Marcos signs law mandating evacuation centers nationwide
MANILA, Philippines — A measure mandating the establishment of evacuation centers in every city and municipality has been signed into law.
The Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act at Malacañan Palace, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed on Friday, December 6, requires that the centers are fully equipped to "provide temporary but secured accomodations" for disaster-stricken citizens.
“We do not wish for the frequent usage of such facilities and can only pray that we have fewer calamities. But nonetheless, we need to ensure that the evacuation centers sufficiently respond to the needs of our people affected by calamities and other such emergencies,” Marcos added.
The measure was signed alongside the Student Loan Payment Moratorium During Disasters Emergencies Act.
The Senate passed the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act in September. A month after that, the country was hit by a historic string of six consecutive cyclones, spanning from October to December.
What the legislation requires
In the Senate version of the bill, the evacuation center will serve as shelter for emergencies such as floods, storms, droughts, earthquakes and fires.
One of the minimum standards prescribed by the law for the evacuation center is that it shall be strategically located and cannot be at risk of being isolated. It should also be far away from disaster prone areas.
The evacuation center should have several key features, such as sleeping quarters for the evacuees, separate bathroom facilities for men and women, kitchen areas and more.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council is the lead implementing agency of the measure, according to the Senate’s version of the bill.
The Department of Public Works and Highways is tasked with building the physical centers.
Marcos cited the November Tondo fire as a prime example for the need for an evacuation center.
The fire ravaged the informal settler areas, leaving around 2,000 families homeless.
“Evacuation centers like these should also be as strong as their faith and as resilient as the people’s resolve. These serve as safe havens for those who share the same struggle and find comfort amongst one another. In my many visits to temporary shelters, I saw the plights of evacuees and it’s a very serious matter,” Marcos said.
The Department of Education lauded the signing of the measure. Public schools have served as evacuation centers for citizens affected by calamities.
This often caused a disruption in regular learning.
Having a designated evacuation center would lessen a community’s reliance on public schools.
“This legislation is a game-changer not only for our disaster response, but also for public education. It addresses a long-standing issue of public schools being used as evacuation centers. With this law, we can ensure that learning recovery can immediately take place after disasters,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.
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