Bea Allyson Alimangohan

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed two new laws in response to climate change, hazards, and public health crises emergencies on Wednesday.

Photos Courtesy of CNN/Presidential Communications Office.

Republic Act (RA) 12076 or “The Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act” and RA 12077 or “Student Loan Payment Moratorium during Disasters and Emergencies Act” aims to provide financial aid and temporary housing to Filipinos.

The goal of RA 12076 is to establish safe and fully-prepared evacuation centers for Filipinos during human-induced disasters, or environmental and climate events which will be installed to all municipalities and cities in the country.

According to the post of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act should follow the minimum kind of facilities such as sleeping quarters for evacuees, kitchen or food preparation and dining areas, trash and waste segregation and collection areas, separate shower and toilet facilities for men and women, and health care areas with an isolation or quarantine area.

Remarkable features of evacuation centers to be installed included a recreation area, backup power for lighting, woman and child-friendly spaces, rainwater harvesting and collection facilities, powerhouse, freestanding water pumping capabilities, and storage areas.

RA 12077 intended to support students through financial relief or loan during disasters and emergencies without interest or penalty which is said in the house speaker’s post that will protect and aid in promoting resilience and access to education during crisis.

Student Loan Payment Moratorium during Disasters and Emergencies Act will cover state and local universities and colleges, public and private technical-vocational institutions (TVIS), and private higher education institutions (PEIs).

All fees or payment related to higher education and technical-vocational education and training, loans by the mentioned institutions, and other Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Board are applicable in RA 12077.

To be suitable in RA 12077, a student's residence was declared as in state of calamity or emergency and the student or their family was directly affected, particularly, injuries or experienced casualties.

The signing of these laws is witnessed by the senate, including Senate President Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito-Estrada, Majority Leader Francis "Tol" Tolentino, and other senators.