In Baguio City, good samaritans now have a special reason to celebrate their acts of kindness in March, a month dedicated to honoring their selfless and heroic acts.
On January 20, 2025, the Baguio City Council passed a resolution declaring the month of March of every year as a Good Samaritan Month in the city. The resolution was based on a proposal from Senior Citizen Official For-A-Day (SCOFAD) Councilor Nilda Salcedo.
A Good Samaritan is someone who steps in to help others in times of need, especially when it is most needed, without expecting anything in return. The term comes from a parable in the bible where a Samaritan, a person from a group often looked down upon, shows compassion to an injured man and offers help when others walk right by. Despite their cultural differences, the Samaritan chooses kindness.
The resolution acknowledges that, given the population of Baguio City, there will be inevitable situations where civilian help is needed to protect public safety. In such cases, people may want to assist but hesitate due to fear of legal consequences.
Salcedo said one of the goals of this legislation is to support individuals who help during emergencies and assure citizens that if their assistance is appropriate and contributes to de-escalating the situation, they will be protected from legal liability.
“It will provide an avenue where both the concerns of civilians and government agencies can be put to rest, encouraging the public to aid in the protection of the City and aims at giving awareness and education to the public that there is a law protecting good Samaritans,” Salcedo wrote in the resolution.
Furthermore, the resolution requires the City Mayor’s Office, the City Social Welfare and Development Office, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Philippine National Police, and other government offices to sponsor activities that would promote awareness and education on the commandments of a Good Samaritan.
The resolution has been forwarded to the City Mayor’s Office for signing by Mayor Benjamin Magalong before it can be enforced.
This newly approved resolution complements other existing city legislation and initiatives aimed at establishing Baguio as a model of character and community values. Baguio City – Sangguniang Panlungsod