SIXTEENTI-l CONCJRLSS Of' Tm Rl rUBf.;C 
OF THE PI-IILIPPINFS 
Second Regular Session 
SFNATE 
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) 
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S. B. No. -4::? ... 5J-'3.'t. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
UEC 22 P 4 :i4 
GRANTING IMMUNITY FROM PERSONAL CIVIL LIABILITY, UNDER 
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO VOLUNTEERS WORKING ON BEHALF 
OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution. Article 2, Section 2 provides that: 
The Philippines adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice, 
freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations. 
This policy is carried out when therc is mutual assistance betwccn the voluntcers 
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 been 
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 depcnd 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,l 
~~ ,O.~ 
MIRIAM DEF~sORsi\NIT/Gb 
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I This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
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) 
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SENAJ!537 
S. B. No. ______ -'--
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
, ;/1 
DEC 22 P 1\ :14 
Be in enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
AN ACT 
GRANTING IMMUNITY FROM PERSONAL CIVIL LIABILITY, UNDER 
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO VOLUNTEERS WORKING ON BEHALF 
OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES 
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SECTION I. Short Title. -- This Act shall be known as the "Volunteer Protection 
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Act 01'2014." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a policy of the State to develop and 
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promote self-reliance by encouraging the spirit of self-help and mutual assistance 
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between government agencies or other organizations and the people themselves who 
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volunteer their services for the promotion of the welfare of the nation. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term: 
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(A) "Volunteer" means an individual performing services for a non-profit 
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organization or a government entity who does not receive compensation, or 
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any other thing of value in lieu of compensation, for such services, and such 
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term includes a volunteer serving as a director, officer, trustee, or direct 
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service volunteer; 
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(B) "Non-profit Organization" means any organization whose purpose is not to 
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gain protit but to provide social services; and 
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(C) "Damage or Injury" includes physical, nonphysical, economic, and non-
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economic damage. 
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SECTION 4. No Preemption afTort Law. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
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to preempt the laws governing tort liability actions. 
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SECTION 5. Limitation of Liability for Volunteers. -
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(A) Liability Protection Volunteers. - Except as provided in paragraphs (B) and 
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(D), any volunteer of a non-profit organization or governmental entity shall incur no 
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personal financial liability for any tort claim alleging damage or injury from any act or 
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omission of the volunteer on behalf of the organization or entity if: 
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(1) Such individual was acting in good faith and within the scope of such 
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individual's official functions and duties in the organization or entity; and 
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(2) Such damage or injury was not caused by willful and wanton 
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misconduct by such individual. 
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(B) Responsibility of Volunteers with Respect to Organizations . ... Nothing in this 
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section shall be construed to affect any civil action brought by a non-profit organization 
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or any governmental entity against any volunteer of such organization or entity. 
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(C) No Effect on Liability of Organizations. - Nothing in this section shall be 
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construed to affect the liability of any non-profit organization or governmental entity with 
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respect to injury caused to any person. 
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(D) Exceptions to Volunteer Liability Protection. - The State may impose one or 
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more of the following conditions on and exceptions to the granting of liability protection 
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to any volunteer of an organization or entity required by paragraph (A): 
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(1) The organization or entity must adhere to risk management procedures, 
including mandatory lraining of volunteers; 
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(2) The organization or entity shall be liable for the acts or omissions of . 
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its volunteers to the same extent as an employer is liable, under the 
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laws, for the acts or omissions of its employees; 
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(3) 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; 
(4) The protection from liability does not apply in the case of a suit 
hrought by an appropriate 0 fficer of the State or local government to 
enforce a national or local law; and 
(5) The protection from liability shall apply only if the organization or 
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entity provides a fInancially secure source of reeovery for individuals 
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who suffer injury as a result of actions taken by a volunteer on behalf 
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of the organization or entity. A finaneially secure source of recovery 
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may be an insurance policy within specified limits, comparable 
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coverage from a risk pooling mechanism, equivalent assets, or 
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alternative arrangements that satisfy the State that the entity will be 
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able to pay for losses up to a specified amount. Separate standards for 
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different types of liability exposure may be specified. 
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SECTION. 6. Separability Clause. - If any provisions or part hereot~ is held 
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invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision shall remain valid 
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and subsisting. 
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SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. -
Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulations contrary to 
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or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
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accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
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its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
IdpmNov2014 
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