2.
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
s. No. 209
of tl..' 
T.'tarf
•19 
JUL-2 
P 6 :10
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 recent maritime incident concerning an allision on the West 
Philippine Sea that involved the lives of 22 Rlipino 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 life at sea and the duty to render assistance to 
persons in distress at sea to which the Philippines is a state piarty 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 Rlipinos at sea.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
TOL" N. TOLENTINO
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
) 
^ ! W
. r n i i « ^ . i a r P
S E N A T E
S .  N O .  209 
■'9 
J'JL-2 P 6:10
V-I
( p .  _ _
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 House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1
Section, i. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Good Samaritan at
2
Sea Law."
3
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. —  The following are hereby declared to be the
4
policies of the State:
5
a) The State shall provide for the full and effective implementation and
6
enforcement of international maritime instruments ratified by the
7
Philippine Government that cover safety of life at sea and comply with
8
its duties arKi obligations to the international community as a State
9
Party.
10
b) The State shall ensure that unlawful acts committed on waters forming
11
part of the national territory and those over which the country has
12
sovereignty and jurisdiction are prevented, detected, and penalized to
13
ensure a safe maritime environment as well as safeguard the lives and
14
properties of its citizens.
15
1


1 
Sec. 3. Duty to Render Assistance. — The master of a ship, in so far as he can
2 
do so without serious danger to the ship, the crew, or the passengers has the duty to;
3 
i. 
To render assistance to any person or persons found at sea in
4 
danger of being lost;
5 
ii. 
After a collision, to render assistance to the other ship, its crew
6 
and its passengers and, where possible, to inform the other ship
7 
of the name of his own ship, its port of registry and the nearest
8 
port at which it will call; and
9 
Sec. 4. Distress Signals. — Upon receiving a signal from any source that persons
10 
are in distress at sea or if informed of their need of assistance, the master of a ship
11 
at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance, in so far as he can do so
12 
without serious danger to the ship, the crew, or the passengers, is bound to proceed
13 
with all speed to their assistance, if possible informing them that the ship is doing so.
14 
Sec. 5. Unable to Assist. — If the ship receiving the distress alert is unable or,
15 
in the special circumstances of the case, considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to
16 
proceed to their assistance, the master must enter in the log-book the reason for
17 
failing to proceed to the assistance of the persons in distress, 
and inform the
18 
appropriate search and rescue service or Philippine Coast Guard.
19 
Sec. 6. Requisition. — The master of a ship in distress, the Philippine Coast
20 
Guard, or the search and rescue service concerned, after consultation, so far as may
21 
be possible, with the master or masters of the ship or ships which answer the distress
22 
alert, has the right to requisition one or more of those ships as they considers best
23 
able to render assistance, and it shall be the duty of the master or masters of the ship
24 
or ships requisitioned to comply with the requisition by continuing to proceed with all
25 
speed to the assistance of persons in distress.
26 
i. 
The Master or Masters of ship or ships shall be released from the
27 
obligation imposed by this section on learning that their ship or
28 
ships have not been requisitioned and that one or more other ships
29 
have been requisitioned and are complying with the requisition.
30 
This decision shall, if possible, be communicated to the other
31 
requisitioned ships and to the search and rescue service or
32 
Philippine Coast Guard.


1
2 
ii. 
The master of a ship shall be released from the obligation imposed
3 
by paragraph this section and, if his ship has been requisitioned,
4 
from the obligation imposed by paragraph (6)(i) on being informed
5 
by the person or persons in distress, or by the search and rescue
6 
service; or by the Philippine Coast Guard or, by the master of
7 
another ship which has reached such persons that assistance is no
8 
longer necessary.
9 
Sec. 7. Penalties. — Any violation or failure to perform any of the acts
10 
enumerated herein shall be punishable by a fine of not less Five million pesos
11 
(P5,000,000.00) but not more than Ten million pesos (10,000,000.00). If the violator
12 
is the cause or part of the ship that caused the distress at sea, the fine shall be not
13 
less than Ten million pesos (PIO,000,000.00) but not more than Twenty million pesos
14 
(P20,000f000.00).
15 
If the violation was committed within internal waters or within the territorial
16 
sea, an additional penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not
17 
more than one (1) year shall be imposed. If the violator is the cause or part of the
18 
ship that caused the distress at sea, an additional penalty of imprisonment of not less
19 
than one (1) year and one (1) day but not more than two (2) years shall be imposed.
20 
Repeat offenders or violators shall be dealt with the maximum penalties allowed. No
21 
foreign person shall be deported without the payment of the imposed judicial and/or
22 
administrative fines and service of sentence, if any.
23 
Sec. 8. Jurisdiction. — The jurisdiction to determine violations and impose the
24 
appropriate penalties thereto shall belong to any of the Regional Trial Courts in the
25 
Province or City nearest to the place where the distress occurred.
26 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any section, subsection, clause
27 
or term of this Act is held to be illegal, invalid, or unconstitutional, such parts not
28 
affected by such declaration shall remain in full force and effect.
29 
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. — All existing laws, orders, decrees, rules and
30 
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
31 
amended, modified or repealed accordingly.


1 
Sec. 11. Effectivity Oause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
2 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,