Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING MANDATORY EVACUATION AND QUARANTINE CENTERS IN ALL CITIES 
PROVINCES AND MUNICIPALITIES APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines has always been a hotbed for typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural and man-made 
disasters geographic position in Southeast Asia. Just for the year 2020, even before the COVID-19 pandemic 
hit the country, the country has been devastated by the eruption of the Taal Volcano early this year which 
has led to 39 deaths1, economic loss of around Php 6.7 billion in agriculture, services, and industrial sector2, 
and thousands of people being displaced from their homes.  
Whilst the long-term goal is to reduce the country’s vulnerability to disasters by investing in disaster risk 
reduction, ecosystem management, land-use planning, supply change management, and the like, there 
remains a need to cope with the problem of internal displacement due to calamities. With several disasters 
hitting the county every year, local government units need to strategically plan and dedicate temporary 
shelter facilities compliant with basic safety and security guidelines for families affected by calamities. 
Corresponding support programs must also be provided to these affected families for them to cope and 
recover from these unfortunate events. 
This proposed measure seeks to establish mandatory evacuation and quarantine centers in every city, 
province, and municipality throughout the country which shall provide shelter, basic needs, and assistance 
to all evacuees. This bill also sets minimum requirements for the establishment of these evacuation centers 
to ensure the safety and well-being of the evacuees. It will also be a structure ready in the event of a 
possible pandemic in which persons will need to be quarantined.  
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the Filipino 
people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
1 https://mb.com.ph/2020/02/01/39-deaths-recorded-during-taal-volcanos-eruption/ 
2 https://business.inquirer.net/289357/taal-volcano-seen-to-cost-calabarzon-economy-p6-7b-but-economic-
impact-on-rest-of-ph-minimal-says-bsp 
September 12, 2022
3:21 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING MANDATORY EVACUATION AND QUARANTINE CENTERS IN ALL CITIES 
PROVINCES AND MUNICIPALITIES APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
Sec. 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Mandatory Evacuation and Quarantine Center Act”. 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect the people's right 
to life and property that is rooted and embedded in our Constitution, and to promote their general welfare. 
It is for this reason that the establishment of an evacuation center shall be undertaken in all cities, 
provinces, and municipalities to address the vulnerability of the Philippines to the impacts of climate change 
and other human-made disasters. This is also to strengthen the country's institutional capacity for building 
the resilience of local communities to adhere to and adopt the universal standards of humanitarian 
assistance. 
Sec. 3. Establishment/Construction of Evacuation Centers. – There shall be an established 
evacuation center in every city, province, and municipality throughout the country which shall provide basic 
needs and assistance to all evacuees, and shall serve as their temporary shelter that will guarantee the 
safety and wellbeing of all who have become victims of natural calamities or any other hazards/emergency 
events such as typhoons, floods, fire, storm surges, weather disturbances and the outbreak of 
illnesses/diseases that may cause imminent danger to their life and property. 
Sec. 4 Evacuation Center Requirements. – The following shall be the minimum requirements for every 
evacuation center that will be established under this Act: 
Location/Designation – each location for every evacuation center shall be determined by the Department 
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in close coordination with the LGUs concerned. 
The location shall be determined based on the following criteria: 
a.
It must be centrally located in the community;
b.
It must be of a safe distance from large trees, structures where hazardous materials are used
and/or stored, or high-voltage power lines;
c.
It must be near a health facility;
d.
It must be located on geotechnical stable land to avoid the risk of landslides and/or exposure to
the potential landslide of adjacent lands;
e.
It must not be located near military base camps, camps of insurgent groups, power plants,
factories, and other areas where the occurrence of human-induced disasters is very high.
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Structural/Building Capacity – The evacuation centers shall be constructed and designed to withstand super 
typhoons or wind speeds of at least three hundred (300) kilometers per hour and seismic activity of at least 
8.0 magnitude. Evacuation centers should be calamity-resilient, be built with sturdy materials, and be built 
by the specifications of Republic Act No. 6541, otherwise known as the "National Building Code of the 
Philippines" and should be at par with the standards set by the International Building Code.  
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall be in charge of the construction of evacuation 
centers and formulating the building specifications therefore based on standards, issuances, and other 
guidelines set by the DPWH.  
The DPWH shall also ensure that the construction of such evacuation centers is by the abovementioned 
requirements during its construction phase. 
The specifications of the evacuation centers shall be periodically reviewed. The specifications of the 
evacuation centers shall be periodically reviewed and, if necessary, revised by the DPWH every three years. 
The structural capacity should at least meet the following parameters: 
a. 
The structure must be elevated in such a manner that it will withstand likely impact from a 
high tide storm surge level of at least ten (10) meters; 
b. 
The structure must be a minimum of one (1) meter above the average flood level in the area 
where the same shall be built; and 
c. 
The structure shall not be less than nine (9) meters in height and designed by earthquake load 
standards. 
Amenities and Accessibility of the Evacuation Center – The evacuation centers shall be well-ventilated and 
shall have the capacity to accommodate a large number of evacuees. The centers shall have the following 
minimum amenities: 
a. 
Sleeping quarters for the evacuees; 
b. 
Separate Shower and toilet facilities designated for males and females with a facility-to-user 
ratio of 1:10 persons; 
c. 
Amenities to enable access thereto by and accommodation of the disabled; 
d. 
Provisions for emergency/exit doors; 
e. 
Food preparation areas that are provided with adequate ventilation; 
f. 
Trash and waste segregation and collection areas; 
g. 
Health care areas which shall include isolation and/or quarantine area for potentially infectious 
persons; 
h. 
Rainwater harvesting and collection facilities; and 
i. 
Other facilities prescribed in DSWD-DILG-DOH-DepED Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1 Series 
of 2013, entitled "Guidelines on Evacuation Center and Management." 
Sec. 5. Operations and Management of the Evacuation Center. – The LGUs concerned shall be 
primarily responsible for the operation, supervision, and management of evacuation centers established 
under this Act. They are also hereby authorized to issue rules and regulations on the proper use and 
maintenance of the evacuation centers.  
The mandatory audit of infrastructures used as evacuation centers shall be conducted by the 
Provincial/City/Municipal Engineer and/or the building official at least once every year and immediately 
after the occurrence of a hazard or disaster event. 


Sec. 6. Role of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. – The National 
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), or its successor, shall be the primary lead 
agency that shall oversee the implementation of this act. 
Sec. 7. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to fund the construction and maintenance of evacuation 
centers under this Act shall be sourced from a portion of the general appropriations of the DPWH. Every 
year thereafter, the amounts necessary for the construction and maintenance of evacuation centers shall 
be included in the list of programs as part of the annual budget in the General Appropriations Act. 
The appropriations necessary for the operation and management of the evacuation centers shall be charged 
against the funds of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (LDRRMC) or its successor.  
Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety days (90) after the effectivity of this 
Act, the Department of Local Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the DPWH, in coordination with 
the appropriate government agencies concerned, shall formulate the necessary rules and regulations 
necessary to carry out the objectives of this Act.  
Sec. 8. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, other 
provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.  
Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, or parts thereof inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed amended, or modified accordingly. 
Sec. 10. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in 
the Official Gazette or at least two (2) national 
Approved,