TO further promote volunteerism, the House Committee on People’s Participation, chaired by Marikina City Rep. Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, on Wednesday moved to consolidate six bills aimed at protecting “Good Samaritans,” or individuals who selflessly provide assistance during emergencies.
Set for consolidation are House Bills (HBs) 828, 4031, 4252, 2932, 4461, and 4709, which share the common objective of exempting from liability individuals who, in good faith and without expectation of compensation, provide aid to persons whose lives are in danger or who are facing serious harm.
Beyond legal protection, Teodoro also explored the possibility of allowing local government units (LGUs) to provide insurance coverage for volunteers, in a manner consistent with the regulations of the Commission on Audit (COA).
Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) Executive Director Donald Gawe informed the committee that provisions on volunteer incentives are already found under Republic Act No. 9418, or the Volunteer Act of 2007, although these are stated in general terms.
Teodoro suggested that the PNVSCA and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) work together to determine how insurance incentives may be implemented, particularly the establishment of a standard insurance coverage scheme that would take into account the financial capacity of LGUs.
Zambales 2nd District Rep. Doris Maniquiz sought clarification on provisions in some of the proposed measures requiring certain volunteers to be registered or authorized to render assistance during emergencies.
She proposed refining the legal protection provisions to make them more inclusive, in order to encourage wider public participation, especially during calamities that may occur at any time.
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