Title
Philippine Red Cross Autonomy Act
Law
Republic Act No. 10072
Decision Date
Apr 20, 2010
The Philippine National Red Cross is recognized as an independent and autonomous organization, granted privileges to provide humanitarian relief, with regulations on membership, governance, and prohibitions on unauthorized use of its name and emblem.
recognition
autonomous organization
humanitarian relief

Policy and international humanitarian duties

  • The State shall act in conformity with the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their additional protocols, and the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution.
  • The State shall respect the Philippine Red Cross adherence to the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.
  • The Philippine Red Cross is recognized as auxiliary to the authorities for the purpose of assisting compliance with obligations under the Geneva Conventions and the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Recognition and exclusive national society

  • The Philippine Red Cross is recognized as a voluntary, independent and autonomous nongovernmental organization auxiliary to the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines in the humanitarian field.
  • The Philippine Red Cross assists public authorities in discharging obligations under the Geneva Conventions and the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
  • Under the principle of unity, the Philippine Red Cross is the only national society of the Red Cross in the Republic of the Philippines.
  • The Philippine Red Cross is directed by a central body and performs inherent duties over the entire Philippine territory.

Purposes and humanitarian operations

  • The Philippine Red Cross shall cooperate with public authorities in preventing disease, promoting health, and mitigating human suffering through community-focused programs in education, health and social welfare.
  • It shall organize, in liaison with public authorities, emergency relief operations and other services to assist the sick and wounded of armed forces in time of armed conflict consistent with the Geneva Conventions.
  • It shall perform duties devolving upon it due to the Republic of the Philippines’ adherence to the Geneva Conventions.
  • It shall act in voluntary relief and communication between the people of the Republic of the Philippines and their Armed Forces in both time of peace and time of armed conflict.
  • It shall establish and maintain a system of national and international relief in both peace and armed conflict to meet emergency needs caused by typhoons, floods, fires, earthquakes, and other natural or man-made disasters, and shall devise measures to alleviate suffering caused by such disasters.
  • It shall devise and promote other services in peace and armed conflict to improve the health, safety and welfare of Filipinos and of all peoples in general.
  • It shall devise means to make every citizen and/or resident of the Philippines a member of the Philippine Red Cross.

Corporate privileges, tax exemptions, funding support

  • The Philippine Red Cross may enter into agreements with public authorities and accept provisions for the cost of any service or activity entrusted to it within its object and functions pursuant to such agreements.
  • The Philippine Red Cross may own and hold real and personal properties and accept bequests, donations and contributions of property of all classes.
  • The Philippine Red Cross is exempt from payment of all direct and indirect taxes, including value-added tax (VAT), and fees and other charges of all kinds on all income from its operations, including income from the use, lease or sale of its real property and provision of services.
  • The Philippine Red Cross is exempt from direct and indirect taxes, including VAT, duties, fees and other charges on importations and purchases for its exclusive use.
  • All donations, legacies and gifts made to the Philippine Red Cross to support its purposes and objectives are exempt from the donor’s tax and deductible from the donor’s gross income for income tax purposes or from the computation of the donor-decedent’s net estate as a transfer for public use for estate tax purposes.
  • The Philippine Red Cross is exempt from payment of real property taxes on all real properties owned by it.
  • The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office shall allot the Philippine Red Cross at least one (1) lottery draw yearly for support of its disaster relief operations in addition to its existing lottery draws for the Blood Program.

Membership and open participation

  • Membership in the Philippine Red Cross is open to the entire population in the Philippines regardless of citizenship.
  • Any contribution to the Philippine Red Cross Annual Fund Campaign entitles the contributor to membership for one (1) year.
  • Contributions to the Philippine Red Cross Annual Fund Campaign are deductible in full for taxation purposes.

Governance structure and operational rules

  • The central body of the Philippine Red Cross is the Board of Governors with thirty (30) members.
  • Six (6) Board members are appointed by the President of the Philippines.
  • Eighteen (18) Board members are elected by chapter delegates in biennial conventions.
  • Six (6) Board members are elected by the twenty-four (24) members of the Board already chosen.
  • The term of office of all Board members is four (4) years, including presidential appointees.
  • Board terms are renewable at the pleasure of the appointing power or elective bodies.
  • Vacancies caused by death or resignation are filled by election by the Board of Governors at its next meeting, except vacancies among the presidential appointees are filled by the President.
  • The President of the Philippines is the Honorary President of the Philippine Red Cross.
  • The officers are the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Counselor, Assistant Secretary, and Assistant Treasurer.
  • Officers are elected by the Board of Governors from among its membership for a term of two (2) years and may be re-elected.
  • Officer elections take place within sixty (60) days after all Board members have been chosen and have qualified.
  • The biennial meeting of chapter delegates is held on the date and place specified by the Board of Governors.
  • During periods of great emergency, the Board of Governors may determine that the best interest of the Philippine Red Cross requires postponing the biennial meeting.
  • The Board of Governors has the power to ordain, adopt and amend bylaws and its rules and regulations, including those governing chapters.
  • Board members and officers serve without compensation.
  • The compensation of the paid staff is determined by the Board of Governors upon the recommendation of the Secretary General.
  • The Philippine Red Cross is financed primarily by contributions obtained through solicitation campaigns organized by the Board of Governors and conducted by chapters in their jurisdictions.
  • Fundraising campaigns must be conducted independently of other fund drives and service needs.
  • The Board of Governors shall promulgate rules and regulations for chapters that conform to bylaws and rules and regulations created under Section 7.
  • Chapter rules and regulations fix the relationship of chapters to the Philippine Red Cross, define their territorial jurisdictions, and determine the number of delegates based on population, fund campaign potentials and service needs.
  • The rules and regulations include organizing Councils in all public schools and universities to promote civic consciousness among youth.
  • Participation in the Philippine Red Cross as part of the National Service Training Program for tertiary level students shall be promoted.
  • The Philippine Red Cross shall submit to the President of the Philippines at the end of every calendar year an annual report containing its activities and showing its financial condition.

Prohibited acts in Red Cross fundraising

  • It is unlawful for any person to solicit, collect, or receive money, materials, or property of any kind by falsely representing himself to be a member, agent, or representative of the Philippine Red Cross.

Exclusive use of name and emblem

  • The use of the name Red Cross is reserved exclusively to the Philippine Red Cross.
  • The use of the emblem of the Red Greek Cross on a white ground is reserved exclusively to the Philippine Red Cross.
  • The emblem is also reserved for medical services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and such other medical facilities or other institutions as may be authorized by the Philippine Red Cross under Article 44 of the Geneva Conventions.
  • It is unlawful for any other person or entity to use the words red cross or Geneva Cross.
  • It is unlawful for any other person or entity to use the emblem of the Red Greek Cross on a white ground or any designation, sign or insignia constituting an imitation thereof for any purpose whatsoever.

Criminal penalties and liability

  • Any person, whether natural or juridical, violating any section of Republic Act No. 10072 is punishable upon conviction by a fine of not less than PHP 50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the court, for each and every violation.
  • For violations committed by a corporation or association, the penalty devolves upon the president, director or any other officer responsible for such violation.

Repeals, separability, and effectivity

  • Republic Act No. 95, as amended, is repealed.
  • All other laws or parts thereof, decrees, orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with Republic Act No. 10072 are repealed or modified accordingly.
  • If any provision of Republic Act No. 10072 is declared invalid, the remainder remains in full force and effect.

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