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NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Eirst Regular Session
House Bill No
Introduced by Representative TEODORICO "NONONG' T. HARESCO, IR.
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING GREEN EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY CITYAND MUNICIPALIry,
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippines remains one of the world's most disaster-prone countries by virtue of
its geographic location. Located along the bouudary of major tectonic plates and atthe center
of a typhoon belt, the country is re!;ularly impacted by floods, typhoons, landslides,
earthquakes, volcanoes, and droughts.
Worldwide, the Philippines remains in the top three countries most affected by climate-
related weather catastrophesl. In the said report, the Philippines ranked second to Haiti in terms
of "relative and absolute number of human victims, and relative and absolute economic
damage" caused by natural disasters.
Despite the frequency and vulnerability ofthe country to natural disasters, the resiliency
of the Filipino people has made use of schools as the deftult evacuation centers in times of
calamities, disasters, conflicts and emergencies- However, schools are but makeshift
evacuation sites and are not well-equipped with necessary facilities for such emergency
occurrences and situations.
1 Germanwatch. Global Climate Risk Index 2014.
September 27, 2022
8:00 am
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When schools and classrooms become makeshift evacuation centers, students are also
displaced and are forced to either suspend classes or do so in unconducive leaming
environments. This social dilemma during natural disasters and emergency situations must be
immediately addressed.
This bill seeks to establish sustainable and quality infraskucture which will serve as
green evacuation centers in every crty and municipalify with the end view of decongesting
temporary evacuation centers in public schools and private facilities. These green evacuation
centers shall utilize renewable energy, provide water efficiency, and if possible, make use of
sustainable materials.
This proposed measure also sets the optimum safety requirements that these evacuation
centers should meet. The proposed evacuation centers must be easily accessible to evacuees
and emergency rescue personnel and must be able to withstand any nafural or man-made
disasters. It must be designed to have space that can be used flexibly for recreational activities
and as sleeping quarters during the evacuation. It must also be well-ventilated, able to
accommodate large groups of people, and must have bathing and toilet amenities.
It is the hope of this measure to provide long-term sustainable solutions to a country
heavily affected by natural disasters, without compromising the lives and welfare of affected
civilians.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is eamestly sought.
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TEODORICO T.
JR
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
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House Bill No.
Introduced by Representative TEODORICO "NOhIONG" T. HARESCO,IR.
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING GREEN EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY CIW AND MUNICIPALIry
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House af Representatiaes of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Tille. - This Act shall be known as the "Green Evacuation Centers in
Every City cnd Alunicipality Act".
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy.- It shall be the policy of the State to uphold the
constitutional right ofthe people for the protection oftheir life and property and the promotion
ofthe general welfare. Towards this end, the State, shall establish and maintain a fully equipped
and fully-operational sustainable evacuation center, responsive to environmental or climatic
events, in recognition ofthe vulnerability of the Philippines to climate change, the occurrence
of severe floods, typhoons, and other natural or human-induced disasters, illnesses, diseases
and other factors that affect the environmenh
SECTION 3. Estublishment of Green Evacu*tion Centers. - 
There shall be established a
green evacuation center in every city and municipality in the country which shall provide
immediate and temporary accommodation for people who have been evacuated or displaced
frorn their homes due to emergency events such as typhoons, floods, storm surges, drought and
other severe climate disturbances, as well as fire, and the outbreak of illnesses and diseases that
present imminent danger to life and property. Existing structures that would meet the minimum
requirements or could be upgraded to effectively serve as evacuation centers could be
designated as such in compliance with the local govemment unit concerned.
SECTION 4. Dejining Green Evercuatian Centers. - Green evacuation centers refer to
designated buildings or infrastructure specifically selected as a location not anticipated to be
adversely affected by a particular hazard, that utilize renewable energy, provide water
efficiency, and if possible, make use of sustainable materials.
SECIIION 5. Requiremen s. - 
The following shall be the minimum requirements for every
green evacuation center that willbe established under this Act:
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a) Location Designatton. -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 &ees, structures where hazardous materials
are used and stored, Of high-voltage power lines;
3. It must be near a health facility;
4. It must be located on geotechnically stable land to avoid risk of landslides or
exposure to potential landslide ofadjacent 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) S*ucturat and Buildtng Capactty. - 
The evacuation centers shall be constructed and
designed to withstand super typhoons or wind speeds of at least three hundred
kilometers per hour (300 kph) and seismic activity of at least 80 magnitude. The
structure must be calamity resilient built with sturdy materials, and in accordance with
the specifications of Republic Act No. 6541, otherwise known as the National
Building Code of the Philippines" or shall be at par with the standards set by the
International Building Code.
The Department ofPublic Works and Highways (DPWH) shall be in charge ofthe construction
of green evacuation centers, including the formulation of building specifications and shall
ensure that the same are based on standards, issuances, and other guidelines set by the DPWH,
and are compliant with the provisions of the National Building Code. 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 green evacuation centers shall be periodically reviewed and, if
nesessary, revised by the DPWH every three (3) years.
The green evacuation center must irt least meet the following parameters:
1. The structure must be elevated, in such a manner that is safely above the reach of
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 shall be designed
in accordance with earthquake load standards.
4. The shucture shall make use ofrenewable sources of energy such as but not limited
to solar energy, wind energy? hydro energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, andlot
biomass energy.
c) Amenities ond Accessibilily - 
The green svacuation centers shall be well-ventilated
and shall have the capacity to accomrnodate a large number of evacuees. The center
shall have the following minimum amenities:
1. Sleeping quarters forthe evacuees;
2. Separate shower and toilet facilities designated for males and females, with one (1)
facility for every twenty (20) persons;
3. Amenities to enable access thereto by persons with disabilities;


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4. Emergency exit doors;
5. Food preparation areas with adequate ventilation;
6. Trash and waste segregation and sollection areas;
7. Health care areas which shall include an isolation or quarantine area for potentially
infectious persons;
8. Rainwater harvesting and collection facilities;
9. [nternet access facilities;
10. Renewable energy-powered facilities; and
11. Other facilities as may be prescribed by the appropriate authorities.
SECTION 6. Operation and Managemenl - The LGUs concerned shall be primarily
responsible for the operation, supervision, and management of green evacuation centers
established under this Act. They are also hereby authorized to issue rules and regulations on
their proper use and maintenance.
The local sanggunian shall promulgate guidelines and procedures for the use and operation of
the green evacuation center under its jurisdiction. The guidelines shall prescribe rules on the
utilization of the green eyacuation center when it is not used as such: Provided, That the green
evacuation center may only be used for such other activities or purposes that involve the use
of collapsible amenities only and those that shall not in any way cornpromise the serviceability
of the green evacuation center or Impede the use thereof when a disaster occurs: Provided
further, That the LGU shall impose such penalties as may be deemed proper on the organizers
of authorized activities when the green evacuation center suffers any damage, defacement, or
loss during or as a result of such activities.
The mandatory audit of infrastrucfures used as green evacuation centers shall be conducted by
the City or Municipality at least once every year and immediately after the occurrence of a
hazard or disaster.
SBCTION 7. Role of the Natianal Disaster Risk Redwctton and Munagement Coancil
(NDRRMC). - The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Q\TDRRMC)
shall be the lead implementing agency of this Act- It shall give utmost priority to those areas
of the country that (a) are identified as disaster prone; (b) are financially incapable to establish
their own evacuation centers; and (c) do not have existing evacuation centers of their own.
It shall enter into memoranda of agreement (MOA) with the concerned LGUs for the
maintenance, operation, and management of a permanent evacuation center in their respective
areas ofjurisdiction. It shall provide technical assistance and support services to these LGUs
in the management ofthe facility-
Local chief executives concerned shall evaluate and provide suitable sites for evacuation
centers to determine their geographical stability, and public accessibility in tirnes of disasters.
They shall provide for the maintenanceo operation, and management of the facility taking into
consideration the goal of life preservation and meeting the basic subsistence needs of affected
population based on acceptable standards during or immediately after a disaster-
SECTION 8. Coordination Among Agencies. - The NDRRMC shall coordinate with the
DPWH and the Department of Science and Technology {DOST) with regard to the design
specifications, cost estimates, and conskuction details of the evacuation centers that will be
constructed pursuant to this Act. Concerned government agencies and instrumentalities, when


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necessary, shall provide assistance to the NDRRMC to ensure the effective and efficient
implementation of this Act.
SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulutiotts. - Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity ofthis Act, the NDRRMC shall, in consultation with the DPWH, DOST, League of
Cities of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and other concerned
government and private agencies, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out
the provisions of this Act.
SECTION 10. Appropriation. -The amount necessary for the initial implementation to fund
the construction and maintenance of multi-pu{pose gyms to serve as evacuation centers shall
be charged against the budget provided for this purpose under the DPWH. Thereafter, such
amounts necessary for the construction of multipurpose gyms as evacuation centers shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. The LGU concemed shall provide the
continued maintenance, operation and management of the facility-
SECTION ll. Non-Impairment Clause. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to
diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or made available to disadvantaged,
marginalized, or specific sectors under existing laws.
SECTION 12. Seryarabilily Clause - If any provision is held invalid or unconstitutional, the
remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
SECTION 13. Repealing Clsase. -Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation eontrary to or inconsistent with
the provisions ofthis Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.
SECTION 14. Elfectivity. - This Act shall take effeet fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
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