The Department of Education (DepEd) lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and lawmakers following the enactment of the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act.
The new law mandates the establishment of dedicated evacuation centers in every city and municipality across the country.
“Investing in these climate-resilient facilities must be the norm.”
“Investing in these climate-resilient facilities must be the norm for we are not only protecting the people’s lives but also capacitating our local government units to respond, to reduce, and to manage the risks of disasters,” Marcos stressed.
The Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act (Republic Act No. 12076) can eliminate the reliance on public school facilities by providing evacuation centers designed to meet the needs of displaced individuals during typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and other emergency situations.
Currently, DepEd allows public schools to serve as evacuation centers. The use of school facilities is capped at 15 days to minimize disruptions in education. It has been a policy directive of the Department that classrooms be used by LGUs as a last resort.
“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,” Secretary Sonny Angara said.
“With this law, we can ensure that learning recovery can immediately take place after disasters.”
With this law, we can ensure that learning recovery can immediately take place after disasters,” Angara added.
Under the law, evacuation centers will be strategically located at safe distances from danger areas, guided by geohazard maps from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), PHIVOLCS, and PAGASA.
These structures will adhere to stringent standards, including the ability to withstand wind speeds of up to 300 kph and seismic activity up to an 8.0 magnitude.
Each center must be well-ventilated and be equipped with essential facilities, such as sleeping quarters, separate shower areas, kitchens, healthcare spaces, and recreational areas, among others. These features ensure not only the safety but also the dignity and well-being of evacuees.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) will serve as the lead implementing agency, working closely with the DENR, DHSUD, DPWH, DSWD, DOH, DILG, and DOST to ensure the program’s seamless implementation.
