THE Department of Education (DepEd) lauded President Ferdinand "Bongbong" 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 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," President Marcos Jr. said.
The Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act or Republic Act 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. With this law, we can ensure that learning recovery can immediately take place after disasters," Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.
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, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration.
Each center must be well-ventilated and be equipped with essential facilities such as sleeping quarters, separate shower areas, kitchens, health care spaces and recreational areas among others.
These features ensure not only the safety but also the dignity and well-being of evacuees.