NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
of tlif S'cn-etai'i*
*22 OCT 27 P4 ^7
SENATE
S. No. 1431
RECEIVED BY;
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR FREE FREIGHT SERVICES IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF 
RELIEF GOODS TO CALAMITY-STRICKEN AREAS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Disasters are typical in the Philippines especially since the country lies in the 
Pacific Ring of Fire. During these trying times, our citizens are the most affected. Thus, 
it is imperative to ensure that adequate relief assistance is given to individuals and 
communities heavily affected by the disaster. Often, the State is not alone in this 
endeavor. Private individuals and establishments and non-government and sectoral 
organizations participate in the immediate relief operations. The archipelagic nature 
of the country contributes to the difficulty entailed in transporting relief goods. More 
often than not, the transport of these goods, despite humanitarian reasons, entails 
huge costs.
This proposed measure seeks to provide for free freight services in the 
transportation of relief goods to immediately and effectively respond to our people's 
needs. Under this bill, the Office of the 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 country, are mandated to transport relief goods and donated articles for free to 
areas declared to be in a state of calamity by the President or the local government 
unit (LGU) concerned.
For the immediate and effective disaster response in general, and to safeguard 
the well-being of our citizens, passage of this proposal is earnestly sought.
RAMON^^^ONGtREVILLA, j^


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
Jennie
of !l;?
*22 OCT 27 P4 '07
SENATE 
S. No. 1 d.,^1
Rb'CEl’i'tO BV.
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR FREE FREIGHT SERVICES IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF 
RELIEF GOODS TO CALAMITY-STRICKEN AREAS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Relief Goods Free
2 
Freight Services Act of 2022".
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to strengthen existing
4 
mechanisms that will facilitate quick responses to the demands and needs during
5 
disasters and emergencies and to encourage altruism among the citizens when it is
6 
necessary to provide timely relief to the victims of catastrophic phenomena by
7 
engaging the services of both public and private common carriers, freight forwarders,
8 
freight companies and other logistics companies to collect, sort, store, transport, and
9 
deliver relief goods donated by international and local donors to areas declared in a
10 
“state of calamity” in the most economical, reliable, speedy and secured manner.
11 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
12 
(a) Common carriers refer to persons, corporations, firms or associations offering
13 
their services to the public and engaged in the business 
of carrying or
14 
transporting passengers or goods or both, 
by land, water or air, for
15 
compensation:
16 
(b) Disaster refers to a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a
17 
society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental


1 
losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community to cope
2 
using its own resources:
3 
(c) Donated goods or articles refer to food or non-food items responsive to any
4 
situation affecting disadvantaged or distressed individuals and families in order
5 
to meet their basic needs, given in kind by any individual or group or entities;
6 
(d) Duly registered relief organization refers to any relief organization, not operated
7 
for profit, duly registered, licensed or accredited with any national government
8 
agency;
9 
(e) Emergency refers to an unforeseen or sudden occurrence, especially danger,
10 
demanding immediate action;
11 
(f) Freight companies refer to companies that specialize in the moving or
12 
transporting of freight or cargo from one place to another and categorized either
13 
as international freight forwarders or domestic freight forwarders;
14 
(g) Freight forwarders refer to persons or companies that organize shipments for
15 
individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a
16 
market, customer or final point of distribution:
17 
(h) International Humanitarian Assistance refers to any aid and action taken by any
18 
duly coordinated foreign government or organization in the form of financial
19 
donations, international relief workers and in-kind donations, for the benefit of
20 
the disaster-stricken areas, aimed at providing emergency response,
21 
rehabilitation and recovery operations to mitigate the effects of disasters or
22 
major emergencies;
23 
(i) Private carriers refer to those entities that undertake the delivery of goods or
24 
passengers for compensation, without being engaged in the business of
25 
carrying as a public employment;
26 
(j) Relief refers to interventions to alleviate, ease, or mitigate a distressed or critical
27 
situation affecting persons, families, groups or communities:
28 
(k) Relief goods refer to food packs and non-food items such as clothing articles,
29 
mats, blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen wares, water containers, hygiene kits,
30 
and medical and health-related products to be given directly to the victims of a
31 
disaster or an emergency;
32 
(I) Response Cluster refers to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
33 
Management Council (NDRRMC) cluster of government agencies and


1 
instrumentalities and humanitarian agencies working in a unified manner to
2 
provide assistance to the needs of communities affected by a disaster; and
3 
(m) State of Calamity refers to a condition involving mass casualty or major
4 
damages to property and public infrastructure, disruption of means of livelihood,
5 
and the normal way of life in the areas affected by the occurrence of a disaster,
6 
whether natural or human-induced.
7 
Sec. 4. Free Freight Services for the Transportation of Relief Goods. - With
8 
the aim of bringing immediate relief to victims of natural or man-made disasters when
9 
government resources are not available or are insufficient to address the needs of the
10 
emergency, the Logistics Cluster of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), in coordination
11 
with the Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC) and all freight companies, common
12 
carriers, private carriers, freight forwarders and other companies providing logistic
13 
services in the Philippines are hereby mandated to provide free freight services to duly
14 
registered relief organizations in the transportation of emergency relief goods and
15 
donated articles to areas declared to be in a state of calamity by the President or a
16 
local government unit (LGU) concerned through its Sanggunian.
17 
These common carriers, freight forwarders, and other similar entities are
18 
mandated to deliver goods and services free of charge to areas where they operate.
19 
When the area is not accessible, such relief goods shall be sent or delivered
20 
to the nearest LGU and shall be consigned to the concerned local chief executive.
21 
Certain shipping auxiliary cost, such as those for arrastre services, pilotage,
22 
and other port charges that are routinely passed on to customers, shall be borne by
23 
the concerned arrastre, pilotage, and port authorities; Provided, That container van
24 
costs, turnaround time, and volume of cargo being shipped free of charge shall be
25 
considered in order to minimize the loss of profits of the private sector.
26 
Sec. 5. Vigilance Over Relief Goods. - The Law and Order Cluster of the
27 
NDRRMC shall be responsible for providing security and traffic management
28 
assistance to the Response Cluster’s operations to facilitate the speedy movement of
29 
people, goods, and equipment to the affected population and responding agencies.
30 
Sec. 6. Release of Donated Relief Goods and Articles. - The release of
31 
donated relief goods and articles intended for distribution to areas under a state of
32 
calamity shall be in accordance with existing rules and procedures of responsible
33 
government agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development
34 
(DSWD), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Education (DepEd), Department
3


1 
of Health (DOH), LCDs, and other government agencies mandated to authorize the
2 
distribution of these relief goods and articles, with proper verification of the receiver
3 
and in consideration of prevailing policies of freight service and logistics companies
4 
and carriers.
5 
Sec. 7. Implementing Agency. - The OCD and the Department of
6 
Transportation (DOTr), through the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Maritime Industry
7 
Authority (MARINA), and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board
8 
(LTFRB), shall implement the provisions of this Act, monitor and oversee compliance
9 
of freight service companies, common and private carriers and other companies
10 
providing logistic services as provided for under this Act.
11 
Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - To carry out the
12 
provisions of this Act, the OCD, in coordination with the DOTr, through the CAB,
13 
Marina and LTFRB, BOC, PPC, DSWD, and the association or authorized
14 
representatives of freight service companies and freight forwarders, common and
15 
private carriers and other companies offering logistic services in the country shall,
16 
within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, issue the IRR, including a
17 
mechanism or procedure in availing the free services as provided for under this Act.
18 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
19 
unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall remain
20 
in full force and effect.
21 
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees or issuances,
22 
executive orders, letter of instructions, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary
23 
to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or
24 
amended accordingly.
25 
Sec. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
26 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general
27 
circulation in the Philippines.
Approved,