To avoid power outages, communication failures, and other problems affecting public safety and national security, Senator Raffy Tulfo filed a measure mandating immediate response to emergency service requests related to critical infrastructure.
Tulfo, Chairperson of the Committee on Energy, filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 1882 seeking to guarantee the stability, resilience, and security of critical infrastructure to prevent and respond to potential disruptions.
Critical infrastructure includes facilities, networks, and systems that support key services such as power generation and distribution, water supply, transportation, communications, healthcare, and financial services.
“Critical infrastructure is vulnerable to various threats, including natural disasters, accidents, cyberattacks, and intentional acts of violence.”
“Critical infrastructure is vulnerable to various threats, including natural disasters, accidents, cyberattacks, and intentional acts of violence,” the bill’s explanatory note read.
“Disruptions to critical infrastructure can have significant consequences which can negatively impact public safety, national security, and the overall well-being of the population,” it added.
“All providers of critical infrastructure services are required to respond within two hours from the time of emergency service requests.”
Under the legislator’s proposed measure, all providers of critical infrastructure services are required to respond within two hours from the time of emergency service requests related to their respective services.
Any provider of critical infrastructure services that fails to comply with the immediate response requirement under said bill shall be penalized with a fine of not less than P100,000.00 but not more than P1,000,000.00 for each violation.
The appropriate government agency shall then issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement it.
