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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
'14 
NOV 24 P 6 :20 
SENAIE466 
S.B. No. ~~=-='--_ 
.' . ',;, I \ 
Introduced by: Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" A. Aquino IV 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN DURING NATURAL DISASTERS AND 
CALAMITIES, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7610 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
SPECIAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AGAINST ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION 
ACT 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
As the Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Filipino children are most vulnerable 
and are worst affected when disasters strike every year. 
When Super Typhoon Yolanda hit Eastern Visayas, an estimated 6 million children were 
affected1 last November 2013. The children who survived the onslaught lost their loved ones 
and some became orphans; most of them experienced psycho-social trauma, difficulties in 
evacuation centers, loss of classroom time and access to social protection, among others. 
It is then imperative to revisit policies that better support and provide services to our 
Filipino children, specifically during disasters, calamities or in armed conflict areas, to lessen the 
experienced trauma and bring normalcy back quickly. 
Thus, the bill proposes the creation of a national program for the protection of children, 
especially of displaced children. This is particularly crucial in the most vulnerable areas of the 
country, where the experience of prolonged displacement would have a profound impact on 
the children's sense of security, physical and emotional well-being, long-term health and 
nutrition, and access to education. 
Moreover, the bill advances the child-centered training to disaster first responders, 
teachers, psychologists and eventually, other volunteers in disaster recovery, relief and 
rehabilitation. Modules are to be crafted specifically for the different stages of children and 
youth development. 
Providing the targeted needs of the Filipino children, specifically during times of 
distress, ensures the long-term security and health of our nation. 
It is then urgent and 
important that this proposal is realized into fruition. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
~~. f2r.w~ 
senator~n-;;n~ "Bfm" A. Aquino IV 
1 Data according to Save the Children (2014). 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Srnntr 
t13Hl;r tlf ttlY ~-l'frtt2Jt~ 
Second Regular Session 
) 
'14 
NOV 24 P 6 :20 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2466 
Introduced by: Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" A. Aquino IV 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN DURING NATURAL DISASTERS AND 
CALAMITIES, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7610 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
SPECIAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AGAINST ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION 
ACT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
1 
Section 1. Article X of Republic Act No. 7610, as amended, otherwise known as "Special 
2 
Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, ExplOitation and Discrimination Act", is hereby 
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amended to read as follows: 
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"Children in Situations of Armed Conflict, Disasters and Calamities" 
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"Section 22-A. Children in Situations of Disasters and Calamities. It shall be the responsibility of 
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the State and all other sectors concerned to protect and rehabilitate children who are survivors 
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of man-made or natural disasters and calamities. To attain this objective, the following poliCies 
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shall be observed: 
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(a) Targeted Program for Protection of Children, especially Displaced Children. Because 
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the effects of prolonged displacement can have permanent and irreversible impacts on 
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children's sense of security, emotional and phYSical well-being and educational 
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opportunities, it shall henceforth be the explicit policy of the Government of the 
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Philippines to: 
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i. 
Prioritize permanent housing options for individuals and families displaced by 
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disasters and calamities; and, where temporary displacement cannot be avoided, 
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ii. 
Ensure services specifically targeted at the different developmental stages of 
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children and youth in all displacement and transitional housing sites. 
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The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is hereby directed to create and 
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begin to implement a comprehensive program to protect children, including, specifically, 
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displaced children, within five (5) days of the declaration of a national State of Calamity by the 
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President of the Philippines. DSWD is further directed to submit written documentation of such 
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program to the Chairperson of the Committee on the Welfare of Children of the House of 
27 
Representatives and the Committee on Youth of the Senate once it is finalized. 
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(b) Training of First Responders. It shall also be the explicit policy of the Government of the 
29 
Philippines to promote child-centered training for all first responders, including 
30 
community and barangay leaders, school personnel and others. Such training shall 
31 
include, where practicable: 


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i. 
Training on how to safeguard/protect children during and after emergencies and 
disasters, and 
ii. 
Appropriate training on psycho-social interventions for children and youth at 
different stages of development. 
(c) Child Participation. 
It shall henceforth be the policy of the Government of the 
Philippines to prioritize and champion child rights, consultation and participation before, 
during and after disasters. All relevant national agencies are hereby directed, after any 
declaration of a State of Calamity by the President of the Philippines, to: 
i. 
Ensure that children are provided adequate access to age-appropriate 
information about how that agency is responding to the declared State of 
Calamity; and 
ii. 
Consult with affected children about their needs and priorities for post-disaster 
relief and recovery. 
It is also the sense of Congress that children should participate in identifying priorities 
during disaster risk reduction (DRR) planning. All relevant national agencies, Local 
Government Units, and local and regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management 
(DRRM) bodies are hereby encouraged to provide for meaningful child participation in 
any community-level DRR planning and training. 
(d) System of Restoring Legal Documents. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) shall be 
mandated to develop a system, within one (1) month after the approval of this Act, for 
the restoration of legal documents of children and their families within two (2) weeks 
after a disaster for purposes of providing access to social services and protection against 
trafficking and exploitation. For children, this is also aligned to their right to name, 
identity and nationality. 
(e) Data Gathering and Reporting. It shall henceforth be the policy of the Government of 
the Philippines to collect and report, at all levels, data disaggregated by age (children 
and adults) in the aftermath of any declared calamity. Collection and reporting of 
disaggregated data will allow the nation to better understand and respond to the needs 
of children affected by future disasters and calamities. 
(f) Heightened Surveillance. Upon the declaration of any State of Calamity by the President 
of the Philippines, the Philippines National Police (PNP), together with DSWD, are 
hereby instructed to immediately heighten comprehensive surveillance and monitoring 
to identify and stop child trafficking, child labor and prostitution, domestic and sexual 
Violence. Within three (3) days of such declaration, the heads of the PNP and DSWD 
shall jointly submit written documentation of their enhanced surveillance and 
monitoring plans upon the request of the Chairperson of the Committee on the Welfare 
of Children of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Youth of the Senate. 
(g) Heightened Surveillance. Upon the declaration of any State of Calamity by the President 
of the Philippines, the Philippines National Police (PNP), together with DSWD, are 
hereby instructed to immediately heighten comprehensive surveillance and monitoring 
to identify and stop child trafficking, child labor and prostitution, domestic and sexual 
Violence. Within three (3) days of such declaration, the heads of the PNP and DSWD 
shall jointly submit written documentation of their enhanced surveillance and 
monitoring plans upon the request of the Chairperson of the Committee on the Welfare 
of Children of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Youth of the Senate. 


· , 
1 
(h) Schools as Evacuation Centers, It is the sense of Congress that our nation's schools 
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should not be used as evacuation centers after disasters and calamities, Where using 
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schools as evacuation centers is unavoidable, any such use should be as a matter of "last 
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resort," Where a school is still being used as an evacuation center, or where displaced 
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families are being sheltered on school grounds, more than thirty (30) days after the 
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declaration of a state of calamity (national or local), the National Disaster Risk Reduction 
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and Management Council (NDRRMC) together with the relevant Local DRRM Council, is 
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hereby instructed to provide written documentation upon the request of the 
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Chairperson of the Committee on the Welfare of Children of the House of 
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Representatives or the Committee on Youth ofthe Senate indicating: 
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i. 
The name and location of the school(s) being so used; 
ii, 
All alternative sites explored and rationale for final site selection; and 
iii. 
Plans for ensuring no interference with or interruption of educational activities, 
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(i) Maternal and Baby Care. It is the sense of Congress that meeting the specific needs of 
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lactating mothers and babies born into disaster situations should be priorities for all 
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relevant national agencies engaged in disaster response. DSWD is hereby instructed to 
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include a specific section on pregnant women and children under two years of age in 
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any report provided to Congress under section (a) above, Included in this shall be a 
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strategy for ensuring the post-disaster nutrition needs of children under age two and 
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pregnant women are both understood and met, 
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(j) Unaccompanied or Separated Children, As in situations of conflict so shall it be the 
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policy of the Government of the Philippines that after disasters and calamities, 
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unaccompanied children or those who get separated from their family shall be 
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documented and provided with adequate care and family tracing & reunification 
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services, All appropriate steps shall be taken to ensure the early reunion of 
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unaccompanied or separated children from their family or relatives, 
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Section 2. Implementing Rules and Regulations, All named and implicated national agencies 
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(including, but not limited to, DSWD and NDRMMC) shall issue the necessary implementing 
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rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act, in consultation with the 
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DILG, child-focused NGOs and other stakeholders, within thirty (30) days after the approval of 
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this Act. Such rules and regulations shall take effect upon their publication in two (2) national 
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newspapers of general circulation, 
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Section 3. Repealing Clause, - All laws, decrees, or rules inconsistent with the provisions of this 
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Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly, 
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Section 4, Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of its complete 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general 
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circulation. 
38 
Approved: