The Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act

Were you able to receive information of impending natural calamities that would hit in your area at a very specific date and time?  And this information comes with horrifying details of how massive the destruction would be?  And this information turned to be a HOAX?

Taken from bing images.

 

I, too, am one of the recipients of this kind of information.  Even if the same be found to be untrue, but it would still cause us to be panic and worried of the impending disaster.

Even if someone doubted the veracity of an impending natural disaster, he would not take any chances.  Surely, he would resend the information to as many relatives, friends and to all persons he cares just to provide them a sort of a warning.  Thus, it would sometimes cause commotion of people fleeing and going to safer grounds in a split of seconds.  Worse, it would sometimes lead to stampede that would injure countless of people.

Despite the effort of the government in telling us that said information is not true at all, but still that would not stop us from worrying and be anxious about it.

Thus, in order, to protect the people from anxieties and weariness from receiving any HOAX information, a law has been enacted for such purpose and as well as mandating the telecommunications service providers to send free mobile alerts in the event of natural and man-made disasters and calamities.

In this law, the people would not only be protected from receiving false and hoax information but they would be informed in the event of natural and man-made disasters and calamities from legitimate sources.  The information should be coming from the telecommunications service providers and not from anybody else.

This law is Republic Act Number 10639 or otherwise known as “The Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act”.

Accordingly, in the event of an impending tropical storm, typhoon, tsunami, or other calamities, mobile phone service providers are mandated to send out alerts at regular intervals as required by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) and other relevant agencies.

The alerts 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 and other agencies required to respond the situation.  The alerts may contain other relevant information such as, but not limited to, evacuation areas, relief sites and pick-up points.

The 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. The alerts may be in the form of SMS (text messages), MMS, or email, as needed and appropriate.

Mobile phone service provider, service provider or telecommunication company includes GLOBE, SMART, TALK & TEXT, ABS-CBN MOBILE, TM, SUN, etc.

Any person who gives false or misleading data or information or willfully or through gross negligence, conceals or falsifies a material fact, in any investigation, inquiry, study, or other proceeding held pursuant to this Act, shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than two (2) months but not more than six (6) months, and with a fine of not less than One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) but not more than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00): Provided, however, That if the false or misleading data or information shall have been under oath, the maximum penalty for giving false testimony or perjury shall be imposed.

If the offender is a corporation, the penalties may range from the imposition of a fine of not less than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not more than Ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00) and/or a suspension or revocation of its legislative franchise and other permits and licenses by the NTC. The maximum penalties prescribed in paragraph (a) shall also be imposed on the members of its board and/or management, as applicable.

An alien violating this Act shall, in addition to the penalty herein provided, be deported after service of sentence and shall not be permitted reentry into the Philippines.

All monetary penalties shall directly accrue to the National Treasury.