Resilient Housing and Human Settlements Act

43:110 Offer of iraa TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session 25 AUG -7 P4:37 SENATE RECEIVED BY S. No. 1140 Introduced by Senator JV Ejercito AN ACT INSTITUTING A NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK ON RESILIENT HOUSING AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE Recent 2025 typhoons in the Philippines have caused approximately Php 3.7 billion of damage in infrastructure, Php 366 million in agriculture, and Php 282 million in irrigation systems. These losses were mainly caused by the onslaught of three consecutive typhoons - Crising, Dante, and Emong, followed by a Southwest Monsoon or Habagat. Forty (40) cities and municipalities declared a state of calamity, with multiple fatalities, injuries, and missing individuals reported across the country. 1 After these distresses, the Philippines is still expected to experience 11 to 19 tropical cyclones for the remainder of the year 2025.2 In the current economic climate, recovering from disasters takes time, resources, and support, and is especially challenging for the underprivileged. The frequency of these typhoons and other disasters is a clear threat to the lives of many Filipino people. 1 Rita, J. (2025, July 24). 40 areas under state of calamity as Crising, Dante, Emong, habagat whip ph. GMA News Online. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/953619/ndrrmc-40-areas-state-of- calamity-crising-dante-emong-habagat/story/ 2 Rojas, A. (2025, June 27). Up to 19 tropical cyclones in par in 2nd half of 2025: PAGASA: ABS-CBN news. ABS- CBN News. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/6/26/up-to-19-tropical-cyclones-in-par- in-second-half-of-2025-pagasa-0004

The country's geographical location along the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it prone to natural disasters, including typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. It has been exposed to many of these disasters that the citizens have developed a culture of resiliency. Children swim in flooded streets, residents wait for the storm to pass, and employees still report to their offices, afraid to incur an absence and miss their daily salaries. However, the Filipino people deserve better. As much as their resilience stands strong, their lives and safety must be the priority, especially in times of calamities. Hence, there shall be a comprehensive, feasible, and concrete plan to prevent and respond to the detrimental impact of disasters, considering the amount of losses that these catastrophes induce every year. The Republic Act No. 11201 states that it is the function of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to "formulate a framework for resilient housing and human settlements" that shall serve as guide for post-disaster planning, research and development, monitoring and evaluation, and other efforts to protect vulnerable communities from climate change and disasters. This measure pushes for the creation of a National Comprehensive Framework on Resilient Housing and Human Settlements Program. With this legislation, it will ensure that there shall be a concrete disaster risk plan, especially in high-risk areas, and shall provide decent rehabilitation areas for those affected by these disasters. As we take a step further in protecting our nation from disasters and calamities, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. JV EJERCITO

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session AUG -7 P4:37 SENATE RECEIVED P S. No. 1140 Introduced by Senator JV Ejercito AN ACT INSTITUTING A NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK ON RESILIENT HOUSING AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Resilient Housing and

Human Settlements Act."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - Pursuant to Article 2, Sections 5 and 11 of the

Philippine Constitution which states that the maintenance of peace and order, the 5 protection of life, liberty, and property, and the promotion of the general welfare are 6 essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy; the State 7 values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human 8 rights. To protect, promote, and fulfill the right to adequate housing as a component of 10 the people's right to an adequate standard of living concomitant with the goal of 11 enhancing the resiliency of communities to disasters, the State shall undertake, in cooperation with the private sector, a comprehensive and continuing Resilient Housing and Human Settlements Program, which shall, among other things, lay out a clear and concrete plan to ensure that Filipinos who will experience disasters will be quickly rehabilitated in safe, secure, and sustainable housing, with attendant basic services and access to livelihood.

As a state party to United Nations International Covenant on the Economic, Social 2 and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we will pursue Sustainable Development Goal 1 (Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable) and the Rights-Based Approach. Pursuant to Article 13, Section 16 of the 5 1987 Philippine Constitution, the right of the people and their organizations to elective 6 and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political, and economic decision- 7 making shall not be abridged. The State shall, by law, facilitate the establishment of 8 adequate consultation mechanisms. It is the policy of the State to complement and supplement the provisions of 10 Republic Act No. 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 11 of 2010 and in consonance with the Climate Change Act of 2009 (as amended by 12 Republic Act No. 10174) and other existing laws related to climate change adaptation 13 and DRRM in relation to upholding the people's constitutional rights to life and property by addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities to disasters and building the resilience 15 of local communities to climate change impacts, and in terms of mainstreaming climate 16 change adaptation in development processes such as policy formulation, budgeting, 17 and governance particularly with respect to housing and land use, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to work for the attainment of a more inclusive, safe, resilient, 19 and sustainable human settlements. Towards this end, the government shall pursue a comprehensive, rights-based, 21 gender-responsive, participatory and sustainable approach to resilient human settlements. This Act declares the following as guiding principles: a. The Right to Adequate Housing according to the ICESCR covers the following elements: accessibility; affordability; habitability; security of tenure; cultural adequacy; resiliency; suitability of location; access to essential services such as health and education and respect for safety standards aimed at reducing damage in cases of future disasters. b. The State bears the primary responsibility for protecting the people, infrastructure, and other national assets from the impact of disasters and will mobilize adequate and make efficient use of existing resources, including financial, scientific, and technological means in nurturing resiliency.

c. The building achievement fulfillment of resilient human settlements require that responsibilities be shared by the national and local government units and relevant national authorities, sectors, stakeholders and communities. This entails the development and strengthening of institutions, mechanisms and capacities at all levels, in particular at the community level that can systematically contribute to building resiliency. Convergence of resources and involvement of various stakeholders are essential to the supply of housing and infrastructure in the overall context of sustainable development and resilient human settlements. d. Ensure accountability and transparency of all sectors to monitor and evaluate programs and initiatives. e. Uphold gender equity and equality, cultural diversity and the rights of vulnerable groups such as children, elderly and people with disabilities when planning for resilient and sustainable settlements development.

Sec. 3. General Objectives. - This Act seeks to:

a. Provide a framework for resilient housing and human settlements; b. Guide various stakeholders to take well-planned, concerted, transparent, inclusive, livable, safe, resilient, sustainable, and pro-poor housing initiatives in the best possible manner; C. Strengthen the participation of all sectors especially communities and civil society in the planning of resilient housing and human settlements; d. Build synergy, convergence and integration of housing-related and livelihood intervention for the attainment of resilient and sustainable human settlements; e. Foster policy and program coherence related to poverty alleviation, income generation and employment, and delivery channels to achieve the overall objective of housing for all and the attainment of resilient and sustainable development of human settlements; f. Support innovation and research and development into new, indigenous, low cost resilient and sustainable human settlements.

Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:

a. Adequate housing - defined as that which affords its occupants the following conditions: 1. Legal security of tenure, including protection against forced evictions; 2. Available services and infrastructure (access to water; energy for cooking, heating, and lighting; sanitation and washing facilities, food storage; and waste disposal (solid, septage and sewerage); communication and information; sufficient road networks especially for emergencies and so on); 3. Affordable housing costs and financing options such that the attainment of other basic needs is not threatened; 4. Habitability in the sense of adequate spaces, security, physical safety, and protection from cold, damp, heat, rain, wind, structural hazards, and disease vectors; 5. Sufficient accessibility that disadvantaged or vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, elderly, children and women are not left without shelter appropriate to their particular needs; 6. A physical location allowing proximate access to employment and livelihood options, health care services, schools, child-care centers, and other social facilities and avoiding risks from pollution sources; 7. Available, resilient, environmentally-friendly and appropriate construction materials, settlements design and process with respect to the expression of cultural and religious identity and geographical location; 8. Compliance with safety and resilience standards aimed at minimizing damage from future disasters. b. Adequate open spaces - which includes roads, green spaces, areas for persons with disabilities, elderly, children and materials recovery facilities. c. Climate-resilient housing - refers to housing that is equipped and structurally designed to resist, absorb and accommodate the effects of climate hazards like heat waves, extreme weather variabilities without significant changes to its basic functions. d. Comprehensive Resilient Housing Program for Disaster Survivors - refers to the delivery of resources and activities in the rehabilitation and reconstruction

of damaged and destroyed housing and development of other new permanent housing options for persons and families affected by disasters. It shall follow humanitarian standards for their protection and their rights to adequate housing through the provision of safe, habitable emergency and transitional shelter during displacement and permanent housing that meets the basic standards of adequacy and decency. Providing for a comprehensive, multisectoral, interagency, and community-based approach to post-disaster housing rehabilitation, reconstruction, and recovery. e. Gender equity and equality - refers to the principle asserting the equality of men and women and their right to enjoy equal conditions realizing their full human potential to contribute to and benefit from the results of development, and with the State recognizing that all human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights. Gender equity refers to the policies, instruments, programs, services, and actions that address the disadvantaged position of women in society by providing preferential treatment and affirmative action. Such temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women shall not be considered discriminatory but shall in no way entail as a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate standards. f. Land-Use Planning - the process undertaken by national and local government authorities, communities, private sector, and civil society to identify, evaluate, and decide on different options for the use of land, including consideration of long-term economic, social and environmental objectives and the implications for different communities and interest group, and the subsequent formulation and promulgation of plans that describe the permitted or acceptable uses. g. People's Plan - a resettlement option and community development plan formulated by POs, with or without the support of NGOs, LGUs and NGAS. h. Post-Disaster Recovery - the restoration and improvement where appropriate, of facilities, livelihood, and living condition of disaster-affected communities, including efforts to reduce disaster risk factors and enhancing resiliency, in accordance with the principles of "build back better" as defined

in Republic Act No. 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. i. Resilience - the capacity of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, adapt, and transform to an acceptable level of functioning and structure. This is determined by the degree to which the system is capable of organizing itself to increase this capacity by learning from experiences for better future protection and to improve risk reduction measures.

Sec. 5. National Framework for Resilient Housing and Human Settlements. - This

10 is the National Framework for Resilient Human Settlements, hereinafter referred to as 11 the "Framework", to be formulated by the Department of Human Settlements and 12 Urban Development (DHSUD) within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, in coordination and in partnership with the following: a. The DHSUD and its attached agencies; b. National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA); c. Climate Change Commission (CCC); d. Office of Civil Defense (OCD); e. Government Service Insurance Service System (GSIS); f. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); g. Department of Science and Technology (DOST); h. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); i. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); j. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); k. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); 1. Department of Budget and Management (DBM); m. Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); n. Office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP); o. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); p. National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC); q. Insurance Commission (IC); r. Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP); 5. Built environment and disaster-resilient housing design experts;

t. Academe; u. Civil society; v. Communities and other concerned public and private entities. The Framework shall serve as the basis for measures or mechanisms for post- 5 disaster housing and resiliency planning, research and development, extension, 6 monitoring and evaluation of programs, projects, and activities to protect vulnerable 7 communities from the adverse effects of climate change and disasters. The Framework shall describe how the State and all relevant stakeholders can work together to achieve adequate and resilient housing for all, including and most 10 especially those affected by disasters; and chart the new direction that our national 11 and local housing programs and efforts must take in order to make human settlements and communities more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The Framework shall include, but not limited to, the following components: a. National Resilient Housing Agenda, which shall be derived from the threats, hazards and vulnerabilities identified; adaptation needs and requirements; risk and resiliency assessment for the Philippine housing sector; b. National and local resilient housing priorities; outline the most efficient and cost effective housing projects that will best meet the short-term and long term resilient housing needs of individuals and households; c. National Standards for Resilient Housing Design and Construction; d. National Post-Disaster Housing Recovery Strategy, which shall focus on how best to restore, rehabilitate, redevelop, and revitalize disaster-impacted communities; restoring livelihoods; effectively preventing the recurrence of disasters and harnessing conditions for future development; e. Promotion of local government rehabilitation and recover plans; f. Rules and Guidelines for Post-Disaster Housing Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, and Relocation; g. Comprehensive Resilient Housing Program for Disaster Survivors; h. Investment and financing requirements; i. Institutional arrangements, including public-private partnership; national government roles; local government support functions; and private sector responsibilities;

j. Implementation arrangements; k. Reporting, monitoring, and evaluation.

Sec. 6. Monitoring of Compliance with this Act. - The DHSUD shall take the lead

to periodically monitor the compliance with this Act. Other agencies will participate in 5 the monitoring such as attached agencies of DHSUD; DILG; Office of Civil Defense; 6 NEDA; and CCC. There shall be a mechanism for civil society to participate in the 7 monitoring process.

Sec. 7. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - There is hereby created a

9 Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor the implementation of this Act. 10 The Oversight Committee shall be composed of five (5) Senators and five (5) 11 Representatives to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the 12 House of Representatives, respectively. The Oversight Committee shall be co-chaired by a Senator and a Representative 14 to be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of 15 Representatives, respectively. Its funding requirement shall be charged against the 16 appropriations of Congress.

Sec. 8. Annual Report. - The DHSUD shall submit to the President, Senate

President and House Speaker not later than March 30 of every year following the 19 effectivity of this Act, or upon the request of the Congressional Oversight Committee, 20 a report giving a detailed account of the status of the implementation of this Act, a 21 progress report on the implementation of the National Resilient Housing and Human 22 Settlements Action Plan, policy gaps, and recommended legislation, where applicable and necessary. LGUs shall submit annual progress on the implementation of their respective local action plan to DHSUD within the first quarter of the following year.

Sec. 9. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation of

this Act shall be charged against the current appropriation of the DHSUD. Thereafter, the amount needed for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within ninety (90) days

30 from the effectivity of this Act, the key shelter agencies shall, upon consultation and coordination with the pertinent government agencies - LGUs, private sector, NGOs,

1 POs, build environment expert and professionals, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act: Provided, That failure to issue rules and regulations shall not in any manner affect the executory nature of the 4 provisions of this Act.

Sec. 11. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section, subsection, clause

6 or term of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, such parts not affected by such 7 declaration shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - All existing laws, orders, decrees, rules and

9 regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 10 amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

Sec. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,