Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Seventeenth Congr
First Regular S:

5587

House Bill No.

Introduced by REP. MANUEL ANTONIO F, ZUBIRI

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The proposal to revamp the present Tax Code has both its positive and negative effects.
While it may provide solution to the fiscal woes of the present administration, it will
undoubtedly place an additional burden upon the shoulders of Filipino taxpayers, especially
those living below the poverty line. While those living below the poverty line are most likely not
paying any income tax, they remain burdened by indirect taxes such as the Value-Added
(VAT). For these brothers and sisters of ours. the affordability of at least the basic necessit
of paramount concern. The latter situation is exactly what this bill is trying to address.

Section 9, Article II of the 1987 Constitution expressly mandates that the State promote a
just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and
free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full
employment, a rising standard of living. and an improved quality of life for all.

This bill aims to realize and coneretize the aforementioned state policy with its goal of
helping our Filipino brothers and sisters deal with the adverse effects of new systems of taxation
in the country as well as other factors that prevent them from getting out of being classified as
poor. The bill seeks to ensure that the poorest municipalities will be able to avail of basic social
services of the government and alleviate their station in li

The bill seeks that the most basie of soci ible to the poorest
municipalities in the country regardless of their | political affiliations and alliances,
namely: (1) food security: (2) livelihood: (3) housing: (4) water supply: and (5) electricity
supply

This bill ultimately
even the most poor and
state.

ants to preserve the dignity of the ordinary Filipino and prove that
\derprivileged Filipino has the right to live in a decent and humane

fal of this bill is earnestly sought.

10 F. ZUBIRI

on


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular S

House Bill No.

Introduced by REP. MANUEL ANTONIO F. ZUBIRI

AN ACT
INSTITUTING A POVERTY-ALLEVIATION MEASURE TO UPLIFT THE MOST
CRITICALLY-SITUATED MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES:

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

Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Oplan Tanggal Hirap Act.”

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to improve the quality of life for all
in the least time possible while maintaining a rising standard of living for all of its constituents. It
shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will free the people from poverty through
policies that shall provide the socio-economic needs of the people to the end that no one shall be
left behind.

Section 3. Selection of Municipalities. The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) in
coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall conduct a
study using reliable and up to date methods in order to determine the three most critically-
situated municipalities in every province in the Philippines. Standards to be used in determining
which municipalities to be enrolled under the Program may include per capita income, infant
mortality rate, poverty-incidence, unemployment rate, ete.

Section 4. Program Implementation. Once the most critically-situated municipalities have been
identified. NAPC shall give them priority in its policy and coordinating efforts with other
government agencies in rendering social services such as but not limited to the following:

1. Food securit
2. Livelihood:
3. Housing:
4. Health:

5. Education;
6. Access to Water; and
7. Access to Electricity

Furthermore, these municipalities shall not only be the most preferred but shall also be
prioritized recipients of cash transfers and other forms of financial assistance from the national
government.

Section 5. Coordination with national and local governments. The NAPC shall coordinate
with the local governments of the municipalities included in the program. and the appropriate
national agencies and government instrumentalities for the implementation of additional but
related measures envisioned to achieve the objectives of this bill.


The aforementioned national agencies and government instrumentalities shall include but are not
limited to the following:

1. Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR):
Department of Agriculture (DA):
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE):

4. Department of Budget and Management (DBM.

5. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD):
6. Department of Health (DOH):

7. Department of Education (DepEd):

8. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR);

9. Department of Tourism (DOT):
10. Department of Trade and Indistry (DTI):

11. National Economie and Development Authority (NEDA): and
12. Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP).

Section 6. Monitoring. The NAPC shall be in-charge of monitoring the progress of the
municipalities included in this program.

It shall also submit a report detailing the status of the program at least once a month to Congress
and to the President of the Philippines. In the said report. the NAPC shall indicate whether or not
the program improved the standard of living of the municipalities.

Section 7. Duration. This program shall last for three (3) years. Once indicators show that a
participating municipality has been successfully removed from a province’s most critically-
situated municipalities, the next most critically-situated municipality shall be enrolled in the
Program. Subject to the extension of the Program in accordance with the following Section, the
Program shall continue until such time that all the municipalities in the province shall no longer
be considered critically-situated.

Section 8. Extension. The President of the Philippines shall extend the program for another one
(1) year if the NAPC indicated in its sixth and final report that the current municipalities
included in the program did not improve its standard of living before moving on to implement
the program to other municipalities in the province.

How. the NAPC reports otherwise, the President shall terminate the inclusion of the
municipalities in the program after the completion of the six-month period and shall be dealt
with and supported like other municipalities similarly situated with it.

In the event that a municipality. previously a
categorized and included in the top 3 most critically icipalities in the province, the
same shall be reintegrated into the Program. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to deny or
diminish whatever assistance or benefit is currently extended to any municipality under present
laws and regulations.

Section 9. Funding. The Department of Budget and Management shall allocate and release the
initial amount of five billion pesos (P5,000,000,000.00) to commence the program: Provided that
additional funds may be provided by the Office of the President upon the favorable
recommendations of the NAPC. Thereafter, the necessary budget of the NAPC in implementing
the provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.

Section 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The NAPC. in coordination with the
ies enumerated in Section 5 hereof, shall promulgate the ni
regulations to carry out the provisions of this bill. within six (6) months from its effect



ection 11. Separability Clause. ~ If any prov tutional or
invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 12. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent
with or contrary to this Act are hereby deemed accordingly repealed or amended.

Section 13. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.