AN ACT RECOGNIZING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RED CROSS AS AN INDEPENDENT, AUTONOMOUS, NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION AUXILIARY TO THE AUTHORITIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES IN THE HUMANITARIAN FIELD, TO BE KNOWN AS THE PHILIPPINE RED CROSS

Fourteenth Congress

Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-seventh day of July, two thousand nine.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10072

AN ACT RECOGNIZING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RED CROSS AS AN INDEPENDENT, AUTONOMOUS, NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION AUXILIARY TO THE AUTHORITIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES IN THE HUMANITARIAN FIELD, TO BE KNOWN AS THE PHILIPPINE RED CROSS

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

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Red Cross Act of 2009".

Section 2. Declaration of Principles and State Policies. - Pursuant to Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution which provides for the adoption of the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land, the State shall at all times 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, and shall establish and promote the development of a duly recognized independent and autonomous nongovernmental Red Cross Society that shall provide humanitarian relief and assistance in times of peace and armed conflict. The State shall at all times respect the adherence by the Red Cross Society to the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

Section 3. Philippine Red Cross. - The Philippine Red Cross shall be recognized as the voluntary, independent and autonomous nongovernmental society auxiliary to the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines in the humanitarian field, to assist said authorities in discharging the obligations set forth in the Geneva Conventions and the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Pursuant to the fundamental principle of unity, the Philippine Red Cross shall be the only national society of the Red Cross in the Republic of the Philippines and be directed by a central body, and shall perform the duties inherent upon such status over the entire Philippine territory.

Section 4. Purposes. - The purposes of the Philippine Red Cross shall be as follows:

Section 5. Privileges. - To allow it to fully realize its mandate under the Geneva Conventions, the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and this Act, the Philippine Red Cross shall:

Section 6. Membership. - Membership in the Philippine Red Cross shall be open to the entire population in the Philippines regardless of citizenship. Any contribution to the Philippine Red Cross Annual Fund Campaign shall entitle the contributor to membership for one (1) year and the said contribution shall be deductible in full for taxation purposes.

Section 7. Central Body. - Pursuant to its obligations under the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their additional protocols, as well as the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the State recognizes the following:

Section 8. Unlawful Solicitation. - It shall be 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.

Section 9. Red Cross Name and Emblem. - The use of the name Red Cross is reserved exclusively to the Philippine Red Cross and the use of the emblem of the Red Greek Cross on a white ground is reserved exclusively to the Philippine Red Cross, 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 as provided under Article 44 of the Geneva Conventions. It shall be unlawful for any other person or entity to use the words red cross or Geneva Cross or 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.

Section 10. Penal Clause. - Any person, whether natural or juridical, violating any section of this Act shall, upon conviction therefore, be liable to a fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the court for each and every violation. In case the violation is committed by a corporation or an association, the penalty shall devolve upon the president, director or any other officer responsible for such violation.

Section 11. Repealing Clause. - Republic Act No. 95, as amended, is hereby repealed. All other laws or parts thereof, decrees, orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 3285 and House Bill No. 6509 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on November 17, 2009 and February 1, 2010, respectively.

Approved: APR 20 2010

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Philippines