REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

House Bill No, __ 7906

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines ranked third in the 2018 World Risk Report as one of the most
disaster-prone countries in the world with an index value of 25.14%.! At least 60%
of the country’s total land area is exposed to multiple hazards and 74% of the
population is susceptible to their dire impacts.2 We frequently suffer from natural
disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic activities, and rising sea levels due
to our geographical location.

In the occurrence of these hazardous circumstances, the Filipinos, especially the
poor and the marginalized sectors of society suffer tremendously. Most often, they
are instructed to stay in congested classrooms and basketball courts during times of
calamities without having access to proper facilities. Hence, there is a need to
establish proper and well-equipped evacuation centers that would guarantee the
safety and needs of the populace during calamities.

! World Eeonamic Forum. The Global Risks Report 2018, 13° Edition. Information retrieved from
tp: wetorum.rg/docs/WEF_GRRIB._ Report pa

2United Nations Ofice for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR}. Disaster Risk Reduction Inthe Philipines. Status Report 2019. Information retrieved
‘rom hets://worw. nis. orges/8826S_682308philppinesdrmstatusreport. pat


This proposed measure seeks to establish mandatory evacuation centers strategically
placed in all cities, provinces, and municipalities throughout the country. It shall
address the vulnerability of our country by providing shelters to Filipinos in times of
natural calamities as well as man-made disasters. Further, this raises our national
preparedness against all types of disasters.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

MANUEL DG,/CABOCHAN IIT
Representative
Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List


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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7906

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A MANDATORY EVACUATION CENTER IN ALL CITIES,
PROVINCES AND MUNICIPALITIES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Title— This Act shall be known as the “Mandatory Evacuation and
Quarantine Center Act of 2020”.

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 and
adopt the universal standards of humanitarian assistance.


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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 well-being of all
who have become victims of natural calamities or any other hazards, emergency and
events such typhoons, floods, fires, storm surges, weather disturbances and
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:

(a) 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:

(1) It must be centrally located in the community;

(2)It must be of a safe distance from large trees, structures where
hazardous materials are used and/or stored, or high-voltage power
lines;

(3) It must be near a health facility;

(4) It must be located on geotechnical stable land to avoid risk of
landslides and/or exposure to potential landslide of adjacent lands;

(5) 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 are very high.

(b) 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


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sturdy materials, and be built in accordance with 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 therefor based on standards, issuances, and other guidelines
set by the DPWH.

The DPWH shall also ensure that the construction of such evacuation centers
is in accordance with 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:

(1) The structure must be elevated in such manner that it will withstand
likely impact from a high tide storm surge level of at least ten (10)
meters;

(2) 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

(3) The structure shall not be less than nine (9) meters in height and
designed in accordance with earthquake load standards.

(c) 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:

(1) Sleeping quarters for the evacuees;


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(2) Separate showers and toilet facilities designated for males and females
with a facility-to-user ratio of 1:10 persons;

(3) Amenities to enable access thereto by and accommodation of the
disabled;

(4) Lactation stations for nursing mothers;

(5) Provisions for emergency/exit doors;

(6) Food preparation areas which are provided with adequate ventilation;

(7) Trash and waste segregation and collection areas;

(8) Health care areas which shall include an isolation and/or quarantine
area for potentially infectious persons;

(9) Rainwater harvesting and collection facilities; and

(10) 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 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 which 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


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the general appropriations of the DPWH. Every year thereafter, the amount
necessary for the construction and maintenance of evacuation centers shall be
included in the list of programs as part of 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. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations.~ Within ninety (90) days 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 to carry out the
objectives of this Act.

Sec. 9. 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, 10, 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, 11, Effectivity Clause This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in any national newspaper of general

circulation.

Approved,