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RECEIVED &
are, MAY 09-201

Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. 5993

INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN ALFRED VARGAS
EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines is extremely vulnerable to natural disasters as the country is
located at the rim of the turbulent Pacific Ocean and in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Recognizing the need to protect the rights of citizens and prepare them in the
occurrence of calamities, the Philippine Government enacted Republic Act No. 10121 or
the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.

Among the key provisions of the said legislation is the integration of disaster risk
reduction education into the school curricula and the Sangguniang Kabataan Program.
Furthermore, the law also mandated the training on emergency response and
preparedness for the employees of the public sector. It is important to note, however,
that there is a need to provide our students with the practical knowledge on disaster
risk reduction and management and not just the theoretical understanding. Also, we
must also provide proper DRR awareness and training for the people in the private
sector and medical institutions.

To further strengthen the Filipinos’ resiliency to disasters, this bill seeks to
provide for the regular conduct of fire, earthquake, and other hazardous phenomena
drills in schools, school buses, private workplaces and healthcare institutions and set
the guidelines on how these institutions can properly respond in cases of fire,
earthquakes, and other calamities.

This Representation firmly believes that education is the key to true
preparedness. It is the goal of this proposal to inculcate disaster risk reduction in the
minds of all Filipinos to ensure the nation’s safety and protection against the Big One, a
super typhoon, or any disaster that comes our way.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

ALFRED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. D983

INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
MANDATING THE CONDUCT OF FIRE, EARTHQUAKE, AND OTHER HAZARDOUS
PHENOMENA DRILLS IN EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS, SCHOOL BUSES,
PRIVATE OFFICES, AND HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Preparedness in
Buildings during Fire, Earthquake, and other Hazardous Phenomena Act.”

SEC. 2. Statement of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to train
its people in the quick and proper response to times of fires, earthquakes, and other
hazardous phenomena so as to reduce the risks on their lives and properties.

SEC. 3. Drills in Educational Establishments. -

a. Fire, earthquake, and other disaster drills shall be held at least once every
quarter of the school year in educational establishments where such
establishments constitute the major function of a building.

b. The drills shall include practice and instruction concerning the location, use
and operation of emergency exits, fire escapes, doors and fire extinguishers
and other facilities provided for such purpose in buildings as well as the
proper evacuation of buildings by students, teachers, and other school
personnel in the event of fire, earthquakes and other hazardous phenomena.

c. Fire, earthquake, and other disaster drills shall include complete evacuation
of all persons from the building, if necessary. Teachers and personnel shall be
trained in assisting students in the evacuation of a building in times of fire,
earthquakes, and other hazardous phenomena.

d. A record of all fire, earthquake, and other disaster drills shall be kept and
persons in charge of buildings shall file quarterly written reports with the
respective Regional Disaster Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)
of each region, giving the time and date of each drill held.


SEC. 4. Drills in School Buses.-

. All schools using or contracting school buses and other vehicles for

transporting school children shall conduct at least two emergency evacuation
drills on school buses and other vehicles during each school year. The first
emergency evacuation drill shall be conducted during the first quarter of the
school year and the second during the third quarter.

. Each drill shall include practice and instruction concerning the proper

evacuation of buses in cases of fire, earthquakes, and other hazardous
phenomena.

Bus operators and drivers shall be trained and instructed by the Regional
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) with proper
training and instructions to enable them to carry out the provisions of this
Act.

|. The school principal or bus operator/owner shall certify in writing to the

RDRRMC that the drills required herein have been conducted.

. Operators and drivers of public utility vehicles such as jeepneys and buses

shall likewise be provided with proper training and instructions to enable
them to carry out the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 5. Drills in Private Offices. -

The employers and building administrators of private workplaces shall be
required to conduct safety drills at least once every three months. Hence,
there shall be at least four (4) drills in private workplaces in a year.

. The drills shall include practice and instruction concerning the location, use

and operation of emergency exits, fire escapes, doors and fire extinguishers
and other facilities provided for such purpose in buildings as well as the
proper evacuation of buildings by employees in the event of fire, earthquakes
and other hazardous phenomena.

Fire and earthquake drills shall include complete evacuation of all persons
from the building, if necessary. Human resources personnel of private
workplaces shall be trained in assisting employees in the evacuation of a
building in times of fire, earthquakes, and other hazardous phenomena.

|. A record of all fire, earthquake, and other disaster drills shall be kept and

persons in charge of buildings shall file quarterly written reports with the
respective Regional Disaster Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)
of each region, giving the time and date of each drill held.

‘SEC. 6. Drills in Healthcare Institutions.-

a. Administrators of hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, orphanages and other

building or structures used for the care of or occupied by the sick, infirm, or
injured shall be required to conduct safety drills at least once every three
months. Hence, there shall be at least four (4) drills in health-care institutions
ina year.

. Said drills shall be conducted with the administration and personnel of the

hospital, nursing home, or other building or structure used for the care of or
occupied by the sick, infirm, or injured persons.

3


c. Arecord ofall fire and earthquake drills shall be kept, and person in charge of
buildings shall file quarterly written reports with the RDRRMC, giving the
time and date of each drill held.

SEC. 7. Implementing Agency. - The National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (NDRRMC) and its regional and local offices shall oversee the
implementation of this Act in each locality and shall keep a record of the reports
submitted by school officials, healthcare institution administration, and school bus
operators and drivers.

SEC. 8. Penalties. - Building administrators or any person in charge of the
administration or management of educational establishments, healthcare institutions,
and school bus operators and drivers who refuses or fails to carry out the provisions of
this Act shall be given a warning for the first offense; a fine of one thousand pesos
(Php1,000.00) for the second offense; a fine of five thousand pesos (Php5,000.00) for
the third offense; and imprisonment of one (1) month and a fine of ten thousand pesos
(Php10,000.00) for subsequent offenses. The fines shall go to the funds of the local
NDRRMC office and shall be used for disaster prevention and mitigation programs of the
locality.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be declared
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof not affected thereby shall continue
in full force and effect.

SEC. 11. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,