The House of Representatives has approved the proposed Free Transportation of Relief Goods Act, which would require free freight services for transporting relief goods to areas in calamity or severely affected by natural disasters such as typhoons or earthquakes.
House Bill No. 10924 consolidates bills filed by various congressmen, including HBN 9345 filed by Deputy Speaker Rep. Camille Villar of Las Piñas.
HBN 10924 was approved on the third and final reading on November 19 with 182 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and zero abstention.
In filing her HBN 9345, Villar sought to grant free freight services to relief organizations involved in transporting emergency goods and donated articles to areas in a state of calamity.
Villar said allowing freight forwarders, common and private carriers, and other companies to provide free logistic services to relief organizations that transport relief goods and donations would be a humanitarian act, noting that “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 also said the grant of free freight services would “strengthen the spirit of bayanihan among Filipinos.”
“Ako ay natutuwa at nagpapasalamat sa ating mga kasamahan sa Kamara sa naging mabilis na aksyon sa aking panukalang HBN 9345. Malaki ang maitutulong ng batas na ito para mapabilis ang pagdadala ng relief goods at iba pang tulong sa mga lugar na nasalanta ng kalamidad, tulad ng bagyo, baha, lindol at pagsabog ng bulkan,” Villar said.
She added that the measure’s approval comes timely, following the spate of typhoons that hit the country in just a month.
“Nito lamang nakaraang mga linggo ay nasalanta ang ating bansa ng sunod-sunod na bagyo. Libo-libo nating mga kababayan ang naapektuhan ng malakas na ulan, landslide at pagbaha. Napapanahon ang pagpasa ng Free Transportation of Relief Goods Act para sa mabilis na pagdadala ng pamahalaan at mga pribadong organisasyon ng tulong sa mga apektadong lugar,” Villar said.