Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
 First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO 
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Education does not only include academic learning, but also other forms of
technical knowledge. As enshrined in Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution, the
State shall develop a system of education that is relevant to the times and to
the  needs  of the  people  and society. This  would include, educating and
training our youth on disaster and emergency preparedness and response. 
Capacities  are  needed  at  the  individual,  organizational,  and  institutional
levels to withstand emergencies. This includes the capacity to develop and
implement contingency plans, such as alternative education pathways, to
mitigate impacts. The capacities of education stakeholders often need to be
strengthened  to  review  and  revise  existing  education  sector  plans  and
policies – to include adaptive responses for emergencies and disasters. To
this  end,  integrating  data  on  risks  and  their  impacts  into  education
management  and  information  systems  facilitates  the  design  and
implementation  of  crisis-sensitive  educational  policies  and  programmes,
including disaster preparedness plans.1 
In light of the slew of natural disasters faced by the Philippines on a yearly
basis, compounded by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need
to deepen the knowledge of our students regarding disaster and emergency
response. While there are programs already set in place, there needs to be a
further  evaluation  and  take  into  account  other  forms  of  disaster  and
emergency response to be included in the curriculum.
The multitude of actors needed to respond to and mitigate the impact of
crises can lead to duplication, inefficiency, and confusion, in the absence of
strong leadership and coordination. National leadership for crisis planning
1 United Nations (August 2020). Policy Brief: Education during COVID-19 and beyond. 
Retrieved from Education during COVID-19 and beyond 
July 13, 2022
4:43 pm
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and management is important for resilience education. National leadership
ensures that humanitarian initiatives are sustainable, aligned with national
priorities, and able to mitigate the impact of crises on learners and education
communities. Strong coordination mechanisms are also needed to maximize
the inputs of all stakeholders, building on complementarities, including local
civil society, to serve the most marginalized.2 
The State acknowledges its role in making a Filipino society aware of and
capable of responding to various instances of emergency or crisis situations.
This bill addresses the need for a more proactive approach in addressing
disaster and emergency resiliency among our population. We should take
this  opportunity  to  strengthen  our  ability  to  withstand  any  unfortunate
situation  and  create  a  culture  of  positive  resilience,  bridging  the  gap
between the State’s assistance and the readiness of the Filipinos.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this Bill is immediately sought.
      ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS
Representative, Ang Probinsyano
Partylist
2 Ibid 1.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
 First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO 
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
AN ACT INTEGRATING  BASIC MEDICAL AND HEALTH TRAINING AND
RISK REDUCTION NATIONAL EMERGENCY OR DISASTER AWARENESS
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE IN THE CURRICULUM OF SCHOOLS
AND INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING 
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 “Laging Handa
Act of 2022”.
SECTION  2.  Integration  of  Basic  Medical  Training  and  Disaster
Awareness  or  Response.  –  All  institutions  of  learning,  including  but  not
limited  to,  schools,  colleges,  universities,  vocational  learning  institutions,
shall integrate into their respective curricula and make available to all its
students relevant and updated subjects, units, and electives, or courses,
regarding basic medical training, national emergency or disaster awareness,
preparedness, and response. 
SECTION 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Commission on
Higher  Education  (CHED)  and  the  Department  of  Education  (DepEd),  in
coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior
and Local Government (DILG), in the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management  Council  (NDRMMC),  shall  promulgate  the  corresponding
implementing rules and regulations of this act within sixty (60) days from the
date of its effectivity.
SECTION 4. Appropriations. –  The funds necessary to implement the
provisions of this act shall be sourced and respected budgets of the CHED
and the DepEd in the annual General Appropriations Act.
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act is
held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions or parts unaffected
shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential
decrees or issuances, letters of instruction, administrative orders, rules, and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.
Approved,