NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
21
S.B. No.
SENATE
940
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY MUNICIPALITY AND CITY, 
PROVIDING FOR THE NECESSARY FACILITIES, ENSURING THEIR 
STRUCTURAL CAPACITY, AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In its website, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services 
Administration (PAGASA) highlights that more tropical cyclones (TCs) are entering the 
Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) than anywhere else in the world at an average of 
20 TCs in the region per year, with about 8 or 9 of them crossing the Philippines.1
This vulnerability to typhoons makes the Philippines one of the most flood-prone 
countries in the world. For the last ten years, there have been over 60 reported major 
floods In the country, with nearly 14 million people affected, more than 700 dead, and 
over $400 million estimated damages2.
1 https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/dimate/tropical-cydone-information
2 Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Data from EMDAT 
International Disaster Database, contained in the paper Enhancing Rish Analysis Capacities foi Flood, 
Tropical Cyclone Severe Wind and Earthquake for the Greater Metro Manila Area Components - Flood 
Risk Analysis


Clearly, when a typhoon or any disaster hits the country or any part thereof, many 
people are displaced and need to be relocated. It is common practice in the Philippines 
to use schools as evacuation centers in times of calamities, which disrupts school 
activities. In November 2020, Department of Education (DepEd) reported that 869 public 
schools were used as evacuation centers with 44 divisions and 4,367 classrooms, 
temporarily housing some 21,000 families or 82,584 individuals.3 In fact, DepEd issued 
Department Order No. 33, dated August 20, 2021, providiiig a Manual for School-Based 
Disaster Preparedness and Response Measures for Tropical Typhoons, Flooding and 
Other Weather-Related Disturbances and Calamities.
Another problem when calamity occurs is the lack of or inadequacy of typhoon or 
calamity-proof school buildings and classrooms. After the typhoon or calamity strikes, 
many classrooms are also damaged, and cannot be utilizea as evacuation centers. When 
Super typhoon Odette ravaged the country in December 2021, DepEd recorded damages 
worth P700 million on 71 public schools,4 and 166 damaged public schools in Western 
Visayas alone. DepEd Region 6's Rapid Assessment of Damages Report (RADAR) showed 
380 classrooms totally destroyed and 397 more partially damaged. By DepEd Flegion-O's 
estimate, it needs Pl.l billion to reconstruct the destroyed classrooms and repair those 
with damages.5
Thus, this measure seeks to establish a dedicated evacuation center in every 
municipality and city in the country, providing for necessary facilities and structural 
capacity, in addition to DepEd classrooms which will be sustained as evacuation centers 
in case a site for a new evacuation center is not available. It also emphasizes the need 
to ensure the structural capacity of existing evacuation centers and those that will be 
constructed in the future. It is imperative that strict compliance with the National Building 
Code of the Philippines is observed, and that inputs of structural engineers are integrated
3 https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1355855/deped-226-schools-damaged-over-800-schools-used-as- 
evacuation-centers-after-rollys-onslaught#ixzz7UqhuPHuO
4 https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/427708/deped-lapu-lapu-says-damages-in-public-schools-due-to- 
odette-reach-p700m#ixzz7Uqjcfqu9
5 https://www.panaynews.net/wvs-166-DubIic-schools-damaged-pl-l b-rehab-fund-needed-deped-6- 
exec/


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
F/rst Regular Session
SENATE
S.B. No. 940
■22 AUG -I A1027
RECEIVED BY;
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY MUNICIPALITY AND CITY, 
PROVIDING FOR THE NECESSARY FACILITIES, ENSURING THEIR 
STRUCTURAL CAPACITY, AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. 
"Evacuation Center Act"
This Act shall be known as the
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a declared policy of the State to protect life, 
liberty, and properties of all Filipinos, promote their general welfare, and provide 
adequate social services to them. Towards this end, the State, in recognition of the 
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 environment, shall institutionalize the government's efforts to 
establish and maintain fully equipped and fully-operational evacuation


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centers, and provide the necessary facilities to sites used as evacuation
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centers to make them responsive to environmental or climatic events.
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It shall be the continuing policy of the State to ensure the structural capacity of
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evacuation centers and to provide the necessary and appropriate support facilities.
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SEC. 3. Establishment of Evacuation Centers. -There shall be established an
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evacuation center in every city and municipality in the Philippines which shall provide
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Immediate and temporary accommodation for people A/ho have been evacuated or
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displaced from their homes due to disasters, calamities or other emergency events, such
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as typhoons, floods, storm surges, drought and other severe climate disturbances, as
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well as fire, and the outbreak of illnesses and diseases that presents imminent danger to
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life and property.
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SEC. 4. Eaciiity Requirements. -The following shall be the minimum requirements
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for every evacuation center that will be established under this Act
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a) Location - The evacuation center should not be at risk of isolation. It should be
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located at a safe distance from danger areas or hazards. The Local Disaster Risk
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Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) of the local government unit (LGU)
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concerned shall coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
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(DENR) to utilize the Mines and Geosciences Bureau's (MGB) geohazard maps in
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determining the appropriate location of the evacuation center.
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The following shall be considered in identifying an ideal site for an evacuation
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center:
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1) Drainage;
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2) Elevation;
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3) Protection from strong winds;
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4) Accessibility 
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proximity from the vulnerable
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community;
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5) Availability of the following in the immediate vicinity:
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i) Parking areas for emergency and other vehicles;
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ii) Allocated area for additional portable toilets;
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iii) Storage tanks for potable and non-potable water; and
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iv) Safe shelter for livestock.
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b) Structural Capacity - New evacuation centers and improvements in schools
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used as an evacuation center which will be constructed after the effectivity of this Act
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must be made of construction materials which are in accordance with the specifications
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of Republic Act No. 6541, otherwise known as the "National Building Code of the
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Philippines/' and be able to withstand wind speeds of three hundred twenty (320)
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kilometers per hour or two hundred (200) miles per hour and moderate seismic activity
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of at least 7.2 magnitude.
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The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall be responsible in
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formulating the appropriate specifications for evacuation centers and to ensure
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compliance with these specifications during the construction of evacuation centers. The
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specifications shall be periodically reviewed and, if necessary, revised by the DPWH every
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three years.
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c) Suitability and Capacity of Premises - If the building is not primarily built as a
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shelter or permanent site for use as an evacuation cetiter, considerations should be
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made on its impact to normal business if its operation as an evacuation center is
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prolonged or its normal function is taken off for an extended period of time.
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The number and diversity of evacuees as well as public health and safety concerns
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should be considered in the suitability of the premises.
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It must likewise be able to provide electricity, back-up power supply, water,
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sewerage system, solid waste management, and physical mobility for people with
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mobility aids.
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d) Physical Amenities - The evacuation and relief center should
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be able to provide the following minimum facilities:
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1. Sleeping area;
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2. Eating area;
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3. Shower and toilet facilities which should accommodate
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twenty (20) people per shower or toilet room, and should be utilized according
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to gender;
4. Kitchen or food preparation area;
5. Trash collection area;
6. Clinic area including an isolation area for potentially infectious people;
7. Laundry area;
8. Recreation area; and
9. Pet and livestock holding area.
e) Food Safety -K\\£hen and dining facilities should be able to cater for the number 
of people in the evacuation center. Food preparation and storage facilities should comply 
with satisfactory standards of the Department of Health on cleanliness to minimize the 
potential for contamination and invasion of insects and pests.
SEC. 5. Priority in the Estabiishment of Evacuation Centers.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) shall, in 
coordination with local chief executives of provinces, cities, and municipalities, identify 
areas to be given the highest priority in the establishment of new evacuation centers.
Upon determination by the NDRRMC and the chief executives of LGUs, the 
NDRRMC shall make a priority list of LGUs needing evacuation centers. The frequency of 
occurrence of calamities, whether natural or human-induced, and the number of 
displaced persons in the LGU during said calamities in the past three years may be 
considered in coming up with the priority list.
SEC. 6. Improvement of Schools or Structures Used as Evacuation Centers. - When 
an LGU is included in the priority list of LGUs which need an evacuation center pursuant 
to Section 5 of this Act and there is no available site where the government can construct 
a new evacuation center, the NDRRMC may instead consider the improvement of facilities 
in schools or other structures already being used as evacuation center by the LGU to 
make it comply with the provisions of Section 4 of this Act, particularly on the 
requirement on location and structural capacity.


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SEC. 7. Role of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. - 
The NDRRMC shall be the lead agency in implementing this Act. It shall ensure that the 
requirements of this Act are faithfully complied with.
SEC. 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 construction details of new evacuation centers that 
will be constructed pursuant to this Act.
Ali government agencies and instrumentalities, when necessary, shall provide 
assistance to the NDRRMC to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of this 
Act.
SEC. 9. Operation and Maintenance of Evacuation Centers. - The operation and 
management of evacuation centers shall be under the auspices of the LGU where the 
evacuation center is situated while the DPWH shall be tasked with the maintenance of 
evacuation centers that wil be constructed under this Act.
The local Sanggunian shall promulgate guidelines and procedures for the use and 
operation of the evacuation centers under their jurisdiction. The guidelines shall include 
provisions on the use of ihe evacuation center when it is not being utilized as an 
evacuation center including its utilization as a classroom, livelihood center, youth center, 
or multi-purpose center to oenefit the constituents of the LGU.
The Department of Education (DepEd) shall be in-charge with the maintenance, 
repair and upgrading of the additional facilities of schools which will be constructed in 
accordance with Section 6 of this Act.
SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this 
Act shall be charged to the appropriations of the DPWH with respect to the construction 
and maintenance of new evacuation centers. For this purpose, the DPWH shall include 
in its programs and annua; budget the maintenance of evacuation centers constructed 
under this Act.


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The amount necessary for the operation of the evacuation centers shall be charged 
to the funds of the LDRRMC.
The construction and maintenance of additional facilities for schools already used 
as evacuation centers shall be charged to the appropriations for the DepEd. Thereafter, 
such amount needed by the concerned Department for the continued implementation of 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -Jhe Chairperson of the NDRRMC, 
in close coordination with Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)/ NDRRMC 
Executive Director, and the member-Secretaries of the NDRRMC, shall issue the 
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full 
force and effect.
SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, and 
other issuances inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
accordingly.
SEC. 14. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.
Approved,