NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 2143
iMl §mwAt
of tlJ? SiH'rretnr^
23 hay “9 l\B'43
RECEIVED BV.
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY 
MUNICIPALITY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
CITY AND
EXPLANATORY NOTE
It shall be the policy of the State to establish and maintain a safe, fully-equipped 
and fully-operational evacuation center, responsive to environmental or climatic 
events, in recognition of the vulnerability of the Philippines to climate change, and 
hazards such as the occurrence of severe floods, typhoons, and other natural or 
human-induced disasters, illnesses, diseases and other factors that affect the 
environment.
The "Evacuation Centers Act" aims to construct and maintain an evacuation 
center in each city and municipality that is fully functional, safe and equipped. This is 
to provide immediate and temporary accommodation for people who have been 
evacuated or displaced from their homes due to disasters, calamities or other 
emergency events such as typhoons, floods, storm surges, droughts, earthquakes, 
tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and other geotectonic phenomena, as well as fire, the 
outbreak of illnesses and diseases, and armed conflict, that present imminent danger 
to life and property.


In this light, the immediate passage of this bill is highly recommended.
JINQfiOY E3ERCITO ESTRADA


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 2143
of tl)s?
23 HAY-9 A 8 43
RECEIVED B
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS IN EVERY CITY AND 
MUNICIPALITY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assem bled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the Evacuation Centers
Act'.
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to uphold the 
constitutional right of the people for the protection of their life and property and the 
promotion of the general welfare. Towards this end, the State, shall establish and 
maintain a safe, fully-equipped and fully-operational evacuation center, responsive to 
environmental or climatic events, in recognition of the vulnerability of the Philippines 
to climate change, and hazards such as the occurrence of severe floods, typhoons, 
and other natural or human-induced disasters, illnesses, diseases and other factors 
that affect the environment. It shall be the continuing policy of the State to ensure 
the structural capacity of evacuation centers and to provide the necessary and 
appropriate support facilities.
Sec. 3. Establishment of Evacuation Centers. - There shall be established an 
evacuation center in every city and municipality in the country which shall provide 
immediate and temporary accommodation for people who have been evacuated or 
displaced from their homes due to disasters, calamities or other emergency events


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such as typhoons, floods, storm surges, droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic
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eruptions and other geotectonic phenomena, as well as fire, and the outbreak of
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illnesses and diseases that present imminent danger to life and property.
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The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is mandated to
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construct the evacuation centers, including the formulation of building specifications
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and shall ensure that the same are compliant with the provisions of Republic Act No.
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6541, otherwise known as "The National Building Code of the Philippines" or other
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applicable laws.
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Existing structures that can meet the minimum requirements or can be
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upgraded to effectively serve as evacuation centers may be designated as such
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according to the needs of the local government unit (LGU) concerned.
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Sec. 4. Priority in the Estabiishment of Evacuation Centers. - The National
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Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) shall, in coordination
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with local executives of provinces, cities, and municipalities and in consultation with
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DOST-PHIVOLCS, DOST-PAGASA, AND DENR-MGB, identify areas to be given the
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highest priority in the establishment of new evacuation centers.
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Upon determination by the NDRRMC and the chief executives of LGUs, the
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NDRRMC shall make a priority list of LGUs needing evacuation centers using a
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prioritization criteria that takes into account the coping capacity of LGUs, their
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susceptibility, exposure and vulnerability to hazards, their readiness in implementing
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the construction of evacuation centers, and such other factors determined by
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NDRRMC. NDRRMC shall also specify a timeline and annual targets, including
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appropriate budgetary requirements, in relation to the establishment of Evacuation
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Centers in priority areas and high-risk communities.
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Priority shall be given to areas of the country that (a) are identified by the
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NDRRMC as disaster prone, (b) are financially Incapable of establishing their own
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evacuation centers and (c) do not have existing evacuation centers constructed by the
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National Government.
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Sec. 5. Requirements. - The following shall be the minimum requirements for
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every evacuation center that will be established under this Act:
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a) Location Designation - Each location for every evacuation center shall be
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determined by the LGUs, using the latest available hazard assessment tools


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and with technical assistance from the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), 
as well as the other government agencies principally mandated to mitigate 
disasters. The evacuation center shall not be at risk of isolation and shall be 
located at a safe distance from danger areas or hazards. The following shall 
be considered in identifying an ideal site for an evacuation center:
1) It must be strategically located in the community;
2) It must be of a safe distance from large trees, structures where 
hazardous materials are used and stored, or high-voltage power lines;
3) It must be near a health facility;
4) It must be located on geotechnically stable land to avoid risk of 
landslides or exposure to potential landslide of adjacent lands. Also, it 
must not be within volcanic and seismic hazard zones;
5) It must not be located within school premises, near military base camps, 
camps of insurgent groups, power plants, factories, and other areas 
where the occurrence of human-induced disasters are very high;
6) Availability of the following in the immediate vicinity;
i) 
Helipad and parking areas for emergency and other vehicles;
ii) 
Allocated area for additional portable toilets;
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Storage tanks for potable and non-potable water;
iv) 
Storage area for food and non-food items; and
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Safe shelter for livestock.
b) Structural and Building Capacity — The evacuation centers shall be 
constructed and designed to withstand super typhoons or wind speeds of 
at least three hundred kilometers per hour (300 kph) and seismic activity of 
at least 8.0 magnitude. The structure must be calamity-resilient, built with 
sturdy materials, and in accordance with the specifications of Republic Act 
No. 6541, or shall be at par with the standards set by the International 
Building Code, Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 or An Act to Enhance The 
Mobility of Disabled Persons by Requiring Certain Institutions, 
Establishments and Public Utilities to Install Facilities and Other Devices, 
and other applicable laws and regulations. The DPWH shall assess the


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quality of the building every year and every time the building is used as an 
evacuation center.
The evacuation center must at least meet the following parameters:
1) The structure must be elevated, in such a manner that is safely above 
the reach of a high tide storm surge level of at least ten (10) meters;
2) The structure must be a minimum of one (1) meter above the average 
flood level in the area where the same shall be built; and
3) The structure shall be designed in accordance with the provisions of 
Republic Act No. 6541, otherwise known as The National Building Code 
of the Philippines or other applicable law."
c) Suitability and capacity of premises - If the building is not primarily built as 
a shelter or permanent site for use as an evacuation center, considerations 
should be made on its impact to normal business if its operation as an 
evacuation center is prolonged or its normal function is taken off for an 
extended period of time.
The number and diversity of evacuees as well as public health and safety 
concerns shall be considered in the suitability of the premises.
d) Amenities and Accessibility-J\\e evacuation centers shall be well-ventilated 
and shall have the capacity to accommodate a large number of evacuees. 
The evacuation center shall have the following minimum amenities;
1) Sleeping quarters for the evacuees;
2) Separate shower and toilet facilities designated for males and females, 
with one (1) facility for every twenty (10) males and females and one 
(1) for every eight (8) persons with disabilities or elderly;
3) Amenities to enable access thereto by persons with disabilities;
4) Emergency exit doors;
5) Dining kitchen or food preparation areas with adequate ventilation;
6) Trash and waste segregation and collection areas;
7) Health care areas which shall include an isolation or quarantine area for 
potentially infectious persons, health station/clinic, breastfeeding room, 
mental wellness space/room, interview or counselling room for 
psychosocial intervention;


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8) Child, women-friendly recreation area;
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9) Prayer rooms;
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10)Rainwater harvesting and collection facilities;
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ll)Laundry area;
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12)Area for management of livestock and domestic animals owned by
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evacuees;
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13)Standby power for lighting, operation of medical equipment equipment
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and communication equipment;
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14)Standalone water pumping facilities;
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15)Storage area for food and non-food items; and,
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16)Urban gardens as additional and self-sufficient food sources
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17) Other facilities as may be prescribed by the appropriate authorities.
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e) Food safety - Kitchen and dining facilities shall be able to adequately
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accommodate the number of people in the evacuation center. Food
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preparation and storage facilities shall comply with satisfactory standards of
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the Department of Health (DOH) on cleanliness to minimize the potential
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for contamination and invasion of insects and pests.
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Sec. 6. Role of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
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(NDRRMC). - The NDRRMC, through its secretariat, the Office of Civil Defense, shall
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be the lead implementing agency of this Act.
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It shall enter into memoranda of agreement (MOA) with the concerned LCDs
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for the maintenance, operation, and management of a permanent evacuation center
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in their respective areas of jurisdiction. NDRRMC, together with DSWD, shall provide
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technical assistance and support services to these LCDs in the management of the
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facility.
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The NDRRMC shall be responsible for the monitoring, inspection, and evaluation
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of identified and constructed evacuation centers in coordination with the LGUs and
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relevant agencies. The monitoring, inspection and validation shall cover service
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delivery, needs assessment and gaps including structural integrity, safety against risks
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and hazards, suitability for use as evacuation centers/camps, floor area, and
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availability of camp facilities.


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Sec. 7. Coordination Among Agencies. - The NDRRMC shall coordinate with the
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DPWH, DSWDa Department of Health (DOH), Department of THE Interior and Local
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Government (DILG) and DOST for technical assistance with regard to the design
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specifications, facility functionality, cost estimates, and construction details of the
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evacuation centers that will be established pursuant to this Act.
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Concerned government agencies and instrumentalities, when necessary, shall
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provide assistance to the NDRRMC to ensure the effective and efficient implementation
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of this Act.
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Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to be exemptions from the minimum
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requirements that are set forth by the National Building Code, its implementing rules
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and regulations and other reference standards.
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Sec. 8. Operation and Management - The LGUs concerned shall be primarily
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responsible for the operation, supervision, and management of evacuation centers
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established under this Act. They are also hereby authorized to issue rules and
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regulations on their proper use and maintenance.
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The local sanggunian shall promulgate guidelines and procedures for the use
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and operation of the evacuation center under its jurisdiction. The guidelines shall
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prescribe rules on the utilization of the evacuation center when it is not used as such:
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Provided, That the evacuation center may only be used for such other activities or
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purposes that involve the use of temporary amenities with corresponding provisions
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for orderly and rapid clearing within a predetermined short period of time and those
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that shall not in any way compromise the serviceability of the evacuation center or
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impede the use thereof when a disaster occurs: Provided, further, That the LGU shall
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impose such penalties as may be deemed proper on the organizers of authorized
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activities when the evacuation center suffers any damage, defacement, or loss during
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or as a result of such activities.
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Sec. 9. Transitory Provisions. - When an LGU is included in the priority list of
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LGUs which need an evacuation center pursuant to Section of this Act and there is no
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available site where the government can construct a new evacuation center, the
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NDRRMC may instead consider upgrading and converting existing structures into fully-
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equipped and disaster-resilient structures to be used primarily as an evacuation center
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and designating all suitable government buildings and spaces such as gymnasiums.


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multi-purpose halls, covered courts, warehouses, and other similar structures as
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established community shelters to comply with the provisions of Section 6 of this Act,
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particularly on the requirement on location and structural capacity.
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Sec. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from
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the effectivity of this Act, the NDRRMC shall, in consultation with the DPWH, DOST,
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League of Cities of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and
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other concerned government and private agencies, promulgate the necessary rules
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and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
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Sec. 11. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation
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of the construction of evacuation centers shall be charged against the current year's
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appropriation of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) provided for
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this purpose. Thereafter, the amounts necessary for the construction of evacuation
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centers shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. The LGU concerned
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shall provide for the continued maintenance, operation and management of
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evacuation center.
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Sec. 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof, is held invalid
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or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provisions not otherwise affected
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shall remain valid and subsisting.
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Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
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Sec. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,