Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____ 
___________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative PABLO JOHN F. GARCIA     
___________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to hasten rescue and relief operations in local government units facing 
a calamity. 
Under Republic Act No. (RA) 10121, the declaration of a state of calamity in a local 
government unit requires a resolution of the local Sanggunian, the process of which 1s 
tedious: convening the council, ensuring the presence of a quorum, and obtaining a majority. 
This could oftentimes be impracticable in real calamity situations when members of the 
Sanggunian are in the thick of rescue and relief operations in different parts of the barangay, 
municipality, city or province, if not themselves victims of the calamity. 
To expedite the declaration procedure - and to free up government resources for 
rescue and relief operations more quickly - this bill transfers the power to declare and lift a 
state of calamity to the local chief executive. It is believed that, as RA 10121itself envisions 
on the national level where the power is given to the President, the determination of whether 
there is a state of calamity is a primarily executive function. Moreover, transferring the power 
would speed up the decision-making process since time is of the essence in any calamity. 
To check the possible abuse of this power, this bill provides that the local Sanggunian 
may, if it believes that the conditions do not or no longer exist for a state of calamity, lift the 
declaration at any time. 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
Rep. PABLO JOHN F. GARCIA 
3rd District, Province of Cebu
July 4, 2022 
10:30 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____ 
___________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative PABLO JOHN F. GARCIA     
___________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED 10121, BY TRANSFERRING THE POWER TO 
DECLARE A STATE OF CALAMITY IN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT TO THE LOCAL 
CHIEF EXECUTIVE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Section 16 of Republic Act Numbered 10121 is hereby amended to read 
as follows: 
"Section 16. Declaration of State of Calamity. - The National Council shall 
recommend to the President of the Philippines the declaration of a cluster of 
barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, and regions under a state of calamity, and 
the lifting thereof, based on the criteria set by the National Council. The President's 
declaration may warrant international humanitarian assistance as deemed necessary. 
"The declaration and lifting of the state of calamity may also be issued by the 
local CHIEF EXECUTIVE [sanggunian), or any official acting in such capacity, upon 
the recommendation of the LDRRMC, based on the results of the damage assessment 
and needs analysis. THE DECLARATION MAY BE LIFTED AT ANY TIME BY THE 
LOCAL SANGGUNIAN." 
Sec. 2. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules, and regulations which are 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed. 
Sec. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, whichever comes earlier. 
Approved, 
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