MANILA – The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on final reading House Bill (HB) 10924 or the “Free Transportation of Relief Goods Act,” mandating free freight services for the transportation of relief goods and donations to areas declared to be in a state of calamity.
HB 10924, which was approved with 182 votes, seeks to remove a critical bottleneck in disaster response by ensuring relief goods can reach calamity-stricken areas quickly and without cost barriers.
“This legislation creates a vital partnership between government and the private logistics sector, requiring free freight services for relief goods while providing tax incentives to participating carriers,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a statement.
Once enacted into law, the measure will require the National and Regional Logistics Cluster led by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), in coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and partnership with the Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC), freight companies, common carriers, private carriers, freight forwarders, and other companies providing logistic services in the Philippines to provide free freight services to duly registered organizations which will provide relief operations to calamity-stricken areas.
The proposed bill also waives shipping auxiliary costs such as arrastre services, pilotage, and other port charges, as well as airport-related fees.
To encourage private sector participation, the bill provides a 100 percent tax deduction from gross income for the cost incurred in providing free freight services, including personnel salaries and allowances directly involved in transporting relief goods.
The National and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils, through their Response Clusters, shall facilitate the speedy movement of people, goods, and equipment to the affected population and responding agencies in coordination with local law enforcement agencies, port authorities, and organizations with similar mandates and responsibilities. (PNA)