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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representatives Bryan B. Revilla, Lani Mercado-Revilla, and Ramon 
Jolo B. Revilla III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Every year, 
typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and other calamities leave communities in urgent need 
of food, water, clothing, and other basic necessities. While many individuals, groups, 
and organizations are willing to donate, the cost of transporting goods often delays or 
limits the help that reaches affected areas. 
This bill seeks to provide free freight services for the transport of relief goods to 
communities hit by natural or man-made disasters. It mandates government agencies, 
in coordination with transportation companies—both public and private—to assist in 
the speedy and cost-free delivery of donated goods during times of calamity. The 
measure also includes clear guidelines to ensure that the system is transparent, 
organized, and free from abuse. 
By removing the burden of freight costs, this law will encourage more donations and 
ensure that help reaches battered communities faster. In view of the foregoing, the 
passage of this bill – previously approved on third and final reading by the House of 
Representatives – is earnestly sought. 
     REP. BRYAN B. REVILLA 
   REP. LANI MERCADO-REVILLA 
Representative, AGIMAT Partylist  
Representative, 2nd District of Cavite  
REP. RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA III 
Representative, 1st District of Cavite 
September 8, 2025
9:17 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representatives Bryan B. Revilla, Lani Mercado-Revilla, and Ramon 
Jolo B. Revilla III 
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 Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Free Transportation of 
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Relief Goods Act.” 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to strengthen the existing 
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quick response mechanisms to address the needs of the people during disasters and 
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emergencies. To this end, the State shall encourage altruism among the citizens and 
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engage the services of public and private common carriers, freight forwarders, freight 
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companies, and other logistics companies to collect, sort, store, transport, and deliver 
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relief goods donated by international and local donors to areas declared in a “state of 
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calamity” in the most economical, reliable, speedy, and secure manner. 
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
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(a) Arrastre - refers to the fee for handling and hauling cargo at the port. It covers
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the cost of unloading cargo from ships, moving it within the port area, and
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loading it onto trucks or other means of transportation for further delivery;
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(b) Common carriers - refer to persons, corporations, firms, or associations
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engaged in the business of carrying or transporting passengers or goods, or
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both, by land, water, or air, for compensation, offering their services to the
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public;
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(c) Disaster - refers to a severe disruption of the functioning of a community or a
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society involving widespread human, material, economic, or environmental
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losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or
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society to cope using its own resources;
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(d) Pilotage - refers to the services provided by the marine pilot, who is an
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experienced ship captain with in-depth knowledge of a specific port, harbor, or
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navigable waterway;
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(e) Relief - refers to interventions to alleviate, ease, or mitigate a distressed or
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critical situation affecting persons, families, groups or communities;
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(f) Relief goods - refer to food packs and non-food items such as clothing articles, 
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mats, blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen wares, water containers, hygiene kits, 
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and medical and health-related products to be given directly to the victims of a 
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disaster or an emergency; and 
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(g) State of calamity - refers to a condition involving mass casualties or major 
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damages to property and infrastructures such as roads, disruption of means of 
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livelihood, and the normal way of life of people in the affected areas due to a 
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natural or human-induced hazard. 
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SEC. 4. Free Freight Services. – The National and Regional Logistics Cluster led by 
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the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), in coordination with the Department of 
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Transportation (DOTr) and partnership with the Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC), 
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freight companies, common carriers, private carriers, freight forwarders, and other 
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companies providing logistic services in the Philippines shall provide free freight 
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services to duly registered relief organizations in the transportation of emergency relief 
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goods and donated articles to areas declared to be in a state of calamity by the 
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President of the Philippines or by a local government unit (LGU) through its 
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Sanggunian. When the area of destination is not accessible, the relief goods shall be 
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delivered and consigned to the local chief executive of the nearest LGU. 
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The areas where these entities operate shall be considered when availing of the free 
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freight services of common carriers, private carriers, freight forwarders, and other 
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logistics companies. 
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The shipping auxiliary cost, such as those for arrastre services, pilotage, and other 
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port charges, as well as the airport charges, such as those for landing and takeoff 
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fees, aircraft parking, navigation charges, and other related airport charges that are 
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routinely passed on to customers, shall be waived by the concerned port and airport 
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authorities: Provided, That container van costs, turnaround time, and volume of cargo 
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being shipped free of charge shall be considered to minimize the loss of profits for the 
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private sector. 
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SEC. 5. Vigilance over Relief Goods. – The National and Regional Disaster Risk 
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Reduction Management Councils, through their Response Clusters, shall facilitate the 
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speedy movement of people, goods, and equipment to the affected population and 
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responding agencies in coordination with local law enforcement agencies, port 
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authorities, and organizations with similar mandates and responsibilities. 
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SEC. 6. Release of Relief Goods. – The release of donated relief goods and articles 
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intended for distribution to areas under a state of calamity shall comply with the 
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existing rules and procedures of responsible government agencies such as the 
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Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Bureau of Customs (BOC), 
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Department of Education, Department of Health, LGUs, and other government 
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agencies authorized to distribute the relief goods and articles, and in consideration of 
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prevailing policies of freight service and logistics companies and carriers. 
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SEC. 7. Tax Deduction. – Common carriers, private carriers, and other logistics 
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companies mandated to provide free freight services for the transportation of relief 
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goods under Section 4 of this Act shall be entitled to one hundred percent (100%) 
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additional deduction from gross income of the amount of the cost incurred for the 
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service provided, including the actual cost of salaries and allowances of personnel 
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directly involved in transporting the relief goods, subject to the rules and limitations 
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prescribed under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, existing 
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laws, rules and regulations: Provided, That to avail of the additional deduction, 
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common carriers, private carriers, and other logistics companies shall secure proper 
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certification from the appropriate government agency that the expenses claimed as 
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deduction relate specifically to the services for the transportation of relief goods as 
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contemplated in this Act. This availment, however, is without prejudice to the conduct 
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of post-audit by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. 
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The availment of the tax incentives shall bar the concerned common carriers and other 
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logistics companies’ availment of any similar incentives granted by other general or 
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special laws, rules, or regulations for such freight services. 
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SEC. 8. Oversight Agencies. – The OCD and the DOTr, through the Civil Aeronautics 
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Board (CAB), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and Land Transportation 
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Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), shall monitor and oversee the compliance 
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of freight service companies, common and private carriers, and other logistics 
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companies in providing free freight services as provided under Section 4 of this Act. 
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SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the 
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effectivity of this Act, the Administrator of OCD shall, in coordination with the heads of 
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CAB, MARINA, LTFRB, BOC, PPC, DSWD, Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine 
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Coast Guard, and the association or authorized representatives of freight service 
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companies and freight forwarders, common and private carriers, and other companies 
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offering logistics services in the country, issue the necessary rules and regulations for 
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the effective implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 10. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected shall remain in force and effect.  
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SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules, and 
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regulations, or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, 
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are repealed or amended accordingly. 
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SEC. 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
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in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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