Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-fourth day of July,

two thousand six.

[REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9418]

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING A STRATEGY FOR RURAL

DEVELOPMENT, STRENGTHENING VOLUNTEERISM
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled.

Section 1. Title. This Act shall be known and cited as the Volunteer Act of 2007.

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It shall be the policy of the State to promote the
participation of the various sectors of the Filipino society, and as necessary,
international and foreign volunteer organizations in public and civic affairs and adopt
and strengthen the practice of volunteerism as a strategy in order to attain national
development and international understanding. The inculcation of volunteerism as a way
of life shall rekindle in every Filipino the time-honored tradition of Bayanihan to foster
social justice, solidarity and sustainable development.

Section 3. Statement of Goals and Objectives. To carry out the foregoing policy,
the government shall pursue the attainment of the following goals and objectives:

a) To provide a policy framework on volunteerism that shall underscore the

fundamental principles necessary to harness and harmonize the broad and diverse efforts
of the voluntary sector in the country into an integrative and effective partnership for
local and national development as well as international cooperation and understanding.

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 b) To provide a conducive and enabling environment for volunteers and
volunteer service organizations by setting mechanisms to protect volunteers rights and
privileges, and give due recognition to highlight their roles and contributions to society;
and

c) To provide an effective institutional mechanism to strengthen the role of

the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) to perform
its mandates and to oversee the implementation of this Act.

Section 4. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act, the following

shall mean:

(a) Volunteerism refers to an act involving a wide range of activities,

including traditional forms of mutual aid and developmental interventions that provides
an enabling and empowering environment both on the part of the beneficiary receiving,
and the volunteer rendering the act, undertaken for reasons arising from socio-
developmental, business or corporate orientation, commitment or conviction for the
attainment of the public good and where monetary and other incentives or reward are
not the primary motivating factors.

(b) Volunteer refers to an individual or group who for reasons arising

from their socio-developmental, business and corporate orientation, commitment or
conviction, contribute time, service and resources whether on full-time or part time basis
to a just and essential social development cause, mission or endeavor in the belief that
their activity is mutually meaningful and beneficial to public interest as well as to
themselves.

(c) Volunteer Service Organization refers to a local or foreign group that

recruits, trains, deploys and supports volunteer workers to programs and projects
implemented by them or by other organizations or any group that provides services and
resources, including but not limited to, information, capability building, advocacy and
networking for the attainment of common good.

(d) Voluntary Sector refers to those sectors of Philippine society that

organizes themselves into volunteers to take advocacy and action primarily for local and
national development as well as international cooperation and understanding.

Section 5. Role and Modalities of Volunteerism in the Private Sector

(a) Volunteerism in the Academe includes, but is not limited to, provision of
technical assistance and sharing of technology within the academic circle, target
communities and other clienteles and the upgrading of the quality of education and
curriculum methodologies while providing career enhancement and exposure to the
volunteers.

b) Volunteerism in the Corporate Sector as an expression of corporate social

responsibility and citizenship, refers to activities recognized by the company, where
employees give their time, skills and resources in the service of the companys internal
and/or external communities. These volunteering activities include, but are not limited
to, employee giving of material resources to specific causes; employee-led fund-
raising; one-time outreach activities; environmental campaign; medical and health-

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related advocacies; knowledge and change management; scholarship programs; and
sharing of expertise, particularly of business and developmental skills through
mentoring, tutoring, training, business consulting/advising, and rendering of pro bono
services on a case-to-case basis.

c) Volunteerism by Not-for-Profit Organizations includes, but is not limited

to, provision of complementary service delivery and human resource development in
underserved communities as well as advocacy and articulation of the cause of the
disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

Section 6. Role and Modalities of Volunteerism By Foreign Volunteer

Organizations. Volunteerism by Foreign Volunteer Organizations includes but is not
limited to, provision of technical assistance not locally accessible in priority
development areas within the framework of technical cooperation and socio-cultural
exchange.

Section 7. Role of Government. Government shall coordinate, facilitate and

encourage the participation of the voluntary sector in the promotion, utilization, and
recognition of volunteerism in national development and international cooperation. This
shall be achieved through the provision of enabling and conducive environment for
volunteer work.

Section 8. The Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency.

The Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency, created by Executive
Order No. 134 as amended, shall undertake the implementation and execution of the
provisions of this Act.

Section 9. Mandates of the Philippine National Volunteer Service

Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA). The PNVSCA shall have the following functions:

a) Review and formulate policies and guidelines concerning the national

volunteer service program consistent with national development priorities;

b) Coordinate, monitor and evaluate the national volunteer service program in

order that volunteer assistance may fit into the total national development goals;

c) Act as clearinghouse for matters pertaining to international volunteer

services;

d) Develop and implement prototypes and models of volunteering for adoption

by institutions and communities;

e) Provide technical services and support for capability building of volunteers

and volunteer organizations;

f) Undertake advocacy for the promotion and recognition of volunteerism as a

tool for development;

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 g) Establish and maintain a national network of volunteer organizations and
serve as liaison between and among local and foreign governmental private voluntary
organizations including the United Nations Volunteers (UNV);

h) Administer all PNVSCA funds from all sources including foreign aid in
accordance with accounting and auditing requirements.

For this purpose, the Executive Director of PNVSCA shall submit an

organizational plan upon advice of the Multi-Sectoral Advisory Body to the Department
of Budget and Management.

Section 10. The Multi Sectoral Advisory Body (MSAB). To assist PNVSCA,
the Multi-Sectoral Advisory Body (MSAB) created under Executive Order No. 635
shall be reconstituted with the following members:

a) National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA);

b) Department of Education (DepEd);
c) Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA);
d) Department of Justice (DOJ);
e) The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG);
f) The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);
g) The Commission on Higher Education (CHED);
h) The Presidential Management Staff (PMS), Office of the President;
i) The Representative/s from the corporate sector;
j) The Representative/s from the private academe sector; and
k) The Representatives/s from the non-profit sector.

All member government agencies shall be represented by at least an Assistant

Secretary while the private sector agencies shall be represented by their highest
executive officers. The government agencies shall be permanent members while the
representatives from the private sector shall serve for a two-year term. The Chair of the
MSAB shall be elected from among the members of the body. The PNVSCA Executive
Director, being an ex-officio member, shall serve as the permanent Vice-Chair.

The MSAB may call on representatives of other government agencies and/or the
private sector to serve as resource person/s on volunteerism as the need arises.

Section 11. Functions of the Multi-Sectoral Advisory Body (MSAB). The

MSAB shall have the following functions:

a) Provide advice in the formulation of policies and guidelines for the national
volunteer service program;

b) Provide consultative and technical advisory services on volunteer matters;

c) Serve as a forum to enhance and strengthen linkages between and among

volunteer groups and communities.

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 Section 12. Special Provisions.

a) Establishment of a National Volunteer Infrastructure and Forum.-The

PNVSCA shall develop and establish a system of national registration and networking
to improve coordination of volunteers and volunteer service organizations to widen
horizon for sharing and complementing information, experiences and resources.

b) Integration of Volunteerism in the Basic and Higher Education

Curriculum. The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) shall integrate volunteerism as part of the curriculum in basic and
higher education to raise the consciousness of the youth and develop the culture of
volunteerism among the citizenry.

c) Establishment of Volunteer Program in National Government Agencies

and Local Government Units (LGUs).- National government agencies and local
government units shall establish volunteer programs in their respective offices to
promote and encourage volunteering in government programs and projects as well as
enjoin government employees to render volunteer service in social, economic and
humanitarian development undertakings in the community.

d) Recognition and Incentives to Volunteers. - Government agencies and non-

government organizations (NGO) implementing volunteer programs are encouraged to
develop and provide volunteers recognition and incentive package which may include,
but not limited to allowance, insurance, training and the grant of privileges and status to
Filipino overseas volunteers at par with Filipino overseas workers.

e) Visa Privileges for Foreign Volunteers.- Foreign volunteers approved for

assignment by the PNVSCA as well as their legal dependents may be entitled to 47(a)
(2) visa with multiple entry privileges and corresponding exemption from visa and
immigration fees and other related processing/application fees or charges. Foreign
nationals already in the Philippines who have been approved for volunteer assignment
by the PNVSCA may avail of the above visa category and privileges upon endorsement
by the PNVSCA to the DOJ.

Section 13. Institutional Mechanism for Research, Documentation,

Recognition and Modeling of Best Volunteer Practices. To carry out the purposes of
this Act, an institutional mechanism shall be established, to be spearheaded and
administered by PNVSCA, for continuing research, documentation, recognition and
modeling of best volunteer practices as an important component of implementing
development programs and projects and undertaking humanitarian activities. For this
purpose, the PNVSCA in consultation with any and relevant government agencies,
NGOs, private institutions and persons shall effect the setting up of the mechanism as
well as determine all requirements and, or necessary acts to ensure its effective
implementation.

Section 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations.- The PNVSCA, with

advice from the MSAB, shall promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively
implement the provisions of this Act.

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 Section 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders and rules
and regulations or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act, including Section 12 of Executive Order No. 635 are hereby deemed repealed or
modified accordingly.

Section 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
following its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of
general circulation.