July 24, 2024
8:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by Representative Joseph Gilbert F. Violago 
AN ACT  
PROVIDING FOR FREE FREIGHT SERVICES IN THE TRANSPORTATION 
OF RELIEF GOODS TO DISASTER-STRICKEN AREAS 
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 " Free Freight Services of 
Relief Goods Act". 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to strengthen existing 
mechanisms that will facilitate quick responses to the demands and needs during 
disasters and emergencies and to encourage altruism among the citizens when it is 
necessary to provide timely relief to the victims of catastrophic phenomena by engaging 
the services of both public and private common carriers, freight forwarders, freight 
companies and other logistics companies to collect, sort, store, transport, and deliver 
relief goods donated by international and local donors to areas declared in a "state of 
calamity in the most economical, reliable, speedy and secured manner. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
a. Common carriers refer to persons, corporations, firms or associations offering
their services to the public and engaged in the business of carrying or
transporting passengers or goods or both, by land, water, or air, for
compensation;
b. Disaster refers to a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a
society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental
losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community to cope
using its own resources;
c. Donated goods or articles refer to food or non-food items responsive to any
situation affecting disadvantaged or distressed individuals and families in order
to meet their basic needs, given in kind by any individual or group or entities;
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d. Duly registered relief organization refers to any relief organization, not operated 
for profit, duly registered, licensed or accredited with any national government 
agency; 
 
e. Emergency refers to an unforeseen or sudden occurrence, especially danger, 
demanding immediate action; 
 
f. Freight companies refer to companies that specialize in the moving or 
transporting of freight or cargo from one place to another and categorized either 
as international freight forwarders or domestic freight forwarders; 
 
g. Freight forwarders refer to persons or companies that organize shipments for 
individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a 
market, customer or final point of distribution; 
 
h. International Humanitarian Assistance (IA) refers to any aid and action taken by 
any duly coordinated foreign international relief workers and in -kind donations, 
for the benefit of disaster-stricken areas, aimed at providing emergency response, 
rehabilitation and recovery operations to mitigate the effects of disasters or major 
emergencies; 
 
i. Private carriers refer to those entities, that undertake the delivery of goods or 
passengers for compensation, without being engaged in the business of carrying 
as a public employment; 
 
j. Relief refers to interventions to alleviate, ease, or mitigate a distressed or critical 
situation affecting persons, families, groups or communities; 
 
k. Relief goods refer to food packs and non-food items such as clothing articles, 
mats, blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen wares, water containers, hygiene kits, and 
medical and health-related products to be given directly to the victims of a 
disaster or an emergency; 
 
l. Response Cluster refers to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and 
Management Council (NDRRMC) cluster government agencies and 
instrumentalities and humanitarian agencies working in a unified manner to 
provide assistance to the needs of communities affected by a disaster; and 
 
m. State of calamity refers to a condition involving mass casualty or major damages 
to property and public infrastructure, disruption of means of livelihood, and the 
normal way of life in the areas affected by the occurrence of a disaster, whether 
natural or human-induced. 
SECTION 4. Free Freight Services for the Transportation of Relief Goods. – With 
the aim of bringing immediate relief to victims of natural or man-made disasters when 
government resources are not available or are insufficient to address the needs of the 


emergency, the Logistics Cluster of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), in coordination 
with the Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC) and all freight companies, common 
carriers, private carriers, freight forwarders and other companies providing logistic 
services in the Philippines are hereby mandated to provide free freight services to duly 
registered relief organizations in the transportation of emergency relief goods and 
donated articles to areas declared to be in a state of calamity by the President or a local 
government unit (LGU) concerned through its Sanggunian. 
These common carriers, freight forwarders, and other similar entities are mandated to 
deliver goods and services free of charge to areas where they operate. 
When the area is not accessible, such relief goods shall be sent or delivered to the nearest 
LGU and shall be consigned to the concerned local chief executive. 
Certain shipping auxiliary cost, such as those for arrastre services, pilotage, and other 
port charges that are routinely passed on to customers, shall be borne by the concerned 
arrastre, pilotage, and port authorities: Provided, That container van costs, turnaround 
time, and volume of cargo being shipped free of charge shall be considered in order to 
minimize the loss of profits of the private sector. 
SECTION 5. Vigilance Over Relief Goods. – The Law and Order Cluster of the 
NDRRMC shall be responsible for providing security and traffic management 
assistance to the Response Cluster's operations to facilitate the speedy movement of 
people, goods, and equipment to the affected population and responding agencies. 
SECTION 6. Release of Donated Relief Goods and Articles. –  The release of donated 
relief goods and articles intended for distribution to areas under a state of calamity shall 
be in accordance with existing rules and procedures of responsible government agencies 
such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Bureau of 
Customs (BOC), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), 
LGUs, and other government agencies mandated to authorize the distribution of these 
relief goods and articles, with proper verification of the receiver and in consideration of 
prevailing policies of freight service and logistics companies and carriers. 
SECTION 7. Implementing Agencies. – The OCD and the Department of 
Transportation DOT), through the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Maritime Industry 
Authority (MARINA), and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 
(LTFRB), shall implement the provisions of this Act, monitor and oversee compliance 
of freight service companies, common and private carriers and other companies 
providing logistic services as provided for under this Act. 
SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the OCD, in coordination with the DOTr, through the CAB, 
MARINA and LTFRB, BOC, PPC, DSWD, and the association or authorized 
representatives of freight service companies and freight forwarders, common and 
private carriers and other companies offering logistic services in the country shall 


formulate and prepare the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions 
of this Act.  
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force 
and effect. 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules, and 
regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,