Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. ______
Introduced by Representatives Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang and
Maximo Jr. Y. Dalog
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This
bill
seeks
to
provide
medical
assistance
and
special
incentives and benefits to forest fire responders.
Forest fire responders, as defined in this proposed measure, are
the
persons
who
render
assistance
during
the
suppression,
containment and extinguishment of forest fires.
These forest fire
responders do not belong to the personnel of the Bureau of Fire
Protection (BFP), nor are they trained and certified employees of the
different government agencies that coordinate and work together with
the
BFP
in
the
prevention,
suppression,
containment
and
extinguishment of all kinds of fires.
In the Philippines, there are only around 36,000 firefighters. The
ideal ratio of firefighter per population size is one firefighter per 2,000
people.
With a population of 120 million which ideally needs 60,000
firefighters, the country is short by around 24,000 firefighters to meet
the ideal ratio. Further, out of 1,485 municipalities all over the country,
there are still 123 municipalities without fire trucks and stations.
Thus, in cases where forest fires are situated in the rugged,
isolated or mountainous topographies, the arrival of firefighters and
firetrucks are delayed, and a number of local government units are left
with no choice but to utilize the services of persons in the vicinity to
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10:16 am


render assistance in containing and extinguishing forest fires despite
the lack of proper and adequate training, equipment and gears.
Republic Act No. 11589, otherwise known as the “Bureau of Fire
Protection Modernization Act” was enacted to close the disproportionate
gap in the adequate number of firefighters for our population, along with
the other modernization objective of acquiring new and modern
equipment, vehicles, personnel protective equipment in time with the
phase out of uneconomical and obsolete major equipment and systems
in the BFP inventory.
However, while the law encourages and promotes volunteerism
and eventual enlistment and training of forest fire responders into the
BFP fold, this bill finds it fitting to acknowledge the selfless contribution
of forest fire responders as force multiplier in the abatement of forest
fires, and deserve special incentives and benefits.
In view of the foregoing, passage of this proposed measure is
earnestly sought.
ALLEN JESSE C. MANGAOANG
MAXIMO JR. Y. DALOG


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. ______
Introduced by Representatives Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang and
Maximo Jr. Y. Dalog
AN ACT
1
PROVIDING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND SPECIAL INCENTIVES
2
AND
BENEFITS
TO
FOREST
FIRE
RESPONDERS,
AND
3
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
4
5
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
6
Philippines in Congress assembled:
7
8
SECTION l. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Forest
9
Fire Responders Act.”
10
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to
11
encourage and promote the practice of volunteerism as a strategy to
12
ensure public safety.
Towards this end, the State shall implement
13
programs towards the abatement of destructive forest fires, and
14
recognition of the selfless acts of forest fire responders for their
15
invaluable contribution in the prevention, suppression, containment and
16
extinguishment of forest fires.
17
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2
SEC. 3. Definition of terms. – As used in this Act:
1
(a)
Forest refers to mass of lands which includes public forest,
2
grazing lands, permanent forest or forest reservations, mineral lands,
3
and national parks with an area of more than 0.5 hectare and tree
4
crown of more than ten percent (10%) of the area, and the trees are
5
able to reach a minimum height of five (5) meters at maturity in situ.
6
(b)
Forest fire refers to an unenclosed and freely spreading
7
combustion which consumes the natural fuels of forest lands usually
8
caused either by natural phenomenon like lightning, spontaneous
9
ignition during high atmospheric temperatures and dryness, volcanic
10
eruption, and sparks from falling rocks, or by human-related activities
11
like unattended or out-of-control campfires, discarding of burning
12
cigarette, arson, or slash and burn farming or kaingin.
13
(c)
Forest
fire
responders
refer
to
persons
who
render
14
assistance during the suppression, containment and extinguishment of
15
forest fires, and who do not belong to the trained and certified
16
employees of the different government agencies that work together in
17
the prevention, suppression, containment and extinguishment of all
18
kinds of fires.
19
SEC. 4. Forest Fire Responders. – In the event of the delay in
20
the arrival or inadequacy of the responding firefighters, firetrucks and
21


3
equipment of the government agencies that work together in the
1
suppression, containment and extinguishment of the forest fire, the
2
barangay captain, municipal or city mayor, or provincial governor of any
3
forested
local government unit dealing with forest fire shall, in
4
coordination with the respective local disaster risk reduction and
5
management council, immediately call in volunteers living at the vicinity
6
for reinforcement and facilitate the listing of forest fire responders from
7
the initial detection of forest fires until its extinguishment to provide
8
proof of participation and basis for the provision of special incentives,
9
medical assistance, and dismemberment and death benefits.
10
SEC. 5. Special Incentive. – Forest fire responders who render
11
assistance during the suppression, containment or extinguishment of
12
forest fires shall receive a special incentive in the amount of not less
13
than One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) for each day of assistance
14
rendered during and after a forest fire, the funding of which shall be
15
sourced from the quick response fund or the local disaster risk
16
reduction and management fund of the local government units affected
17
by the forest fire.
18
SEC. 6.
Medical Benefit. – Forest fire responders who sustain
19
injuries while participating in the activities to extinguish a forest fire may
20
receive free medical assistance including medicines, consultation,
21


4
hospitalization, and medical procedures in any government hospital or
1
institution.
2
SEC. 7.
Dismemberment or Death Benefit. – In case of the
3
forest fire responder’s dismemberment which includes loss of a limb,
4
partial or permanent paralysis, or the loss of use of specific body parts,
5
such as the loss of sight, hearing, or speech, the forest fire responder
6
shall receive financial assistance in the amount of not less than Fifty
7
thousand pesos (P50,000.00).
8
In case of death of the forest fire responder, the beneficiary of
9
such forest fire responder shall receive financial assistance in the
10
amount of One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00).
11
SEC. 8.
Appropriation. – The amount necessary for the
12
implementation of Sections 6 and 7 of this Act shall be charged to the
13
Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Trust Fund created under
14
Republic Act No. 11589, otherwise known as the “Bureau of Fire
15
Protection Modernization Act.”
Thereafter, such sums as may be
16
necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the
17
budget of the BFP in the annual General Appropriations Act.
18
SEC. 9.
Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty
19
(60) days from the approval of this Act, the Bureau of Fire Protection
20
shall, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local
21
Government, Office of the Civil Defense and the National Disaster Risk
22


5
Reduction and Management Council, issue the necessary rules and
1
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
2
SEC. 10.
Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees,
3
rules, regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are
4
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
5
SEC. 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
6
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
7
circulation.
8
Approved,
9