NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
)
Senate
oJ titf rirtarjj
■22 OCT 13 P3:18
SENATE
S. No. 1388
Introduced by SENATOR FRANCIS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR RULES ON THE DUTY TO RENDER ASSISTANCE AT SEA IN 
ACCORDANCE WITH RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS TO 
WHICH THE PHILIPPINES IS A STATE PARTY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Stirred by the June 2019 maritime incident concerning an allision on the West 
Philippine Sea that involved the lives of 22 Filipino fishermen, this bill was crafted to 
ensure that persons guilty of jeopardizing the lives of men at sea and those who 
unreasonably fail to render assistance to persons in distress at sea do not go 
unpunished.
This bill, which shall be known as the "Good Samaritan at Sea Law", aims to 
implement provisions in International Maritime instruments ratified by the Philippine 
Government concerning safety of iife at sea and the duty to render assistance to 
persons in distress at sea to which the Philippines is a state party to including:
1. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 and its
Protocols of 1978 and 1988 and Agreement of 1996;
2. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982


As a key player in the global maritime industry, it is but imperative for the 
country to stay true to its commitments to the international community to implement 
and enforce laws affecting maritime safety in order to protect not just the standing of 
the country in the international community but to protect the very lives of the 
thousands of Filipinos at sea.
Originally filed by this representation during the 18th Congress, I am presently 
refiling this not only to stay true to our international commitments but to maintain our 
international standing and in order to uphold the rights and dignity of our people and 
protect the nations' honor.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
IS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE
s. No. 1388
of tijf f»fartar^
OCT 13, P3 :18
RECEIVcO BV; 7
\
Introduced by SENATOR FRANCIS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR RULES ON THE DUTY TO RENDER ASSISTANCE AT SEA IN 
ACCORDANCE WITH RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS TO 
WHICH THE PHILIPPINES IS A STATE PARTY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Good Samaritan at
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Sea Law."
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The following are hereby declared to be the
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policies of the State:
a) 
The State shall provide for the full and effective implementation and 
enforcement of international maritime instruments ratified by the Philippine 
Government that cover safety of life at sea and comply with its duties and 
obligations to the international community as a State Party.
b) 
The State shall ensure that unlawful acts committed on waters forming 
part of the national territory and those over which the country has sovereignty 
and jurisdiction are prevented, detected, and penalized to ensure a safe


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maritime environment as well as safeguard the lives and properties of its
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citizens.
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Sec. 3. Duty to Render Assistance. - The master of a ship, in so far as he
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can do so without serious danger to the ship, the crew, or the passengers, has the
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duty to:
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a) 
To render assistance to any person or persons found at sea in danger of
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being lost; and
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b) 
After a collision, to render assistance to the other ship, its crew and its
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passengers and, where possible, to inform the other ship of the name of his
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own ship, its port of registry and the nearest port at which it will call.
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Sec. 4. Distress Signals. - Upon receiving a signal from any source
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that persons are in distress at sea or if informed of their need of assistance, the master
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of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance, in so far as he
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can do so without serious danger to the ship, the crew, or the passengers, is bound
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to proceed with all speed to their assistance, if possible informing them that the ship
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is doing so.
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Sec. 5. Unable to Assist- If the ship receiving the distress alert is unable or,
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in the special circumstances of the case, considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to
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proceed to their assistance, the master must enter in the log-book the reason for
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failing to proceed to the assistance of the persons in distress, and inform the
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appropriate search and rescue service or Philippine Coast Guard.
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Sec. 6. Requisition. - The master of a ship in distress, the Philippine Coast
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Guard, or the search and rescue service concerned, after consultation, so far as may
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be possible, with the master or masters of the ship or ships which answer the distress
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alert, has the right to requisition one or more of those ships as they considers best
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able to render assistance, and it shall be the duty of the master or masters of the ship
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or ships requisitioned to comply with the requisition by continuing to proceed with all
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speed to the assistance of persons in distress.


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a) The master or masters of ship or ships shall be released from the
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obligation imposed by this section upon learning that their ship or ships have
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not been requisitioned and that one or more other ships have been
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requisitioned and are complying with the requisition. This decision shall, if
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possible, be communicated to the other requisitioned ships and to the search
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and rescue service or Philippine Coast Guard.
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b) The master of a ship shall be released from the obligation imposed by
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this section and, if his ship has been requisitioned, from the obligation imposed
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by Section 6 upon being informed by the person or persons in distress, or by
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the search and rescue service, or by the Philippine Coast Guard or, by the
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master of another ship which has reached such persons that assistance is no
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longer necessary.
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Sec. 7. Penalties. - Any violation or failure to perform any of the acts
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enumerated herein shall be punishable by a fine of not less than Five million pesos
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(P5,000,000.00) but not more than Ten million pesos (10,000,000.00). If the violator
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is the cause or part of the ship that caused the distress at sea, the fine shall be not
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less than Ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00) but not more than Twenty million pesos
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(P20,000,000.00).
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If the violation was committed within internal waters or within the territorial
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sea, an additional penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not
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more than one (1) year shall be imposed. If the violator is the cause or part of the
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ship that caused the distress at sea, an additional penalty of imprisonment of not less
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than one (1) year and one (1) day but no more than two (2) years shall be imposed.
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Repeat offenders or violators shalt be dealt with the maximum penalties allowed. No
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foreign person shall be deported without the payment of the imposed judicial and/or
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administrative fines and service of sentence, if any.
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Sec. 8. Jurisdiction. - The jurisdiction to determine violations and impose
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the appropriate penalties thereto shall belong to any of the Regional Trial Courts in
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the Province or City nearest to the place where the distress occurred.


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Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is held to
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be illegal, invalid, or unconstitutional, such parts not affected by such declaration shall
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remain in full force and effect.
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Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. - All existing laws, orders, decrees, rules and
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regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
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amended, modified, or repealed accordingly.
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Sec. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
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its publication in the Official Gazette ov in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,