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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLI~) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
5 MAR -3 P2:18 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
On December 26, 2004, tsunamis swept across the Indian Ocean from 
Thailand to Somaliafollowing a magnitude 9.0 quake that was centered 
about IO0 miles (I 60 km) off the coast ofIndonesia's Surqatra Island at 
a depth ofabout 6.2 miles (10 km). (CNN.com) 
The 26 December 2004 tsunami, triggered by a massive earthquake off the coast of 
Indonesia, killed close to 140,000 people in Asia and Africa, and the numbers are stifl increasing. In 
Indonesia alone, 130,000 people are listed as missing. Most of the victims lived along the state's 
lengthy coastline, and state officials are looking at ways to prevent natural disasters from exacting 
such a heavy toll in the fnture. 
Tsunamis are very large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic 
eruptions, which can travel thousands of miles in open water. Tsunamis are threats to low-elevation 
coastal areas and insular areas. 
In the Philippines, although the recent upheaval spared our country, provinces and cities 
situated near the coastal areas face the risk of being hit by catastrophic hazards like tsunamis, storms' 
surges, coastal and submarine landslides and floodings. Mines and Geosciences Bureau's (MGB) 
chief marine geologist Angel Bravo said the vulnerability of said provinces and cities to catastrophic 
hazards is due to the existence of five trenches at the bottom of the sea around the Philippine 
archipelago. 
,4 study conducted by a team of MGB marine geologists aimed to identify and assess the risk 
faced by the country's coastal areas from marine geohazards, disclosed the existence of four trenches 
which include the following: (1) the Manila Trench which extends from Taiwan down to the 
offshore area of Mindoro at the side of the China Sea; (2) the Sulu Trench extending from the 
offshore area of Romblon down to offshore area of northwest Mindanao; (3) the Cotabato Trench 
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also located at the offshore area at the northern tip of Mindanao; and (4) the Philippine Trench which 


runs from the southern tip of the Philippine archipelago at the side of the Pacific Ocean northward 
up to the eastern coastline of Infanta, Quezon 
The key steps in reducing damage caused by natpra1 calamities are to assess the hazards, 
educate the public to the hazards, monitor the Earth's seismic activity on a real-time basis, and alert 
local governments and the public in time for them to take appropriate action. Hence, this bill seeks to 
require the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology t PHIVOLCS) and the Philippine 
Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to establish the 
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natural calamities' hazard mitigation program. 
D 
6T 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
5 
MAR -3 PZ:t8 
0 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO REQUIRE THE PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF VOLCANOLOGY AND 
SEISMOLOGY (PHIVOLCS) AND THE PHILIPPINE ATMOSPHERIC GEOPHYSICAL 
AND ASTRONOMICAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (PAGASA) TO 
ESTABLISH THE NATURAL CALAMITIES’ HAZARD 
MITIGATION PROGRAM 
Be it enacted by the Senate and @e House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Calamities’ Hazard Mitigation 
Program Act of 2005.” 
SECTION 2. Dejnition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms: 
(1) “Natural calamities” - refer to the events caused by nature resulting in great loss and 
misfortune. This include but not limited to typhoon, earthquake, tsunami, landslide, 
tornado, etc. 
(2) “PHIVOLCS” - refers to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. 
(3) “PAGASA”- refers to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical 
Services Administration. 
(4) “Progratn”~ refers to the Natural Calamities’ Hazard Mitigation Program. 
(5) “DENR” -refers to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 
(6) “MGB’ -refers to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. 
SECTION 3. Natural Calamities ’ Hazard Mitigation Program. - 
1, IN GENERAL. - 
The PHIVOLCS and PAGASA shall establish the natural calamities’ 
hazard mitigation program for all coastal and insular areas, to perform hazard assessment, 
monitoring and warning, and public education functions. Such program shall - 


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(a) provide warnings of anticipated calamities, and maintain the equipment necessary to 
make such warnings; 
(b) conduct periodic tests of the calamities' warning system to ensure its operational 
effectiveness; 
(c) make calamities' warning system available to the broadest extent practicable; 
(d) establish a long-term plan to determine areas of possible inundation for all threatened 
coastal and insular areas of the country, beginning with the most populous; 
(e) coordinate the preparation of local evacuation plans for susceptible communities; and 
(f) affiliate and coordinate with and maintain membership in international organizations 
dealing with various calamities such as the World Meteorologial Organization (WMO), 
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), GeoHazards International (GHI), etc. 
2. PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES. - 
The program established under subsection (1) shall be 
designed for the benefit of all coastal and insular areas of the country, particularly those near in the 
Manila Trench which extends from Taiwan down to the offshore area of Mindoro at the side of the 
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China Sea; the Sulu Trench extending from the offshore area of Romblon down to offshore area of 
northwest Mindanao; the Cotabato Trench also located at the offshore area at the northern tip of 
Mindanao; and the Philippine Trench which runs from the southern tip of the Philippine archipelago 
at the side of the Pacific Ocean northward up to the eastern coastline of Infanta, Quezon. 
3. OTHER BENEFICIARIES. - 
Such other coastal and insular areas as may be pointed 
out by the PHIVOLCS and PAGASA, in coordination with the DENR, through the MGB, are also 
beneficiaries of this program. 
SECTION 4. Coordinating Agency. -The PHIVOLCS and PAGASA are hereby authorized 
to coordinate with the DENR, through the MGB, in implementing this program. 
SECTION 5. Authorization ofAppropriation. -To 
carry out the provisions of this Act, such 
sum as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. 


SECTION 6. Regulations.- Not later than sixty (60) days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the PHIVOLCS and the PAGASA shall promulgate and issue such regulations as are 
necessary to cany out the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - 
If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not othqrwise affected shall remain valid 
and subsisting. 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with, 
the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,