Marcos OKs laws on evacuation centers building, student loan moratorium

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. approved the enactment of the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act and the Student Loan Payment Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies Act on Friday.

In a ceremonial signing in Malacañang, Marcos said the newly enacted laws reflect the government’s “steadfast commitment to protecting the rights and providing relief to families and students affected by calamities.”

Republic Act (RA) 12076, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, mandates the establishment of a nationwide network of permanent, storm-resilient evacuation centers designed to withstand typhoon winds of up to 300 kilometers per hour (kph) and seismic activity of up to 8.0 magnitude.

These evacuation centers will be fully equipped with sleeping areas, healthcare stations, sanitation facilities, and provisions for livestock, and will prioritize high-risk and disaster-prone areas.

“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,” Marcos said as he recounted his visit to families affected by the fire that raged in Tondo, Manila.

Marcos touted the Filipinos’ resilience amid any catastrophe.

“In many visits to temporary shelters, I saw the plight of evacuees, and it’s a very serious matter. Adding to that, the predicament is that, traditionally, public schools are being used as, by default, evacuation centers, and that has been the case since we ever – since we started using evacuation centers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Marcos lamented the long-standing issue of schools being used as evacuation centers, which hampers their primary purpose of fostering learning and creativity within the educational facilities.

“With the enactment of this law, we heed that appeal and commit to only using our schools for the promotion of our students’ welfare and development of the education system,” he pointed out.

Marcos ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to ensure the timely construction of evacuation centers, particularly in the priority local government units (LGUs), where schools are mostly utilized as evacuation sites.

He said DPWH must ensure that building contractors adhere to minimum standards, the National Building Code, and specific local requirements.

Marcos stressed that investing in these climate-resilient facilities must become a norm in the country.

“We are not only protecting the people's lives but also capacitating our LGUs to respond, to reduce, and to manage the risks of disasters. Through this, we are also integrating into the very consciousness of every Filipino that preparedness is as vital as responsiveness,” he said.

Marcos’s newly signed RA 12077, or the Student Loan Payment Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies Act, on the other hand, targets the provision of financial relief to students in calamity-declared areas, allowing the deferment of loan payments for higher education and technical-vocational training programs during and after emergencies, without penalty or interest.

“The benevolence of this law allows disaster-affected students and their families to have breathing space as they recuperate and rebuild their lives,” Marcos said.

“It is our hope that this law will help lessen the financial burden off our students’ shoulders as they continue their schooling,” he added.

Marcos ordered the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to extend all forms of assistance to students and ensure their financial hardships will not hinder the completion of their education.

He then expressed gratitude to the lawmakers behind the two newly signed laws.

Marcos stressed the whole of government’s commitment to “giving paramount priority to the people’s needs.”