(MANILA BULLETIN)

The newly-signed Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act will provide an all-encompassing safety coverage to Filipinos--especially those in remote and flood-prone communities.

Thus, said House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who witnessed on Friday, Dec. 6 President Marcos's signing of the law in Malacañang.

Romualdez says the new law--which establishes fully-equipped evacuation centers in every city and town throughout the country--is the answer to the need of rural and even urban communities for temporary shelter for their residents fleeing the onslaught of typhoons, storms, and floods.

“When these shelters are built, people will be aware of where to go when they need to evacuate. The centers will have the necessary facilities and supplies for them,” said Romualdez, principal author in the House of the bill enacted as the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act. 

The leader of the 300-plus strong House of Representatives says the enactment of the law is timely in the sense that weather disturbances are increasingly becoming stronger and thus more destructive due to climate change.

“We should have prepared for this eventuality years ago because we are visited every year by at least 20 typhoons. But it’s still not too late to prepare and we should start building the needed evacuation centers soon,” he added.

Speaker Romualdez stressed that precious lives would be saved if people affected by storms evacuate in a timely manner and seek refuge in designated temporary housing centers.

The newly signed law sets minimum standards for the establishment of the centers, including:

1. It shall be strategically located in the city/town, shall not be at risk of isolation, and shall be at a safe distance from danger areas;

2.  It shall be disaster-resilient, built with sturdy materials and designed to withstand super typhoon or wind speeds to at least 300 kilometers per hour and seismic activity of at least 8.0 magnitude;

3.  It shall be well-ventilated and can accommodate the anticipated number of evacuees, considering the population of the city/town;

4.  It shall have these minimum facilities: sleeping quarters; separate shower and toilet for males and females (one for every 20 males and females, and one for every eight persons with disability or elderly;

5.  Kitchen and food preparation and dining areas;

6.  Trash and wage segregation and collection areas;

7. Health care areas, which shall include an isolation or quarantine area;

8.  Recreation area;

9.  Rain harvesting and collection system;

10.  Standby power for lighting, operation of medical and communication equipment;

11.  Powerhouse and stand-alone water pumping facilities; and

12. Storage area for good and non-food items.

The law designates the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as the implementing agency for the measure. 

The council is mandated to make a priority list of cities and towns that need evacuation centers, taking into account their susceptibility, exposure, and vulnerability to hazards, and their readiness to host the temporary shelters.

The city or town concerned shall be responsible for the operation, supervision and management of the centers.

The Department of Public Works and Highways is tasked to build the evacuation facilities, initially using its own budget and subsequently including the funding requirements in its annual budget proposal.

The NDRRMC, in consultation with relevant public and private agencies, shall issue implementing rules and regulations.