Mobile phone service providers across the country may soon be required to send out free alerts at regular intervals in the event of an impending tropical storm, typhoon, tsunami or other calamities once a bill filed in the House of Representatives is enacted into law.
Rep. Teddy Casiño (Party-list, Bayan Muna) has filed House Bill 5660 mandating the telecommunications service providers to send out alerts as required by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) and Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and other relevant agencies.
"Alerts shall be at no cost, whether direct or indirect, to the consumers and shall be included as part of the service providers auxiliary service. These may be in the form of SMS or text messages, MMS or email as needed and appropriate," Casiño said.
In filing the bill, Casiño cited the declared policy of the State of protecting its citizenry at all times, in the events of natural or man-made disasters and calamities. It shall likewise exhaust all possible means to notify and inform its constituents of the impending disasters to prevent injuries, destruction and loss of lives and property.
According to Casiño, the tragic loss of lives during typhoon season is almost a yearly spectacle, which the world can only watch in awe and disbelief. An average of 19 tropical cyclones or storms enter the Philippine area of responsibility in a typical year and of these usually six to nine make landfall.
Casiño said when tropical storms Ondoy and Pepeng struck the country almost three years ago, leaving hundreds dead and missing, thousands of families displaced and millions affected, the country bitterly mourned the ineptitude of the government to respond to calamities and provide needed assistance to the victims.
"Victims blame the government's lack of proper response to the situation. Often, the victims are caught unaware as they were not fully informed of the disaster looming in their midst," Casiño stressed.
Casiño said disaster-prone countries such as Cuba and Japan have shown how preparedness and efficient alert mechanisms could prevent injuries and loss of lives. Unfortunately, the government has not learned from their example.
"Modern notification systems, such as mobile phone alerts, can be used to augment the existing and inefficient system. The ubiquity of mobile phones should be maximized to send out emergency alerts, at no cost to the consumers," Casiño stressed.
Under the measure to be known as "The Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act," TELCOs are mandated to send out free alerts which shall consist of up-to-date information from the relevant agencies and shall be sent directly to the mobile phone subscribers located near and within the affected areas.
The alerts shall include contact information of local government units (LGUs) and other agencies required to respond to the situation. The alerts may contain other relevant information, such as, but not limited to, evacuation areas, relief sites and pick-up points.
The bill provides a penalty of imprisonment of not less than two (2) years with a fine of P10,000 for any person proven giving false or misleading data or information or willfully or through gross negligence, conceals or falsifies a material fact.
A fine of P10,000,000 shall be imposed if the offender is a corporation and/or a suspension or revocation of its legislative franchise and other permits and licenses by NTC.
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), NDRRMC, PAGASA and other relevant government agencies are directed to submit the implementing rules and regulations governing this Act.
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