NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
A
)
of i!)? S3 ' 't 'r,;’
23 SEP 26 PI 59
RECEIVED BV:
SENATE
S. B. No. 2451
(In Substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 193, 940, 1200, 1652, 2085 and 2
Prepared and submitted jointly by the Committees on National Defense and Security, 
Peace, Unification and Reconciliation joint with the Committees on Public Works and 
Finance with Senators Go, Gatchaiian, Lapid, Tuifo, ViHar (M.), Ejercito Estrada and 
ReviHa Jr. as authors thereof
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING EVACUATION CENTERS FOR EVERY CITY AND 
MUNICIPALITY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the "Ligtas Pinoy Centers
2 
Act".
3 
Sec 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to uphold the
4 
constitutional right of the people for the protection of their life and property and the
5 
promotion of the general welfare. Towards this end, the State shall establish and
6 
maintain safe, fully-equipped, and fully-operational evacuation centers responsive to
7 
human-induced disasters, environmental or climatic events, in recognition of the
8 
vulnerability of the Philippines to climate change, hazards and public health crises and
9 
emergencies. It shall be the continuing policy of the State to ensure the structural
10 
capacity and structural integrity of evacuation centers and to provide the necessary
11 
and appropriate support facilities.


1
Sec. 3. Establishment of Evacuation Centers. - Evacuation centers shall be
2 
established for every city and municipality in the country which shall provide
3 
immediate and temporary accommodation for evacuees or people displaced from their
4 
homes due to human-induced disasters, calamities or other emergency events such
5 
as typhoons, floods, storm surges, droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic
6 
eruptions and similar geotectonic phenomena and related severe climate disturbances,
7 
fire, outbreak of diseases, and others that may present imminent danger to life and
8 
property.
9 
Sec. 4. Minimum Standards. - The following shall be the minimum standards
10 
for the essential facilities and conditions required in every evacuation center that will
11 
be established under this Act:
12 
a) Location Designation - The evacuation center shall be strategically located
13 
in the community and shall not be at risk of isolation. It shall be located at
14 
a safe distance from danger areas or hazards. The Local Disaster Risk
15 
Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) of the LCD concerned shall
16 
coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
17 
(DENR) to utilize the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) geohazard maps
18 
in determining the appropriate location of the evacuation center.
19 
b) Structural Integrity and Building Capacity — The evacuation centers shall
20 
be disaster-resilient, built with sturdy materials, constructed and designed
21 
to withstand super typhoons or wind speeds of at least three hundred
22 
kilometers per hour (300 kph), and seismic activity of at least 8.0
23 
magnitude.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22 
23
c) Facilities - The evacuation centers shall be well-ventilated and shall have 
the capacity to accommodate the anticipated number of evacuees 
considering the size of the population in the affected area. The evacuation 
center shall have the following minimum facilities:
1) Sleeping quarters for the evacuees;
2) Separate shower and toilet facilities designated for males and females, 
with one (1) facility for every twenty (20) males and females and one 
(1) for every eight (8) persons with disabilities or elderly;
3) Kitchen or food preparation and dining areas;
4) Trash and waste segregation and collection areas;
5) Health care areas which shall include an isolation or quarantine area for 
potentially infectious persons, health station/clinic, breastfeeding room, 
mental wellness space, counseling room;
6) Recreation Area;
7) Women and child-friendly spaces;
8) Rainwater harvesting and collection facilities;
9) Standby power for lighting, operation of medical and communication 
equipment;
10) Powerhouse and standalone water pumping facilities; and
11) Storage area for food and non-food items.
d) Food safety - Kitchen and dining facilities shall be able to adequately 
accommodate the number of people in the evacuation center. Food 
preparation and storage facilities shall comply with sanitation standards of


1 
the Department of Health (DOH) to minimize the potential for contamination
2 
and invasion of insects and pests.
3 
Sec. 5. Lead Implementing Agency. -The National Disaster Risk Reduction and
4 
Management Council (NDRRMC), through its secretariat, the Office of Civil Defense,
5 
shall be the lead implementing agency of this Act.
6 
The NDRRMC shall develop a menu of minimum conceptual design standards
7 
for evacuation centers which will consider the following factors: (1) available lot sizes
8 
in the LCDs; (2) physical features of a site such as but not limited to climate and
9 
topography; (3) social attributes of an area such as culture and history; and (4)
10 
Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases (EREID).
11 
The NDRRMC, in coordination with the LGUs and relevant agencies, shall
12 
oversee and evaluate identified and constructed evacuation centers, which shall cover
13 
assessment of key aspects, such as but not limited to structural integrity, risk and
14 
hazard safety, floor area, suitability for intended use, service delivery, availability of
15 
camp facilities, and identification of any existing needs or gaps. It shall also conduct
16 
annual inspections to ensure the continuous improvement and effectiveness of these
17 
facilities.
18 
Sec. 6. Role of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)- The DPWH
19 
shall be the agency tasked with the construction of the evacuation centers under this
20 
Act. It shall ensure that the structures comply with the provisions of Republic Act No.
21 
6541, otherwise known as "The National Building Code of the Philippines," and other
22 
applicable laws.
23 
The DPWH, upon recommendation of the NDRRMC, shall upgrade and convert
24 
existing structures that meet the minimum requirements of this Act into permanent


1 
fully-equipped and disaster-resilient structure, particularly in cases where the LGU in
2 
the priority list has no available site for the construction of a new evacuation center.
3 
Sec. 7. Coordination Among Agencies. -The NDRRMC shall coordinate with the
4 
DENR, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), DPWH,
5 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), DOH, Department of the
6 
Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Science and Technology
7 
(DOST) for technical assistance with regard to the design and building specifications,
8 
facility functionality, cost estimates, and construction details of the evacuation centers
9 
that will be established and upgraded pursuant to this Act.
10 
The concerned government agencies and instrumentalities shall provide
11 
assistance to the NDRRMC, when necessary, to ensure the effective and efficient
12 
implementation of this Act.
13 
Sec. 8. Priority in the Estabiishment of Evacuation Centers. - The NDRRMC
14 
shall, in consultation with the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine
15 
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS), Department of Science
16 
and Technology - Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
17 
Administration (DOST-PAGASA) and Department of Environment and Natural
18 
Resources - Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB), identify areas to be given
19 
the highest priority in the establishment of new evacuation centers.
20 
The NDRRMC shall make a priority list of (a) LGUs that need evacuation centers
21 
and (b) LGUs that need the upgrading and conversion of existing infrastructure, using
22 
criteria that take into account the LGU's susceptibility, exposure and vulnerability to
23 
hazards, their readiness in implementing the construction of evacuation centers, and
24 
such other factors as may be determined by NDRRMC. It shall also specify a timeline


1 
and annual targets, including appropriate budgetary requirements, in relation to the
2 
establishment of evacuation centers in priority areas and high-risk communities.
3 
Sec. 9. Turnover of Evacuation Center. - Upon evaluation and determination
4 
that the evacuation center constructed or the converted existing structure meets the
5 
prescribed standards, the NDRRMC shall enter into a memorandum of agreement
6 
(MOA) with the DPWH and the concerned local government units (LGUs), for its proper
7 
turnover, maintenance, operation, and management. The NDRRMC, together with the
8 
DSWD, shall provide technical assistance and support services to these LGUs in the
9 
management of the facility.
10 
Sec. 10. Operation and Management - The LGUs concerned shall be primarily
11 
responsible for the operation, supervision, and management of evacuation centers
12 
established under this Act.
13 
The local sanggunian shall promulgate rules, guidelines, and procedures for the
14 
use and operation of the evacuation center under its jurisdiction. The guidelines shall
15 
prescribe rules on the utilization of the evacuation center for other activities or
16 
purposes authorized by the LGU: Provided, That the utilization of the evacuation
17 
center and its amenities for such authorized activities or purposes shall only be
18 
temporary with corresponding provisions on cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing
19 
immediately after use; Provided further, That it shall not in any way compromise the
20 
serviceability or impede the use thereof when a disaster occurs; Provided finaiiy, That
21 
the LGU shall impose such penalties as may be deemed proper on the organizers of
22 
authorized activities when the evacuation center suffers any damage, defacement, or
23 
loss during or as a result of such activities.


1 
The LGUs may enter into MOAs with other LCDs for the shared use of said
2 
evacuation centers, as the need arises. LGUs may also enter into contracts that would
3 
be beneficial for the evacuation centers, including but not limited to the enhancement
4 
of amenities, upgrading of building capacity, among others.
5 
The LGUs shall be responsible for facilitating the general cleaning and repair of
6 
facilities, including fumigation, and ensuring that the facility is safe for its intended
7 
use.
8 
Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from
9 
the effectivity of this Act, the NDRRMC shall, in consultation with the DPWH, DSWD,
10 
DHSUD, DOST, DENR, League of Cities of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of
11 
the Philippines, and other concerned government and private agencies, promulgate
12 
the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
13 
Sec. 12. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation
14 
of the construction of evacuation centers shall be charged against the current year's
15 
appropriation of the DPWH provided for this purpose. Thereafter, the amounts
16 
necessary for the construction of evacuation centers shall be included in the annual
17 
General Appropriations Act. The LGU concerned shall provide for the continued
18 
maintenance, operation and management of the evacuation centers.
19 
Sec. 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
20 
unconstitutional, the remainder thereof not otherwise affected shall remain in full force
21 
and effect.
22 
Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
23 
letters of instruction, administrative regulations that are inconsistent with the
24 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.


1 
Sec. 15. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect fifteen after (15) days following
2 
the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette, or in a newspaper of general
3 
circulation.
Approved,