Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House BILL No, 8185

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines is geographically located in the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’ or ‘typhoon
belt’ which is the reason why we have suffered from inexhaustible number of deadly
typhoons, earthquakes, volcano eruption and natural disasters. Over the past two
decades, the country has endured close to 300 natural calamities which makes it the
fourth most disaster- prone in the world

The Department of Finance (DOF) estimates that climate vulnerable nations like
the Philippines lose about 2.5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to natural
calamities annually. The social and economic cost of natural disasters in the
country is increasing due to population growth, change in land-use patterns,
migration, unplanned urbanization, environmental degradation and global climate
change. Along with the massive economic toll is the number of casualties lost to
natural calamities such as Typhoon Haiyan that has claimed some 6300 lives, with
thousands still missing.

The burden weighs heavy upon the State to continuously improve its
institutional capacity for disaster risk reduction and management. In line with this, the
Philippines has established the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management
Council (NDRRMC), a working group of various government, non-govemment, civil
sector and private sector organizations, to develop a holistic, comprehensive,
integrated, and proactive disaster risk reduction and recovery program. In this pursuit,
NDRRMC engages the private sector for more resources and better coordination.
Volunteers are mobilized in times of disasters, and the NDRRMC expressly
includes their contribution to its NDRRM program. Unfortunately, the Philippines
does not have a sufficient number of trained volunteers, nor does it have the program


to encourage community support and resilience through citizen trainings for specific
skills.

This bill seeks to encourage the culture of volunteerism by providing Disaster
Service Volunteer Leave, an additional benefit to certified disaster service volunteers
who are also employees of the government or the private sector. The leave grants
the employee the opportunity to participate and contribute in specialized disaster
relief services for the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in connection with any disaster,

without incurring work absences.

A Disaster Service Volunteer Leave has already been institutionalized in
various countries worldwide in recognition of the need for true community effort
and collective work. It is high time that the same is legislated in the Philippines, a
country most hit by natural disasters to encourage to commit volunteerism.

In light of the foregoing premises, the immediate passage of this bill is

eamestly sought.

A prin
LUIS RAYMI “ LRay? F. VILLAFUERTE JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No8185

Introduced by HON, LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F, VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
GRANTING DISASTER SERVICE VOLUNTEERS
PAID LEAVE DURING PERIOD OF DISASTERS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the "Disaster Service
Volunteer Leave Act of 2017”.

SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

"Department’ or "agency’ refers to any of the various units of the government including a
department, bureau, office, instrumentality or government-owned or controlled
corporations;

“Disaster” includes a local disaster designated at level | or higher in the Philippine Red
Cross (PRC) Regulations and Procedures or a national disaster at level Ill or higher in the
PRC Regulations;

“Certified disaster service volunteer’ or "volunteer" means any person who has completed
the necessary training and has been certified as a disaster service specialist by the PRC.

SEC. 3. Disaster Service Volunteer Leave. —

An employee of an agency who is a certified disaster service volunteer shall be
granted leave from work with pay, for up to an aggregate of fifteen (15) days,
consecutively or non-consecutively, in any twelve-month period, to participate in
specialized disaster relief services for the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in connection with any
disaster, upon the request of the PRC for such employee's services and upon the approval of
such employee's employing agency. An employee of any private sector business who is.a
certified disaster service volunteer may be granted the same benefits.

‘An employee of an agency granted leave pursuant to Subsection (a) of this Section shall be
compensated by the employing agency at the employee's regular rate of pay for those
regular work hours during which the employee is absent from work, but shall not receive
overtime pay, night shift differentialpay, hazardous duty pay or any other form of pay or
compensation in addition to the employee's regular pay.


An employee who is granted leave pursuant to Subsection (a) of this Section shall not lose
any seniority or any already accumulated vacation time, sick time or eamed overtime due
to such leave.

The government shall not be liable for workers’ compensation claims arising from accident
or injury while an employee is on assignment as a certified disaster service volunteer for
the PRC. Duties performed while on disaster leave shall not be considered to be a work
assignment by any department or agency. In determining whether to grant leave to an
‘employee, the employing agency may consider the needs of the PRC for expertise in a
particular certified area. The employee's activities and Job functions while on leave,
however, shall not be directed by the government but shall be determined and controlled
solely by the PRC.

SEC. 4. Certification as a Disaster Service Volunteer — No employee shall be paid
during regular work hours in the completion of any training towards certification as a disaster
service volunteer unless such employee uses personal or annual leave.

SEC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Civil Service Commission (CSC),
after consultation and coordination with the government agencies and/or instrumentalities
affected by this Act, including, but not limited to, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (NDRRMC), the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), the Department of
Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Interior and Local Government
(DILG), shall promulgate and issue the appropriate rules and regulations for the proper
implementation of this Act.

SEC. 6. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional,
the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts
thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act arc hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SEC. 8. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two
(2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,