THE House of Representatives unanimously approved on third and final reading a measure that seeks to enhance public safety by establishing a Department of Public Safety (DPS) in every province, city and municipality in the country.
House Bill No. 7878, or the “Public Safety Act”, was approved with 209 affirmative votes during the plenary session on Monday, November 26.
The bill aims to improve the capacity of local government units to meet the demand for grater safety and security, better local traffic management and enhanced disaster preparedness and response and promote local government units' greater commitment to public order and safety and increase their responsiveness by establishing fully-functional and responsive central command and control center and emergency response and management system.
Under the bill, the DPS will be under the direct control and supervision of the provincial governor, city or municipal mayor.
Among the functions of the DPS are to prepare and supervise all plans and activities of the local government relative to the promotion and maintenance of peace and order and protection of life, maintain public order in coordination with the law enforcement agencies, augment auxiliary traffic services and support other agencies tasked to enforce traffic management and clear sidewalks, public parks of obstruction such as unauthorized structures and unlicensed vendors.
The bill mandates the DPS to implement public order and safety laws and ordinances to help reduce traffic congestion and address the effects of man-made and natural disasters.
It also mandates the DPS to monitor a fully-functional central command and control center and emergency response and management system that will connect constituents needing assistance with the emergency resources of the government.
The amount needed for the implementation of the bill will be charged against the current appropriations of the local government units and thereafter to to be included in their annual budget.
Among the authors of the bill are former Majority leader Rodolfo Fariñas, former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. and Minority Leader Danilo Suarez. (SunStar Philippines)