FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.NO. 168'7 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
On December 26, 2004, tsunamis swept across the Indian Ocean from 
Thailand to Somalia following a magnitude 9.0 quake that was centered about 
IO0 miles (I 60 km) off the coast of Indonesia 's Sumatra Island at a depth of about 
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 still 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 future. 
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. 
A 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 also located at the offshore area at the northern tip of Mindanao; and (4) the Philippine 
Trench which runs fiom 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 natural 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 hstitute of Volcanology and Seismology 
(PHIVOLCS) and the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services 
Administration (PAGASA) to establish the natural calamities’ hazard mitigation program.* 
This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUSLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
7 
i‘i-r -2 i:‘ 
, ’ ! >  
First Regular Session 
) 
S. No. sENf!f8 7 
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 the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Calamities’ Hazard 
Mitigation Program Act of 2007.” 
SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the term: 
(A) “Natural calamities” means the events caused by nature resulting in great loss and 
misfortune. These include, but are not limited to, typhoon, earthquake, tsunami, 
landslide, tornado, etc. 
(B) “PHIVOLCS” means the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. 
(C) “PAGASA” means the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical 
Services Administration. 
@) “Program” means the Natural Calamities’ Hazard Mitigation Program. 
(E) “DENR” means the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 
(F) “MGB’ means the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. 
SECTION 3. Natural Calamities’ Hazard Mitigation Program. - 
(A) 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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(1) Provide warnings of anticipated calamities, and maintain the equipment 
necessary to make such warnings; 
(2) Conduct periodic tests of the calamities’ warning system to ensure its 
operational effectiveness; 
(3) Make calamities’ warning system available to the broadest extent practicable; 
(4) 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; 
(5) Coordinate the preparation of local evacuation plans for susceptible 
communities; and 
(6) 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. 
(B) Primary BeneJiciaries. - 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 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. 
(C) 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. 
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SECTION 5. Authorization of Appropriation. - 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 carry 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 otherwise 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, 
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