Support: Governors or affected
provinces

Concerned Provincial Disaster
Resilience Officer

Level 4: National

Lead Official: Secretary of
Disaster Resilience (SDR)

Support: Governors concerned

Disaster Resilience Officer
concerned

‘a Ifa disaster affects at least
‘two (2) regions;

b. When the LGU is unable
to effectively cope with the
risk and/or impact of a
hazard or

c. When the President directs
a Level 4 response or
declares a state of calamity

Sec 41. Disaster Preparedness and Response in the NCR. - When at least two cities and/or
municipality in the NCR are affected, the SDR shall be responsible for leading the disaster
preparedness and response efforts, in collaboration with the affected LGUs, the MMDA, and the
concemed government instrumentalities and non-government stakeholders.



Sec. 42. Inter-Local Government Assistance. - LGUs are hereby authorized to extend the
necessary assistance to another LGU, whether through funding or donation of goods and/or services,
and conducting disaster preparedness and response operations, to help save lives and minimize
damage to property. These include the pre-positioning and provision of basic goods, training of first
responders, among others, subject to the accounting and auditing rules to be defined in the IRR of
this Act.

‘See 43. Accreditation, Mobilization, and Protection of Disaster Volunteers and National
Service Reserve Corps, CSOs and the Private Sector. - The government agencies, CSOs, private
sector and LGUs may mobilize individuals or organized volunteers to augment their respective
personnel complement and logistical requirements in the delivery of disaster risk reduction programs
and activities. The agencies, CSOs, private sector, and LGUs concemed shall take full responsibility
for the enhancement, welfare and protection of volunteers, and shall submit the list of volunteers to
the Department, through the LDROs, for accreditation and inclusion in the database of community
disaster volunteers.

A national roster of Accredited Disaster Resilience Volunteers and Institutions, National
Service Reserve Corps, CSOs and the private sector shall be maintained by the Department through
the LDROs. Accreditation shall be done at the municipal or city level.

The mobilization of volunteers shall be in accordance with this Act and implementing
‘guidelines to be formulated by the Department. Any volunteer who incurs death or injury while
engaged in any of the activities defined under this Act shall be entitled to compensatory benefits and
individual personnel accident insurance as may be defined in the IRR.

Sec 44, Reporting of Humanitarian Assistance. — The concerned local government unit
shall submit a report to the Department, taking into account all domestic or intemational
humanitarian assistance and distributed within its area of responsibility.

ARTICLE XII
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE,

Sec. 45. Management of Humanitarian Assistance. -

a. The Department shall have the power to receive and manage humanitarian assistance from any
person or entity, whether from local or international sources.

b. The importation by, and humanitarian assistance to, the Department of, among others, food,
clothing, medical assistance, equipment, and materials for relief, recovery and other disaster
management activities are hereby authorized in accordance with Section 105 of the Tariff and
Customs Code of the Philippines, as amended and the prevailing provisions of the General
Appropriations Act covering national intemal revenue taxes and import duties of national and
local government agencies.

Sec. 46, International Humanitarian Assistance.- The Department shall promulgate
guidelines on international humanitarian assistance, including the initiation, entry, facilitation,
transit, regulation and termination thereof, as well as those involving international disaster relief and
personnel assisting international actors, visa waiver, recognition of foreign professional
qualifications, entry of international disaster goods and equipment, and exemption from port duties,
taxes, and restrictions.

Sec. 47. Assessment of the Need for International Humanitarian Assistance. -

a. Immediately after the declaration of a state of calamity by the local sanggunian of the relevant
local government unit or by the Department, as the case may be, the Department shall
determine whether domestic capacities are likely to be sufficient to attend to the needs of
affected persons for international humanitarian assistance. This determination may also be
made, at the discretion of the President, prior to the onset of an imminent disaster.

b. In the event of a determination by the Department that domestic response capacities are not
likely to be sufficient due to the impact of the disaster, the Department shall recommend to the
President that a request be made for Intemational humanitarian assistance.

c. A determination that domestic capacities are likely to be sufficient and that international
humanitarian assistance is therefore unnecessary may be reviewed and rescinded by the
Department, with the approval of the President, at any time, in light of prevailing circumstances
and available information.


Sec 48. Humanitarian Assistance Action Center. - The Department shall create an inter-
agency one-stop shop mechanism called the Humanitarian Assistance Action Center (HAAC) for the
processing and release of entry and facilitation of goods, articles or equipment and services and
Intemational relief workers for the provisions of intemational humanitarian assistance and the
processing of necessary documents for assisting international actors.

The Department shall lead and manage the HAAC, which shall be composed of the
following:

Bureau of Customs;
Department of Foreign Affairs;
Department of Social Welfare and Development;
Department of Health
Food and Drug Administration;
Department of Agriculture;
Department of Energy;
Department of National Defense;
Philippine National Police;
Philippine Coast Guard; and
Bureau of Immigration
Sec 49. Request for International Humanitarian Assistance. -

Forse meee ee

a. In cognizance of the urgency, criticality and intensity of an imminent risk, the Department
shall issue a flash appeal to the family of nations, under regional and multilateral
conventions, for assistance in preparedness, including preemptive measures, search, rescue,
and retrieval, relief, recovery, and reconstruction.

b. The President may request international humanitarian assistance, upon the advice of the
Secretary. Such request may be specifically directed to particular assisting international actors
or may be a general request directed to the intemational community.

Sec 50. Regulation of Humanitarian Assistance. -

a. The Department shall ensure the efficient and effective monitoring of humanitarian assistance
from domestic or international donors, establish and operate platform, including an online
platform, to facilitate and provide public access to information on donations.

b. The Department shall include in the IRR of this Act guidelines and accountabilities on the
receipt, management, distribution, accounting, and reporting of all humanitarian assistance,
whether in cash or in kind, consistent with the rules on the use of foreign and local aid during
calamities and disasters issued by the COA and other relevant government agencies.

ARTICLE XII
OFFER AND FACILITATING OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO FOREIGN
STATES

Sec. 51. Offer and Facilitation of International Humanitarian Assistance of Foreign
States. In the event of a disaster occurring in a foreign state for which intemational
humanitarian assistance is required, the Department, in coordination with the DFA, may
offer, facilitate, provided and deploy intemational humanitarian assistance to said foreign
state, which shall be subject to guidelines to be promulgated by the Department for the
purpose.

Sec. 52. Accreditation. - The Department shall observe internationally accepted standards for
recovery, planning, programming and implementation of the recovery process. Towards this
end, the Department shall:

‘a. Improve the community’s physical, social and economic resilience, consistent with the
principle of “building forward better”;

b. Use locally-driven, centrally-supported process based on legal mandates with supplementary
capacity support when requested;

c. Redirect development outside danger zones to minimize loss of lives and structures resulting
from typhoons, flooding, landslides, and other hazards

4. Employ outcome-driven planning and implementation;


©. Maximize use of Private-public sector partnership where possible;

f Consider local conditions such as culture, security situation and existing capacities of
communities in identifying programs and projects;

g. Ensure access to public transport, physical and mental health services, markets, schools,
sustainable livelihoods, and other public services in planning for settlement areas; and

hh. Ensure restoration of peace and order and recovery of govemment functions

ARTICLE XV
REMEDIAL MEASURES UNDER STATE OF CALAMITY

Sec. 54, Declaration of State of Calamity. - A state of calamity may be declared when any of the
following requisites are present:

a. A natural hazard, including climate change, poses imminent threat to human life and/or
danger to property; or

b. A significant impact is caused by a natural hazard or climate change, which demands
immediate action.

‘The following shall exercise his power, respectively:

a. The President, upon recommendation of the RDRO, for disasters covering two or more
provinces of the same region; and

b. The local sanggunian, upon recommendation of the concemed local disaster resilience
office, within its jurisdiction.

Sec. 55, Remedial Measures under State of Calamity. - Upon the declaration of a state of calamity,
the following remedial measure shall be immediately undertaken by concemed government agencies
at the national and local levels:

a. Imposition of price ceiling on basic necessities and prime commodities by the Price
Coordinating Council (PCC), as provided for under Republic Act No. 7581 otherwise known
as the “Price Act”, as amended by Republic Act no. 10623;

b. Monitoring, prevention and control by the Local Price Coordination Council of overpricing
or profiteering and hoarding of prime commodities, medicines and petroleum products;

c. Programming or reprogramming of funds for the repair of critical facilities or public
infrastructures that are vital for the quick delivery of humanitarian assistance, to reduce
further threat to lives and arrest further deterioration of properties and loss of livelihoods in
the affected communities, following the “build forward better” principle;

4. Grant of no-interest loans by government financing or lending institutions to the most
vulnerable and marginalized groups or individuals;

e. Local tax exemptions, incentives or reliefs under such terms and conditions as may be
deemed necessary by the affected local government unit; and

£. Use of alternative modes of procurement under Article XVI of this Act, by the Department,
LGUs or the relevant government instrumentalities in relation to the urgent procurement of
emergency works, goods or services to effectively respond to, quickly recover disasters, and
build forward better.

ARTICLE XVI
PROCUREMENT

Sec. 56. Procurement. - In general, the procurement rules provided under Republic 31 32 Act No.
9184, otherwise known as the “Govemment Procurement Reform Act”, shall apply. However,
alternative modes of procurement as provided in this Act may be resorted to by the Department,
RDROs, or LGUs in any of the following emergency situations:

a. There is imminent danger to life or property during a state of calamity, as provided under
this Act, and the procurement is necessary to avert or reduce such danger to life and
property; or

b. The procurement is necessary to restore vital public services, infrastructure facilities and
other public utilities; or

c. Time is of the essence in implementing project, program or activity to effectively respond to
a disaster and save lives or


4. There are other circumstances that require immediate procurement necessary to prevent
damage to or loss of life or property.

Sec. 57. Alternative Modes of Procurement. - During emergency situation as provided under
this Act, the Department, RDROs or LGUs may resort to the following modes of procurement:

a. Direct negotiation under Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the “Government
Procurement Reform Act”, and its implementing rules and regulations;

b. Simplified or pre-arranged contracts such as, among others, pre-signed agreement, stand-by
contracts, pre-arranged systems of procurement with a pre-approved list of contractors for
construction projects, pre-negotiated contracts, advanced procurement contracts, and
framework contracts. The parameters, requirements and conditions for these types of
contracts shall be defined in this Act’s IRR.

Sec 58. Special Rules and Procurement for Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Affected
Areas.

|A) The Department, with the assistance of, or in collaboration with, relevant government
agencies, shall create special rules on procurement for services, goods, and materials to be
used for construction and rehabilitation efforts in case of a mutual disaster, including but not
limited to, the construction for post-disaster shelters and provision of service contracts, to
ensure the procurement of quality-oriented goods, materials and equipment and to guarantee
effective, efficient, and speedy procurement to achieve the goals of this act.

B) In case of procurement of services, goods or materials for reconstruction and rehabilitation
efforts, whether from local or intemational sources, the Department and the relevant
government agencies shall provide less bureaucratic, restrictions, more flexible procurement
policies, or exemption from, or reduction of, customs duties.

Sec. 59. Procurement from Qualified Suppliers or Contractors. - as an exception to the
provisions of Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement
Reform Act” and its implementing rules and regulations, the Department shall have the
power to procure goods and services from either local or foreign suppliers or contractors for
purposes of implementing programs, projects, and activities related to disaster resilience and
disaster management. The conditions, limitations, application processes, cligibility
requirements and assessment criteria for local and foreign suppliers and contractors shall be
provided in this Act’s IRR.

Sec. 60. Pre-Arranged Contracts or Agreements with Private Sector Entities. —
Notwithstanding Republic Act No. 9184 otherwise known as the “Government
Procurement Reform Act”, the Department shall have authority to enter into arranged or
contingency or agreements with private sector entities for the purpose of, among others,
establishing, logistics system for the efficient and prompt distribution of goods, equipment
or other materials required for disaster response and management; securing food, medicines,
fuel, or other supplies from groceries, pharmacies, gas stations, or other sources in the event
of a disaster in a specific area; ensuring an alternative source of power and water from
private utilities in the event of a disaster in a specific area; or other arranging the immediate
supply of other goods, services or equipment necessary for disaster response and
management. The conditions, limitations and parameters of contracts or arrangements
authorized under this Section shall be provided in this Act's IRR.

Sec. 61. Other Procurement Rules and Policies.- In view of the urgency and to avoid
unnecessary delays to procure goods, services, and implementing projects for the purpose of
providing responsive, effective, aud efficient rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation
efforts for, and to continue the provision of basic services to, disaster victims or disaster
affected areas, the DBM and GPPB shail issue appropriate resolutions, orders, and policies
to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.

Sec. 62. Government Accounting and Auditing Policies. - The COA shall review, align,
and issue policies or rules to improve the efficiency and expediency of procurement and
audit processes for programs and projects relate to disaster resilience and management.


ARTICLE XVI
SPECIAL RULES ON BORROWING AND TAXES

See. 63. Rules on Borrowing. - The KGUs shall access foreign financing, through the DOF,
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and other relevant agencies, as applicable, to implement
disaster prevention, mitigation, early recovery, and rehabilitation measures at the provincial, city
or municipal level.

Sec. 64, Special Rules on Tax and Duties. - To facilitate prompt, efficient and effective
response to, recovery from disasters, and building forward better in disaster-affected areas, the
following shall be granted special exemptions from existing taxation laws, rules and regulations:

a. Exemption from taxes and import duties for foreign disaster assistance or international
donations coursed through the Department;

b. Exemption from donor's tax and allowing the treatment of donations as a deductible expense
for local disaster assistance coursed through the Department;

c. Exemption from the Value Added Tax (VAT) for goods or services donated from abroad as
coursed through the Department;

4. Tax incentives to encourage members of the private sector to render aid or provide disaster
assistance, and/or to invest in disaster resilience and climate change adaptation and
mitigation measures for their residences, communities and/or businesses.

LGUs may also implement local tax rules that would grant disaster victims reasonable
reduction, exemption, or deferment of local taxes or other types of tax assessments; or take
other necessary action at the local level to provide tax relief to disaster victims.

See. 65. Customs Duties and Tariffs on Donations. - The BOC shall create rules that would,
among others, hasten the processing and release of donated goods and equipment to disaster
victims and/or affected areas.

Sec. 66. Economic Recovery and Development of Disaster-Prone Areas. - The Department, in
coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other relevant agencies, shall
craft policies, and implement the necessary programs and projects to stimulate economic
activities and encourage investments to assist disaster-affected areas develop or recover faster, as
applicable.

‘The Department, in collaboration with the relevant LGUs and other stakeholders, shall
likewise establish dual purpose structures in disaster-affected areas, such as, among others,
community agricultural centers, classrooms, and water harvesting tanks to develop and promote
investments in disaster-prone or affected areas.

ARTICLE XVOI
PROHIBITED ACTS AND PENALTIES

Sec. 67. Prohibited Acts. - Any public official, private person, group or corporation who commits
‘any of the following prohibited acts shall be held liable and be subjected to the criminal and
administrative penalties as provided for in Section 71 of this Act, without prejudice to the
imposition of other criminal, civil, and administrative liabilities under existing laws.

a. Prohibited Acts of Public Officials. - the following acts, if committed by public officials
without justifiable cause, shall be considered as gross neglect of duty:

1. Dereliction of duties that leads to destruction, loss of lives, critical damage of facilities and

misuse of funds:

2. Failure to enforce laws, standards, or regulations such as the National Building Code,
Solid Waste Management Act, Water Code, and other relevant laws, leading to
destruction, loss of lives, and/or critical damage of facilities,

Failure to create a functional LDR Office within six (6) months from the approval of this

Act

4. Failure to appoint a permanent local disaster resilience officer within six (6) months from
approval of this Act;

5. Failure to prepare and implement a Contingency and Adaptation Plan for hazards
frequently occurring within their jurisdictions;


6. Failure to formulate and implement the LDRP with the corresponding budget allocation;
and

7. Sexual exploitation and abuse and other forms of sexual misconduct on the affected
population or at-risk communities.

b. Prohibited Acts and Public Officials and Private Persons or Institutions. -

1, Delay, without justifiable cause in the delivery, proper handling or storage of aid
‘commodities, resulting to damage or

2. Withholding the distribution of relief goods due to (i) political or partisan considerations;

(i) discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, or gender; and (iii) other similar

circumstances;

Preventing the entry and distribution of relief goods in disaster-stricken areas, including

appropriate technology, tools, equipment, accessories, disaster teams or experts;

4. Buying, for consumption or resale, from disaster relief agencies any relief goods,

equipment or other and commodities, which are intended for distribution to disaster-

affected communities;

Buying, for consumption or resale, from the recipient disaster affected persons any relief

goods, equipment or other aid commodities received by them;

Selling of relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities, which are intended for

distribution to disaster victims;

7. Forcibly seizing relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities intended for or
consigned to a specific group of victims or relief agency;

8. Diverting or misdelivery of relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities to persons
other than the rightful recipient or consignee;

9. Accepting, processing, using or disposing relief goods, equipment or other aid
commodities not intended for nor consigned to him or her;

10. Misinterpreting the source of relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities by:

a

a. Either covering, replacing or defacing the labels of the containers to make it
appear that the goods, equipment or other aid commodities came from another
agency ot persons;

b. Repacking the goods, equipment or other aid commodities into containers
with different markings to make it appear that goods came from another
agency ot persons or was released upon the instance of a particular agency,
person, or persons; and

c. Making false verbal claim that the goods, equipment or other and commodity
in its unhampered original containers actually came from another agency or
persons or was released upon the instance of a particular agency, person, or
persons;

. Substituting or replacing relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities with the same

items or inferior/cheaper quality;

12. legal solicitations by persons or organizations representing others as defined in the
standards and guidelines set by the Department;

13. Deliberate uso of false at inflated daa in support ofthe roqust for fimding, relief goods,
‘equipment or other aid commodities for emergency assistance or livelihood pro}

14, Stctn taking, or processing of any ofthe equipment, accesories an other Vital facility
or items or any part thereof,

15. Selling or buying stolen equipment, accessories, and other vital facility items or any part
thereof;

16. Tampering with or stealing hazard monitoring and disaster preparedness equipment and
paraphernalia;

17, Attempting to commit any of the abovementioned prohibited acts; and
18. Benefitting from the proceeds or fruits are derived from the commission of said prohibited
acts.

Sec. 68. Penalties. - Any individual, corporation, partnership, association or other juridical entity
that commits any of the prohibited acts in the preceding section shall be made liable for the
following:

a, The penalty of imprisonment of not less than twelve (12) years but not more than fifteen (15)
years or a fine not less than One Million Pesos (Php 1,000,000.00) but not more than Three


Million Pesos (Php 3,000,000.00), or both imprisonment and fine at the discretion of the court
shall be imposed upon any person found guilty of violating subsections (a) (1) to (b) (16) of
the preceding section, as well as the confiscation or forfeiture in favor of the government of
the objects and the instrumentalities used in the commission of the prohibited acts,

b. The penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) years but not more than eight (8) years or
a fine of not less than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 500,000.00) but not more than One
Million Pesos (Php 1,000,000.00), or both imprisonment and fine at the discretion of the court,
shall be imposed upon any person who attempts to commit any of the prohibited acts in the
preceding Section, in violation of Subsection (b) (17) thereof,

c. The penalty of imprisonment of not less than two (2) years but not more than six (6) years or a
fine of not less than Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 200,000.00) but not more than Five
Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 500,000.00), or both imprisonment and fine at the discretion of
the court, shall be imposed upon any person found guilty of unlawfully benefiting from the
proceeds or fruits of any of the prohibited in the preceding section, in violation of subsection
(b) (18) thereof,

4. Aside from the penalty of fine or imprisonment or both, perpetual disqualification from public
office shall be imposed if the offender is a public officer, along with the confiscation or
forfeiture in favor of the government of the objects and the instrumentalities used in the
commission of any of the prohibited acts in the preceding section;

e. If the offender is a corporation, partnership or association, or other juridical entity, the penalty
shall be imposed upon the officer or officers of the corporation, partnership, association or
entity responsible for the violation without prejudice to the cancellation or revocation of these
entities’ registration, license or accreditation issued to them by any licensing or accredited
body of the government. If such offender is an alien, he or she shall, in addition to the
penalties prescribed in this act, be deported without proceedings after service of sentence;

f Payment of the full cost of repair or replacement of the government risk reduction and
preparedness equipment, accessories and other vital facility items, or any part thereof; which is
the object of the crime shall likewise be imposed upon any person who shall commit any of
the prohibited acts in the preceding Section; and

8. The prosecution for offenses sets forth under the preceding section shall be without prejudice
to any criminal liability for violation of Republic Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known
as the “Revised Penal Code”, and other existing laws, as well as the imposition of applicable
administrative or civil liabilities.

Sec. 69. Liability for Unlawful Performance of Duties and State Liability in case of Defense
Litigation.-. In case a lawsuit is filed against any personnel of the Department as a result of the
performance of his or her duties, and such performance was found to be lawful, he or she shall be
reimbursed by the Department for reasonable costs of litigation. For this purpose, the Department is
authorized to procure applicable liability insurance for its officers and employees.

Sec. 70. Disciplinary Powers of the President.- The President, subject to the recommendation of the
Department Secretary and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), shall have
the power to impose administrative sanctions against local chief executives and barangay officials for
willful or negligent acts that relate to the implementation of, or compliance with, this Act and its IRR
or relating to their official functions, which adversely affect disaster resilience projects such as, but
not limited to, delayed issuance of permits or failure to implement local ordinances.

ARTICLE XIX
DISASTER RESILIENCE FUND.

See. 71. Appropriations and Management of Disaster Resilience Fund. - The budget of the
Department shall be composed of the following, which shall be collectively called the Disaster
Resilience Fund:

a. Annual General Appropriations ~ shall provide the funding requirements for, among others,
research, operations, maintenance, plans, and programs of the Department of Disaster Resilience,
including, but not limited to, establishment of evacuation centers, retrofitting of structures,
establishment of emergency operating centers, and implementation of other disaster risk reduction
projects.

. Disaster Contingency Fund — shall be in a lump-sum form to provide funds in case of
imminent hazards or actual disasters for, among others, immediate response, relief and quick
recovery measures for disaster affected areas.


c. Rehabilitation and Recovery Fund ~ shall provide the funding requirements for rehabilitation
and/or reconstruction projects of disaster affected areas such as public classrooms, government
buildings, public hospitals, permanent shelters and livelihood programs.

‘The Disaster Resilience Fund shall be managed by the Department of finance its operations, and
disaster risk reduction, disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness, response, recovery, rehabilitation
and building forward better programs, projects and activities formulated at the national level.

Sec. 72. Continuing Appropriations. — The unutilized balances from the Disaster
Contingency Fund, and Rehabilitation and Recovery Fund shall be treated as Continuing
Appropriations, which may be used to finance the cost or projects, programs, and/or activities even
when such costs are incurred beyond the fiscal year of the GAA from which such funds were
appropriated.

Sec. 73. Fund Regulations. ~ The DBM and COA shall establish rules and regulations that
apply specifically to the Disaster Resilience Fund to ensure that funds required for disaster response,
recovery, and rehabilitation are available and/or released efficiently and expeditiously through
innovative budgeting and auditing mechanisms, which may include, among others, providing for
longer validity periods for funds and/or exemption from cash-based budgeting rules; imposing auditing
or reporting requirements, which apply specifically to the utilization of the Disaster Resilience Fund.

Sec. 74, Local Disaster Resilience Fund and Local Disaster Contingency Fund.- LGUs
shall annually set aside not less than ten percent (10%) of their local budget, to constitute a Local
Disaster Resilience Fund (LDRF). The LGU shall use its LDRF to maintain and operate its local

disaster resilience office to maintain its officers, employees and staff, and to implement plans,
programs and activities under its LDRP. Thirty percent (30%) of the LDRF shall be set aside as Local
Disaster Contingency Fund (LDCF), which shall be used for disaster response and quick recovery
measures. Nothing contained in this Act shall prevent LGUs from providing additional funding or
allocating additional resources for disaster resilience activities, plans and programs within their
jurisdiction.

Sec. 75. Supplemental LDRF. - The Department may allocate and disburse funds to
supplement an LGU's LDRF based on parameters and requirements, the IRR shall aim to provide
supplemental funds to LGUs with low income and/or high exposure to natural hazards. Supplemental
LDRFs shall, as much as possible, fill gaps or shortages in LGU resources to ensure that LGUs can
implement disaster resilience measures such as, among others, implementing their LDRP/Provincial
LDRP, establishing their local disaster resilience offices, obtaining and/or maintaining the necessary
equipment and staff in their local disaster resilience offices, and implementing the NDRF and at the
local levels.

Sec. 76. People’s Survival Fund. - The Department shall manage and administer the
People’s Survival Fund, created under Republic Act No. 10174, and facilitate its utilization by LGUs,
through RDROs, to implement climate change adaptation and mitigation projects of LGUs and
enhance the climate resilience of vulnerable communities.

. Sec. 77. Multi-Donor Trust Fund. - The Department shall create and manage, together with
the Bureau of Treasury, a Multi-Donor Trust Fund for the processing, releasing and accounting of
money and other similar resources intended for disaster assistance. The Department shall establish a
system to ensure transparency in the management and use of the Multi-Donor Trust Fund.

Sec. 78. Financial Administration. - The Department shall manage all finds appropriated to
it by Congress and received from other sources. The Department shall also manage all donations
received by it, subject to the auditing powers of the COA. To fund its operations, the Department shall
have the power to collect fees derived from the DRRTI and other related activities.

ARTICLE XX
SPECIAL COURTS AND INJUNCTIONS

Sec. 79. Special Courts on Disaster Resilience Mechanisms. - To ensure the prompt and
expeditious resolution of disputes relating to disaster response, recovery or rehabilitation measures, the
Supreme Court shall designate special courts to hear, try, and decide cases arising from the following,
among others


a. Expropriation, eminent domain or right-of-way issues related to the implementation of
disaster resilience projects;

b. Failure to comply with standards for disaster risk reduction and continuity planning,
including, but not limited to, infrastructure standards and designs;

Commission of prohibited acts under Article XVII of this Act; and

Disputes involving donations, relief goods, or contracts executed or implemented

pursuant to the provisions of this Act.

ae

Sec. 80. Dispute Resolution Mechanisms. - The Department shall establish a Disaster
Resolution Board, which shall resolve disputes involving administrative matters related to:

a. Accreditation or denial of accreditation of disaster resilience training institutions,
trainers, instructors, donors, volunteers, and Assisting Domestic or Intemational Actors;

b. Decisions of the RDROs;

©. Contracts entered into by the Department or any of its agents pursuant to the provisions
of this Act; and

d. Other administrative matters or issues as may be determined by the Department.

‘The composition, structure, and other organizational matters related to the DRB shall be defined and
provided in this Act's IRR.

See. 81. Imposition of Temporary Restraining Order. - No Court, except the Supreme Court, shall
have the power to issue an injunction or a temporary restraining order against any action taken or
projects implemented by the Department or its agent pursuant to this Act.

ARTICLE XXI
FINAL PROVISIONS

See. 82. Transfer of Functions. - The following are hereby transferred to the Department:

a. _All the functions of the Climate Change Commission (CCC);

b. Natural disaster- related functions of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD); and

c. Natural disaster-response functions of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD).

‘Accordingly, the CCC and NDRRMC are hereby abolished. The DILG, DND, DSWD, and other
relevant government instrumentalities, including the AFP, BFP, PNP, PCG, and OCD, shall continue
to perform their functions related to the management of human-induced disasters, as provided by
existing laws.

See. 83. Transfer of Resources. - The transfer of powers and functions listed above shall include the
corresponding funds and appropriations, plantilla positions, data, records, equipment, facilities,
properties and other resources of the concerned government instrumentalities. The Department shall
have the power to reorganize or reallocate these resources and positions, as may be necessary to attain

«the goals and objectives of this Act.

Sec. 84. Program Management Office for the Earthquake Resiliency of the Greater Metro Manila
‘Area. The Program Management Office for the Earthquake Resiliency of the Greater Metro Manila
‘Area (PMO-ERG), as created pursuant to and mandated by Executive Order No. 52, s.2018, shall be
‘attached to the Department and be authorized to implement earthquake resiliency programs, projects,
and activities, as it may deem necessary to carry out its mandate and attain its overall goals. The Head
of the PMO-ERG shall report directly to the SDR.

Sec. 85. Post- Disaster Shelters. - The Department shall establish a post-disaster shelter recovery
policy framework for low-income/informal settler families, with the assistance of the appropriate
housing agencies and the applicable LGUs. It shall determine, among others, the appropriate shelter
modalities depending on the following phases: emergency, temporary or transitional, and permanent.
The Department shall likewise identify, assess, and decide on safe zones for the implementation of
recovery or rehabilitation projects.


Sec. 86. Cultural Heritage. - To protect, preserve, and promote the nation’s historical and cultural
heritage, the Department shall assist the relevant cultural and heritage agencies and the appropriate
LGUs to give priority protection and restoration to all national cultural treasures or national historical
landmarks, sites, or monuments in post-disaster recovery or rehabilitation measures.

See. 87. Indigenous People. - The Department, with the assistance of the National Commission on
Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the applicable LGUs, shall devise and implement mechanisms that
foster social protection for indigenous communities that are vulnerable to the effects of natural
disasters.

‘The Department shall ensure respect for, and protection of, the traditional resource right of the
Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICC/IPs) to their ancestral domains, and
recognize the customary laws and traditional resource use and management, knowledge, and practices
in ancestral domains.

In ancestral domains that are disaster-prone, the Department, with the assistance of the NCIP and
applicable LGUs, shall create an Ancestral Domain Disaster Management and Resiliency Plan. It shall
likewise properly communicate and explain information on disaster risks in ancestral domains with the
concemed ICCs/IPs and, as much as possible, engage such ICCs/IPs in jointly formulating a disaster
resilience plan for their ancestral domain.

See. 88. Incentives Program. - The Department shall establish an incentives program that
recognizes the outstanding promotion and implementation by local disaster resilience offices, CSOs,
academe, and other institutions of disaster resilience programs and/or projects, and the meritorious acts
of individuals or entitles during natural disasters.

See. 89. Structural Audit of Government Buildings and Critical Infrastructures... The
Department shall be assisted by the DPWH, DOTr, Department of Energy (DOE), DOH, DepEd,
DICT, DILG, local building officials, and other relevant government instrumentalities and
stakeholders, in ensuring the effective and expeditious conduct of structural audit, as often as
necessary, on government buildings, critical infrastructure, and private structures to attain the disaster
risk reduction goals of this Act.

Sec. 90. Transitory Provision.- the functions, assets, funds, equipment, properties, transactions,
and personnel of the affected and transferred agencies, and the formulation of the internal organic
structure, staffing pattern, operating system, and revised budget of the Department, shall be completed
within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, during which time the existing personnel shall
continue to assume their posts on holdover capacity. The Department, in collaboration with the DBM,
shall come up with its Organizational Structure and Staffing Patter, both of which shall be approved
within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act.

‘The Secretary of National Defense shall serve as the interim SDR until such time that the SDR has
been appointed and taken his/her oath of office. Upon assumption to duty, the SDR shall make use of
existing structure, systems and personnel in responding to natural hazards and disasters within the
transition period.

In accordance with Section 12 of this Act and the critical importance of attracting the most
competent and dedicated personnel to the Department, suitable and qualified career personnel from the
NDRRMC-OCD, DSWD, and the CCC, as defined by the CSC and other pertinent rules, may be
absorbed by the Department. The system and mechanics for this shall be defined in the IRR of this
Act.

Sec. 91. Magna Carta Benefits.- Qualified employees of the Department including those of its
attached agencies, shall be covered by and entitled to the benefits under Republic Act No. 8439,
otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Scientists, Engineers, Researchers, and other 5 and T
personnel in the government, and Republic Act No. 7305, otherwise known as the Magna Carta of
Public Health Workers.

See. 92. Hazard Pay. - Ali personnel of the Department and the local disaster resilience offices
are entitled to receive hazard pay, subject to the guidelines to be set forth in the IRR of this Act.

Sec. 93. Separation Benefits of Officials and Employees of Affected Agencies.- National
government employees displaced or separated from service as a result of this Act shall be entitled to


either separation pay and other benefits in accordance with existing laws, rules, or regulations, or be
entitled to avail themselves of the privileges provided under a separation plan that shall be one and
one-half month salary for every year of service in the government.

In no case shall there be any diminution of benefits under separation plan until the full
implementation of this Act. With respect to employees who are not retained by the Department, the

_ government, through the Department of Labor and Employment, shall endeavor to implement training,
job counseling, and job placement programs.

Sec. 94. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be
taken from the current fiscal year’s unexpended and unobligated appropriations of all agencies herein
absorbed, transferred, and attached to the Department. Thereafter, the amounts necessary for the
‘operation of the Department and the implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

Sec. 95. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department, DBM, DND, DOF, DILG,
DOST, NEDA, and the PMS shall collectively craft and issue, within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the effective implementation of
this Act. They may call upon other relevant government instrumentalities and stakeholders to assist in
the crafting of the IRR.

Sec. 96. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Disaster Resilience. - there shall be created
a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee in Disaster Resilience to monitor the implementation of
this Act. The committee shall be composed of six (6) Members of the House of Representatives and
six (6) Senators to be designated by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate,
respectively; Provided. That; Two (2) Members of the House of Representatives and Two (2) Senators
shall come from the Minority of their respective houses of Congress. The committee shall be jointly
chaired by the Member of the House of Representatives and a Senator designated by the Speaker of the

“ House of Representatives and the President of the Senate, respectively.

Sec. 97. Mandatory Review. - Within Five (5) years after the effectivity of this Act, or as the need
arises, the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Disaster Resilience shall conduct systematic
evaluation of the accomplishments and impact of this Act, as well as the performance of the
Department of its mandate and functions, for purposes of determining remedial legislation.

Sec. 98, Interpretation. - Any doubt in the interpretation of any provision of this Act shall be
resolved in favor of a liberal interpretation that will fulfill the objectives of this Act, especially in
relation to the provision of effective, efficient, and timely disaster response, rehabilitation and
Tecovery.

Sec. 99, Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or
invalid, the other provisions or parts thereof not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 100. Repealing Clause. - The provisions of Republic Act No. 10121, RA No. 7160, RA No.
7916, RA No. 9184, and all other laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations and other executive
issuances, which are not consistent with orcontrary to the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed
or amended.

Sec. 101. Effectivity. -
official Gazette or in a news

‘Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
of general circulation.

Approved,