FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
.." 'l , .• 
S. No. i~ '1)/ 
--
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Several countries have been assisted by the Red Cross during times of disasters. Disaster 
preparedness, one of the major components of the Red Cross program, aims to prepare 
the vulnerable communities in the event of calamities. The Philippine National Red Cross 
(PNRC), specifically, has been offering a wide array of humanitarian services that 
include relief operations in times of disasters in the country. 
In response to the increasing number of disasters in recent years and to the rising costs 
brought about by these calamities, it is timely and favorable to have a legislation 
authorizing a paid leave for employees who volunteer for the PNRC disaster operations. 
Those employees who possess skills that can be useful to disaster operations, such as 
shelter management, mass feeding, damage assessment and family services, deserve to be 
granted with particular kinds of benefits. 
This bill grants public and private employees, who are also disaster service volunteers, a 
leave from work with pay in any twelve-month period to participate in specialized 
disaster relief services for the PNRC. This also considers it essential for the government 
to allow and encourage the employees to request for disaster leave during periods of 
disasters and humanitarian need to assist the PNRC. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly requested. 
~}.~NESlV 
Senator 
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"7 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 237 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
---------------------------------
AN ACT 
GRANTING DISASTER SERVICE VOLUNTEERS A PAID LEAVE nURING 
PERIOn OF DISASTERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Disaster Service 
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Volunteer Leave Act". 
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SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall 
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mean: 
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(a) "Department" or "agency" - means any office, officer, official, department, 
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board, commission, institution, bureau, agency, division or unit, including 
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those within the legislative and judicial branches of the govemment; 
, 
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(b) 
"Disaster" includes a local disaster designated at level I or higher in the 
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Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) Regulations and Procedures or a 
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national disaster at level III or higher in the PNRC Regulations; 
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(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 PNRC. 
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SEC. 3. Disaster Service Volunteer Leave. - (a) An employee of an agency who 
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is a certified disaster service volunteer may be granted leave from work with pay, for up 
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to an aggregate of fifteen (15) days, consecutively or non-consecutively, in any twelve-
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month period to participate in specialized disaster relief services for the Philippine 
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National Red Cross (PNRC) in connection with any disaster, upon the request of the 
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PNRC for such employee's services and upon the approval of such employee's employing 
2 
agency. An employee of any private sector business who is a certified disaster service 
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volunteer may be granted the same benefits. 
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(b) An employee of an agency granted leave pursuant to Subsection (a) of this 
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Section shall be compensated by the employing agency at the employee's regular rate of 
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pay for those regular work hours during which the employee is absent from work, but 
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shall not receive overtime pay, shift differential pay, hazardous duty payor any other 
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fonn of payor compensation in addition to the employee's regular pay. An employee who 
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is granted leave pursuant to Subsection (a) of this Section shall not lose any seniority or 
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any already accumulated vacation time, sick time or earned overtime due to such leave. 
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(c) The government shall not be liable for workers' compensation claims arising 
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from accident or injury while an employee is on assignment as a certified disaster service 
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volunteer for the PNRC. Duties performed while on disaster leave shall not be considered 
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to be a work assignment by any department or agency. In detennining whether to grant 
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leave to an employee, the employing agency may consider the needs of the PNRC for 
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expertise in a particular certified area. The employee's activities and job functions while 
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on leave, however, shall not be directed by the government but shall be detennined and 
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controlled solely by the PNRC. 
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SEC. 4. Certification as a Disaster Service Volunteer. - No employee shall be 
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paid during regular work hours in the completion of any training towards a certification 
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as a disaster service volunteer unless such employee uses personal or annual leave. 
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SEC. 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
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unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and 
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effect. 
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SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, IUles and regulations or 
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parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
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modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publicatiQn in two (2) national newspapers of general circulatioll . 
. Approved, 
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