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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
NOV 11 
1\9 :44 
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SEN'Y911 
S. No. _-=-=--==-= 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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. 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, 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 flooding. 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. 
The key steps in reducing damage caused by natural calamities are to assess the hazards, 
educate the public on these 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 appropria~e action. Hence, this. 
bill seeks to require the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and 
the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (P AGASA) 
to establish a natural calamities hazard mitigation program.' 
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• This bill was originaIly filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session .. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
NOV 11 
A9 :44 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
RIX'EIVUl ltV: ( 
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AN ACT 
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REQUIRING THE PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF VOLCANOLOGY AND 
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SEISMOLOGY (PHIVOLCS) AND THE PHILIPPINE ATMOSPHERIC, GEOPHYSICAL 
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AND ASTRONOMICAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (PAGASA) TO 
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ESTABLISH THE NATURAL CALAMITIES HAZARD MITIGATION PROGRAM 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Calamity Hazard Mitigation 
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Program Act." 
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SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the term: 
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(A) 
"Natural calamities" means the events' caused by nature resulting in great loss and 
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misfortune. These include, but are not limited to, typhoon, earthquake, tsunami, landslide, and 
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tornado. 
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(B) 
"PHIVOLCS" means the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. 
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(C) 
"PAGASA" means the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical 
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Services Administration. 
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(D) 
"Program" means the Natural Calamities Hazard Mitigation Program. 
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(E) 
"DENR" means the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 
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(F) 
"MGB" means the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. 
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SECTION 3. Natural Calamities Hazard Mitigation Program. -
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(A) 
In General. - The PHIVOLCS and PAGASA shall establish the natural calamities 
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hazard mitigation program for all coastal and insular areas, to perform hazard assessment, 
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monitoring and warning, and public education functions. Such program shall -
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(I) 
Provide warnings of anticipated calamities, and maintain the equipment 
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necessary to make such warnings; 
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(2) 
Conduct periodic tests of the calamities' warning system to ensure its 
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operational effectiveness; 
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(3) 
Make calamities' warnmg system available to the broadest extent 
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practicable; 
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(4) 
Establish a long-term plan to determine areas of possible inundation for all 
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threatened coastal and insular areas of the' country, beginning with the 
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most populous; 
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(5) 
Coordinate the preparation of local evacuation plans for susceptible 
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communities; and 
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(6) 
Affiliate and coordinate with and maintain membership in international 
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organizations dealing with .various calamities such as the World 
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Meteorologial Organization (WMO), Pacific Tsunami Warning Center 
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(PTWC), GeoHazards International (GHI), etc. 
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(B) 
Primary Beneficiaries. - The program established under subsection (A) shall be' 
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designed for the benefit of all coastal and insular areas of the country, particularly those near the 
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Manila Trench which extends from Taiwan down to the offshore area of Mindoro at the side of 
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the China Sea; the Sulu Trench extending from the offshore area of Romblon down to offshore 
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area of northwest Mindanao; the Cotabato Trench located at the offshore area at the northern tip 
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of Mindanao; and the Philippine Trench which runs;from the southern tip of the Philippine 
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archipelago at the side of the Pacific Ocean northward up to the eastern coastline of Infanta, 
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Quezon. 
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(C) 
Other Beneficiaries. - Such other coastal and insular areas as may be pointed out 
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by the PHIVOLCS and PAGASA, in coordination with the DENR, through the MGB, are also 
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beneficiaries of this program. 
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SECTION 4. Coordinating Agency. -
The PHIVOLCS and PAGASA are hereby 
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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, 
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such sum as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National 
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Treasury. 
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SECTION 6. Regulations. - Not later than sixty (60) days after the tlate of the enactment 
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ofthis Act, the PHIVOLCS and the PAGASA shall promulgate and issue such regulations as are 
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necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 8. 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 inconsistent 
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with the provisions ofthis Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) days after 
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its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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