Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

House Bill No,__ 7324

Introduced by HONORABLE SCOTT DAVIES S. LANETE, M.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine Islands have perennially been a victim of calamities. Most notably,
numerous typhoons, ranging from the harmless to disastrous, visit the Philippines due to the
islands’ tropical climate and their proximity to the Pacific Ocean.

According to astudy conducted by the Geneva-based United Nations Office for
Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), the Philippines is the fourth most disaster prone country
in the world, It also revealed that Philippines is one of the top 10 countries with most number
of people afflicted by such disasters."

Disaster preparation has always been a challenge to Filipinos. Numerous catastrophic
typhoons such as Haipong, Yolanda, Ondoy and Reming, have wreaked havoc to properties
and lives and yet, it seems that with every strike of a typhoon, Filipinos seems to have never
learned.

This bill seeks to strengthen the Filipino people’s disaster preparation by equipping
each barangay with portable communication radio device (“PCRD”). It aims to provide
communication means to all barangays ~ the smallest territorial and political subdivisions of
the country, and the closest to the people ~ in order that real time information could be
quickly dispatched to concemed sectors. The use of PCRDs all the more becomes vital
considering that cellular phones and landlines are normally unusable during typhoons.

Thus, the passage of this bill is eamestly sought

}COTT DAVIES S. LANETE, M.D.
tepresentative
Third District, Province of Masbate

/www.m2comms.com/blog/2016/8/3/10-worst-typhoons-that-went-
down-in-philippine-history


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

House Bill No.__'2324

Introduced by HONORABLE SCOTT DAVIES S. LANETE, M.D.

AN ACT PROVIDING PORTABLE COMMUNICATION RADIO
DEVICES IN EVERY BARANGAY

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Title. - This Act Shall be known as the "Portable Communication
Radio Devices for Every Barangay Act of 2018."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State shall establish, maintain and support
a complete, adequate, and integrated system of disaster risk reduction and
preparedness vital to the needs of the people, the country and society-at-large.

Sec. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all existing barangays in the country.

See. 4. Provision of portable communication radio devices — All barangays
shall be equipped with at least two units of portable communication radio
devices (“PCRD”) which shall be used solely for calamity and emergency
purposes. Every city or municipality and provinces, as the case may be, shall be
equipped with radio command equipment (“RCE”) capable of transferring and
receiving information from PCRDs. RCEs shall also be used solely for
calamity and emergency purposes.

Sec. 5. Device Custodian. ~The Chairman of each barangay, in case of PCRDs,
and the Mayor of a City/Municipality or Governor of a province, in case of
RCEs, or their duly appointed personnel shall be entrusted with the control and
safekeeping of the PCRDs and RCEs. They shall ensure access to the PCRDs
and RCEs at all times.

Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local


Government shall issue implementing rules and regulations to carry out the
objectives of this Act, in consultation with the stakeholders.

Sec. 7. Funds. ~ The amount necessary to cover the purchase of PCRDs and
RCEs shall be appropriated from the savings of the Philippine Charity and
Sweepstakes Office.

See. 8. Repealing Clause. - All law, executive orders, rules and regulations or
any part hereof inconsistent herewith are deemed repealed or modified
accordingly.

Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be
declared unconstitutional and invalid, such declaration shall not invalidate other
parts thereof which shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation, whichever comes earlier.

Approved.