republic act no. 9418-volunteer act of 2007

8/4/2019 Republic Act No. 9418-Volunteer Act of 2007

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Begunand held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-fourthday of July, two thousand six.

[REPUBLICACT No. 9418 ]AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING A STRATEGYFOR RURAL

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of thePhilippines in Congress assembled.SECTION 1. Tit le . - This Act shall be known and cited a s

the "Volunteer Act of2007".SEC. . Declaration ofPol icy . I t shallhe the policy of th eState to promote the participation of th e various tiecturs of th e

Filipino society, and as necessary, international and foreignvolunteer organizations i n pubhc an d civic affairs, and adopt and


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strengthen the practice of volunteerism as a stra tegy in order toat ta in national development and international understandingThe inculcation ofvolunteerism as a way of life shall rekindle mevery Filipino th e time-honored tradition ofbayanihan to fostersocial justice, solidanty and sustainable development.

SEC. . Statement of Goals and Objectiues.- To carry outthe foregomg policy, the gavernment shallpursue the at tainme ntof the following goals and objectives:

(a) To provide a policy framework on volunteer ism thatshallunderscore the fundamentalprinciples necessary t o harnessand harmonize the broad and diverse effortsof the voluntary sectmi n t he country into a n integrative an d effective partnership forlocalandnational development aswell asmternationalcooperationan d understanding;

(h) To provide a conducive and enabling environment forvolunteers and. volunteer service organizations by set ti ngmechanisms to protect volunteers' rights and privileges an d givedue recogniton to hi gkg ht their roles and contributions to society;and

(c) To provide an effective institutional mechanism tostrengthen the role of the Philippine Nationalvolunteer ServiceCoordinating Agency PNVSCA) to perform its mandates and tooversee the implementationofthis Act

SEC.4. Def in i t i onofTerms . -Farpurposes ofthisAct, thefollowing shall mean:

(a) "Vo1unteerism"refers to a n act involving a wide rangeof actiwties, including traditional forms of mutual a id anddevelopmental interventions that provides an enabling andempowering environment both on the part of th e beneficiaryreceiving and the volunteer rendering the act, under taken forreasons arising from sociodevelopmental, business or corporateorientat ion, commitment or conviction fo r the attainment of the


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public good and where monetary an d other incentives or rewardare not the primary motivating factors.

(h) '.Volunteer" refers to a n individual or group wno forreasons arising from their sociodevelopmental, business andcorporate orientation, commitment or conviction, contribute time,service and resources whether on full- time or part-time basis toa just and e ss en td social development cause, mission or endeavorin the belief that their activity 1s mutually meaningful andbeneficial to public interest as well as to themselves.

(c) "Volunteer service organmation" refers to a local o rforeign group tha t recruits, trams, deploys and supports voluntewworkers to programs and projects implemented by them or byother organizations or any group that provides services andresources, including but not limited to, information, capabilitybuilding, advocacy and networkmg for the at ta inment of thecommon good.

(d) "Vo1untarysector"refers to those sectors ofPhilippinesociety that organizes themselves into volunteers to take advocacyan d action primarily for local an d national development a6 wellas international cooperation and understanding.

SEC. . Roleand Mo dah ties ofVolunteerisrn Ln th e pr i v a t eSector. -(a) Volunteerism in the academe mcludes, but 1s not

limited to, provision of technical assistance and shar ing oftechnology within the academic circle, target communities andother chenteles and the upgrading of the quality of education andcurriculum methodologies whde providing career enhancementand exposure to the volunteers;

(b) Volunteerism in the corporate sector as a n expressionof corporate social responsibihty and citizenship, refers toactivitiesrecognized by the company, where employees give their time,sklils and resources in the service of the company's internaland/or external communities. These volunteering activities


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include, but a re not limited to, employee giving of materialresources to specific causes: employee-led fund-raising; one-tuneoutreach actimties; environmental campaign: medical and health-rel ate d advocacies: knowledge a n d change managemen t;scholarship programs: and sharing of expertise, particularly ofbusiness and developmental skills through mentoring, tutoring,training, business, consulting/advising and rendering ofpro bonoservices o na case-to-case basis; and

(c) Volunteerism hy not-far-profit organizations includes,butisnot limited to, provisionofcomplementary service deliveryan d human resource development i n underserved commumtiesa s w e l l as advocacy an d ar tic ula tio n of t he cause of th edisadvantaged a nd wlnerahle groups.

SEC. . Role and Modalities of Volanteerism by ForeignVolznteer OFganizations.-Volunteerism by foreign volunteerorganizations includes, hut is not limited to , provision of technicalassis tance not locally accessible in priority development areaswithin the framework of technical cooperation and socioculturalexchange.

SEC. . Role of the Gouernment.-The government shallcoordinate, facilitate and encourage the participat ion of thevoluntary sector in the promotion, utilization an d recogmtion ofvolunteerism in national development and internationalcooperation. This shall he achieved through the provlsion ofenabling and conducive environment fo r volunteer work.SEC .8. The Philippine National Volunteer Seruice

Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA). - The PNVSCA created byExecutive Order No. 134, a s amended, shall undertake th eimplementat ion and execution of th e provisions of t h s Act

SEC.9.Mandates of the PNVSCA. - The PNVSCA shallhave the followingfunctions:


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(a) Review and formulate policies and guidelmesconcermngthe national volunteer service program consislent with nationaldevelopment priorities:

@) Coordinate, momtor and evaluate the national volunteerservice program in order that volunteer assistance may f it intothe otal national development goals:

(c) Act as clearing house for matters pertaining tointernational volunteer services:

(d) Develop and implement prototypes and models ofvolunteering for adoption by inst itutions and commumhes;

(e) Provide technical services and suppor t for capabilitybuilding of volunteers and volunteer organizations;

(0 Undertake advocacy for the promotion and recogmtionofvolunteerism as a tool for development:

(g) Establish and mamtain a national network of volunteerorganizations and serve as liaison between and among local andforeign governmental private voluntary organizations includingth e United Nations Volunteers (LJNV); and

(h) Administer all the PNVSCA funds from all sourcesincluding foreign aid in accordance with accounting a nd auditingrequirements.

For this purpose, the executive director of the PNVSCAshall sub mit a n organizational plan upon advice of theMultiSectoral Advisory Body to the Department of Budget andManagement.

SEC.10. The MultiSectoral Aduisory Body (MSAB). -To assist the PNVSCA, the Body created under Executive OrderNo, 635 shall be reconstituted with the following members:


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(a) The Nat ional Economic and Development Authority@JEW;

(b) The Department of Education (DepED);(c) The Department of PoreignAffairs (DFA);(d) The Department ofJustice (DOJ),(e) The Department ofthe Intenor and Local Government(DILG);(f) The Department of Social Welfare and Development

@SWD);

(9) The Commission on Higher Education (CHED);(h) The Presidential Management Staff (PMS), Office of

the President;(i) The Representativeis from the corporate sector;0) The Representativeis from the private academe sector;and(k) The Representstiveis from the not-for-profit sectorAllmember government agenciesshallbe represented at

leas t by a n assistant secretary while the private sector agenciesshall be represented a t east by thei r highes t executive officersThe government agencies shall be permanent members whilethe representatives from the private sector shaU serve for a two-year term. The c h a r of the MSAB shall he elected from amongthe members of the body. ThePNVSCA executive director, beinga n ex officio member, shall serve as the permanent vice chair.


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The MSAB may callon representahves of other governmentagencies andlor the private 6ector t o serve a s resource personisonvolunteerism as the need arises.

SEC.11. Functions ofthe M S m .-The MSAB shall havethe following functions:

(a) Provide advice in the formulation of policies andgludehnes for the national volunteer service program;

(b) Promde consultative and technical advisory semces onvolunteer matters; and(c) Serve as a forum to enhance and strengthen linkagesbetween an d among volunteer groups and communities.SEC. 12. Specral P r ov i s kms(a) Establishment of a National Volunteer Infrast ructure

and Forum. -The PW SC A shall develop and estabhsh a systemof national registration and networkmg to improve coordinationofvolunteersand volunteer serviceorganmations towiden honzonfor shar ing and complementing information, experiences an dresources

(b) Integration of Volunteerism i n the Basic and HigherEducation Curriculum. - The DepEd and the CHED shallintegrate volunteerism as pa rt of the curriculum in basic andhgher education tor a s e the consciousness ofthe youth and developth e cu lture of volunteerism among the citizenry.

(c) Estab lishm ent of Volunteer Program in NationalGovernment Agencies an d Local Government Units (LGUs).-National government agencies and LGUs shallestablish volunteerprograms in the ir respective offices t o promote and encouragevolunteering in government programs and projects as well asenjoin government employees to render volunteer servicem social,economic an d humanitarian development undertakings in thecommunity.


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(d) Recogmtion and IncentivestoVolunteers. -Governmentagennes and nongovernment orgamzations (NGOs)mplementingvolunteer programs are encouraged to develop and providevolunteers recognition and incentive package which may niclude,but not limited to allowance, insurance, training and the grant ofprivileges and statu s to Filipino overseas volunteers a t par withFllipino overseas workers.

(e) Visa Privileges for Foreign Volunteers. - Foreignvolunteers approved for assignment by the PNVSCA as well astheir legal dependents may be entitled t o 47 (a) (2) visa withmultiple entry privileges andcorrespondmg exemption from visaand immigration fees and other related processinglapplicationfees or charges. Foreign nationals already in the Phdippineswhohavebeen approved fo r volunteer assignment by the PNVSCAmay avail of the above visa category and privileges uponendorsement by the PNVSCA to he DOJ.

SEC. 13 . Inst i tut ional Mechanism f o r Research,Documentation, Recognition and Modeling of Best VolunteerPractices. -To carry out the purposes ofthw Act, aninsti tut ional

.mechanism shall be established, to be spearheaded andadministered by the PNVSCA, for continuing research,documentation, recognition and modeling of best volunteerpractices as an important componentof mplementmg developmentprograms and projects and u n d e r t h g humanitarian activities.For th is purpose, the PNVSCA in consultation with any a nd al lrelevant government agencies, NGOs, private institutions andpersons shall effect the sett ing up of the mechanism as well a!;determine all requirements and. or necessary acts to ensure it8effective implementation.

SEC. 14. Implementing Rules a nd Regulations. - ThePNVSCA, with advlce from the MSAB, shallpromulgate the rulesand regulations to effectively implement the provisions of thisAct.

SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. -Alllaws, decrees, executiveorders and rules and regulations or parts thereof contrary to or


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inconsistent with the provisions of th is Act, including Section 12ofExecutive Order No. 635are herebydeemsdrepealedormod&edaccordingly.

Sgc. 16. Effectivity. -Thi sActshk lt ak e effect after fifteen(15) days following its publication in th e Offxial Gazette or m atleast two newspapers of general circulation.

This Act w h ca ongmated in th e House of Representativeswas finally passed by the House of Representatwes and the Senateon April 5,2006and February 5,2007,respechvely.

?zszzSecretary of ihc Senaie

Approved: APR 1 0

0

republic act no. 9418-volunteer act of 2007

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