Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State recognizes the need to act quickly and efficiently to individuals who 
are in crisis situations. The Philippines, being part of the Typhoon Belt and the Pacific 
Ring of Fire, is prone to natural calamities and disasters. In a year, the Philippines is 
hit by around 20 typhoons and in the past years, there have been an increasing 
magnitude of earthquakes that have been causing damage to properties and 
livelihoods. Drought, for example, causes a damage of around 12.8 trillion Pesos. In 
2013, Typhoon Yolanda was estimated to have damages amounting to 95.5 billion 
pesos. 
The first responders in these situations are the government agencies and units. 
It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that lives are preserved and the 
immediate needs of the affected are provided for. 
As such, the purpose of this bill is to allow for free freight services in the 
transportation of relief goods to calamity stricken areas. It is common that the military 
is made in charge of the transportation of relief goods. But with the help of other 
organizations and freight companies, it is expected that the delivery of goods to 
calamity stricken areas will be faster. 
This bill was filed in the 18th Congress by Representatives Robes, Torres-
Gomez, and Momo. It was approved by the House and was transmitted to the Senate. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of the bill is earnestly sought. 
 HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
August 30, 2022
8:02 am
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 Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by Representative 
HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
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 "Relief Goods Free 
Transportation Act" 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to strengthen existing 
mechanisms that will facilitate quick responses to the demands and needs during 
disasters and emergencies and to encourage altruism among the citizens when it is 
necessary to provide timely relief to the victims of catastrophic phenomena by 
engaging the services of both public and private common carriers, freight forwarders, 
freight companies and other logistics companies to collect, sort, store, transport, and 
deliver relief goods donated by international and local donors to areas declared in a 
"state of calamity in the most economical, reliable, speedy and secured manner. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
(a) Common carriers refer to persons, corporations, firms or associations
offering their services to the public and engaged in the business of carrying or
transporting passengers or goods or both, by land, water, or air, for
compensation;
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(b) Disaster refers to a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or 
a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental 
losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community to cope 
using its own resources; 
 
(c) Donated goods or articles refer to food or non-food items responsive to any 
situation affecting disadvantaged or distressed individuals and families in 
order to meet their basic needs, given in kind by any individual or group or 
entities; 
 
(d) Duly registered relief organization refers to any relief organization, not 
operated for profit, duly registered, licensed or accredited with any national 
government agency; 
 
(e) Emergency refers to an unforeseen or sudden occurrence, especially danger, 
demanding immediate action; 
 
(f) Freight companies refer to companies that specialize in the moving or 
transporting of freight or cargo from one place to another and categorized 
either as international freight forwarders or domestic freight forwarders; 
 
(g) Freight forwarders refer to persons or companies that organize shipments 
for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer 
to a market, customer or final point of distribution; 
 
(h) International Humanitarian Assistance (IA) refers to any aid and action 
taken by any duly coordinated foreign international relief workers and in-kind 
donations, for the benefit of disaster-stricken areas, aimed at providing 
emergency response, rehabilitation and recovery operations to mitigate the 
effects of disasters or major emergencies;  
 
(i) Private carriers refer to those entities, that undertake the delivery of goods 
or passengers for compensation, without being engaged in the business of 
carrying as a public employment; 
 
(j) Relief refers to interventions to alleviate, ease, or mitigate a distressed or 
critical situation affecting persons, families, groups or communities;  
 


(k) Relief goods refer to food packs and non-food items such as clothing 
articles, mats, blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen wares, water containers, 
hygiene kits, and medical and health-related products to be given directly to 
the victims of a disaster or an emergency;  
 
(l) Response Cluster refers to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and 
Management Council (NDRRMC) cluster government agencies and 
instrumentalities and humanitarian agencies working in a unified manner to 
provide assistance to the needs of communities affected by a disaster; and  
 
(m) State of calamity refers to a condition involving mass casualty or major 
damages to property and public infrastructure, disruption of means of 
livelihood, and the normal way of life in the areas affected by the occurrence of 
a disaster, whether natural or human-induced. 
 
SEC. 4. Free Freight Services for the Transportation of Relief Goods. - With 
the aim of bringing immediate relief to victims of natural or man-made disasters when 
government resources are not available or are insufficient to address the needs of the 
emergency, the Logistics Cluster of the Office of 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 Philippines are hereby mandated to provide free freight services to 
duly registered relief organizations in the transportation of emergency relief goods 
and donated articles to areas declared to be in a state of calamity by the President or 
a local government unit (GU) concerned through its Sanggunian.  
 
These common carriers, freight forwarders, and other similar entities are mandated to 
deliver goods and services free of charge to areas where they operate. 
 
When the area is not accessible, such relief goods shall be sent or delivered to the 
nearest LGU and shall be consigned to the concerned local chief executive.  
 
Certain shipping auxiliary cost, such as those for arrastre services, pilotage, and other 
port charges that are routinely passed on to customers, shall be borne by the 
concerned arrastre, pilotage, and port authorities: Provided, That container van costs, 
turnaround time, and volume of cargo being shipped free of charge shall be 
considered in order to minimize the loss of profits of the private sector. 
 
 


SEC. 5. Vigilance Over Relief Goods. - The Law and Order Cluster of the 
NDRRMC shall be responsible for providing security and traffic management 
assistance to the Response Cluster's operations to facilitate the speedy movement of 
people, goods, and equipment to the affected population and responding agencies. 
 
 
SEC. 6. Release of Donated Relief Goods and Articles. - The release of 
donated relief goods and articles intended for distribution to areas under a state of 
calamity shall be in accordance with existing rules and procedures of responsible 
government agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Education (DepEd), Department 
of Health (DOH), LGUs, and other government agencies mandated to authorize the 
distribution of these relief goods and articles, with proper verification of the receiver 
and in consideration of prevailing policies of freight service and logistics companies 
and carriers. 
 
SEC. 7. Implementing Agency. - The OCD and the Department of 
Transportation DOT), through the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Maritime Industry 
Authority (MARINA), and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 
(LTFRB), shall implement the provisions of this Act, monitor and oversee compliance 
of freight service companies, common and private carriers and other companies 
providing logistic services as provided for under this Act. 
 
 
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - To carry out the provisions of 
this Act, the OCD, in coordination with the DOTr, through the CAB, MARINA and 
LTFRB, BOC, PPC, DSWD, and the association or authorized representatives of freight 
service companies and freight forwarders, common and private carriers and other 
companies offering logistic services in the country shall, within sixty (60) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, issue the implementing rules and regulations, including a 
mechanism or procedure in availing the free services as provided for under this Act. 
  
SEC. 9.  Separability Clause. – If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof shall remain in full force and 
effect. 
 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations, issuances or part thereof inconsistent with the provision of this Act are 
hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
  


SEC. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the 
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation.  
Approved.