The House of Representatives approved on second reading House Bill 7354, seeking the establishment of evacuation centers in every city and municipality.
Speaker Martin Romualdez is the principal author of the bill, along with TINGOG Party-list Representatives Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre.
According to Romualdez, the traditional practice of using public schools as default evacuation centers must be stopped.
“The use of schools as evacuation centers for displaced families also gives rise to another group of displaced individuals: the students.”
“The use of schools as evacuation centers for displaced families also gives rise to another group of displaced individuals: the students,” the veteran legislator explained.
“There should be no trade-off between protecting lives and the education of students.”
“There should be no trade-off between protecting lives and the education of students. The provision of adequate evacuation centers is of invaluable importance during cataclysmic times,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
Among its key provisions are
1) the provision of immediate and temporary accommodation for people displaced from their homes due to disasters, calamities, or other emergency events;
2) the construction by the Department of Public Works and Highways of evacuation centers;
3) the prioritization of local government units (LGUs) needing evacuation centers; and
4) the authorization for LGUs included in the priority list to use existing structures as evacuation centers if there is no available site to construct a new evacuation center, provided that the existing structure meets minimum safety requirements under relevant laws.
Also passed on second reading is HB 7327 or the proposed “E-Governance Act”, which would require government agencies to digitalize the delivery of their services.
It also seeks to promote the use of the internet, information and communications technology, and emerging technologies.
This would help streamline operations, reduce costs and burdens for businesses and other government entities, strengthen transparency and accountability efforts of the national and local governments, and promote digital literacy, among others.
