FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S.B.NO. 1203 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXF'LANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 2 provides that the State shall adhere to the policy of 
cooperation with all nations. 
This policy is carried out when there is mutual assistance between the volunteers and 
government agencies or other organizations working together to promote the welfare of the 
nation. 
Many non-profit public and private organizations and governmental entities, including 
voluntary associations, social agencies, educational institutions, local governments, foundations, 
and other civic programs, substantially depend on the services of volunteers. 
Unfortunately, the willingness of volunteers to offer their services has bee increasingly 
deterred by a perception that they put their personal assets at risk in the event of liability actions 
against the organization they serve. 
This bill seeks to promote the interests of social service program beneficiaries and 
taxpayers and to sustain the availability of programs of non-profit organizations and 
governmental entities, which depend on volunteer contributions, by encouraging reasonable 
reform of laws to provide protection from personal financial liability to volunteers serving in 
good faith on behalf of such organizations.* 
fa- 
' This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
GRANTING IMMUNITY FROM PERSONAL CIVIL LIABILITY, UNDER 
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO VOLUNTEERS WORKING ON BEHALF 
OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVEWENTAL ENTITIES 
Be in enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the “Volunteer Protection Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a policy of the State to develop and promote 
self-reliance by encouraging the spirit of self-help and mutual assistance between government 
agencies or other organizations and the people themselves who volunteer their services for the 
promotion of the welfare of the nation. 
SECTION 3. De$nition of Terms. -As used in this Act, the term: 
(A) “Volunteer” means an individual performing services for a non-profit organization 
or a government entity who does not receive compensation, or any other thing of 
value in lieu of compensation, for such services, and such term includes a volunteer 
serving as a director, officer, trustee, or direct service volunteer; 
(B) “Non-profit Organization” means any organization whose purpose is not to gain 
profit but to provide social services; and 
(C) “Damage or Injury” includes physical, nonphysical, economic, and non-economic 
damage. 
SECTION 4. No Preemption of Tort Law. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
preempt the laws governing tort liability actions. 


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SECTION 5. Limitation ofLiubility for Volunteers. - 
(A) Liability Protection Volunteers. - Except as provided in paragraphs (B) and (D), any 
volunteer of a non-profit organization or governmental entity shall incur no personal financial 
liability for any tort claim alleging damage or injury from any act or omission of the volunteer on 
behalf of the organization or entity if: 
(1) Such individual was acting in good faith and within the scope of such 
individual’s official functions and duties in the organization or entity; and 
(2) Such damage or injnry was not caused by willful and wanton misconduct by 
such individual. 
(B) Responsibility of Volunteers with Respect to Organizations. - Nothing in this section 
shall be construed to affect any civil action brought by a non-profit organization or any 
governmental entity against any volunteer of such organization or entity. 
(C) No Eflect on Liability of Organizations. - Nothing in this section shall be construed 
to affect the liability of any non-profit organization or governmental entity with respect to injury 
caused to any person. 
@) Exceptions- to Volunteer Liability Protection. -The State may impose one or more of 
the following conditions on and exceptions to the granting of liability protection to any volunteer 
of an organization or entityrequired by paragraph (A): 
(1) The organization or entity must adhere to risk management procedures, 
including mandatory training of Volunteers; 
The organization or entity shall be liable for the acts or omissions of its 
volunteers to the same extent as an employer is liable, under the laws, for 
the acts or omissions of its employees; 
The protection from liability does not apply if the volunteer was operating a 
motor vehicle or was operating a vessel, aircraft, or other vehicle for which 
a pilot’s license is required; 
The protection from liability does not apply in the case of a suit brought by 
an appropriate officer of the State or local government to enforce a national 
or local law; and 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
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(5) 
The protection from liability shall apply only if the organization or entity 
provides a financially secure source of recovery for individuals who suffer 
injury as a result of actions taken by a volunteer on behalf of the 
organization or entity. A financially secure source of recovery may be an 
insurance policy within specified limits, comparable coverage from a risk 
pooling mechanism, equivalent assets, or alternative arrangements that 
satisfy the State that the entity will be able to pay for losses up to a specified 
amount. Separate standards for different types of liability exposure may be 
specified. 
SECTION. 6. Separability Clause. - If any provisions or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulations contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 8. Efecectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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