Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar (Facebook)

Relief organizations will be granted free freight services during emergency situations and calamities if and when this measure from House Deputy Speaker Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar becomes a law. 

Villar filed in the current 19th Congress House Bill (HB) No. 9345, or the proposed Free Transportation of Relief Goods Act, 

Villar said allowing freight forwarders, common and private carriers, and other companies to provide logistic services free of charge to relief organizations that transport relief goods and donations would be a humanitarian act. 

“It is utterly challenging for impacted individuals to bounce back from calamities, and the most immediate support that they can get should not go unhampered by freight cost consequences,” she said. 

"It would be a form of commitment and willingness to help on the part of freight companies and carriers to help the affected communities in times of calamities by foregoing freight costs.” 

Villar said the act would also “strengthen the spirit of bayanihan among Filipinos in that the immediate needs of people affected by such catastrophic events are promptly provided—both by the government and the private sector partners—in the most economical, reliable, speedy, and secured manner.” 

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The measure mandates the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), in coordination with the Philippine Postal Corporation (PPC) and all freight companies, common carriers, private carriers, freight forwarders and other companies that offer logistic services to give freight services at no cost to duly registered relief organizations recognized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 

This covers the transportation of emergency relief goods and donated articles to areas that have been placed under a state of calamity by the President or the local government unit (LGU). 

It likewise provides that shipping auxiliary costs such as arrastre services, pilotage, and other port charges that are regularly passed on to customers shall be free of charge. 

The NDRRMC will be tasked to provide security and traffic management assistance to the relief operations to facilitate the speedy movement of people, goods, and equipment to the affected population and responding agencies. 

The implementing agencies of the proposed measure would be the DOTr, through the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).