SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC 01 THE PHILIPPINES
Second Regular Session
SENATE
S. No. 1560
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(In Substitution of Senate Bill No. 610) RE(;£jyr j..
Prepared jointly by the Committees on Civil Service, Government Rcorganizaticniland 
Professional Regulation; and Labor, Employment and Human Resources Dcvclopincnt 
with Senators Antonio “ Sonny” F. Trillanes IV and Joel Villanueva as authors
AN ACT
GRANTING DISASTER SERVICE VOLUNTEERS PAID LEAVE DURING PERIOD 
OF DISASTERS
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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:
a) "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;
b) “Disaster" includes a local disaster designated at level I or higher in the Philippine 
Red Cross (PRC) Regulations and Procedures or a national disaster at level III or 
higher in the PRC Regulations;
c) "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. -
(a) 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.
(b) 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


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regular work hours during which the employee is absent from work, but shall not receive 
overtime pay, night shift differential pay, 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 earned overtime due to such leave.
(c) 
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 Aet.
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,