7.1. Providing Staff Support to Directors. NORTHRAIL shall, as appropriate, provide independent board members with technical support staff to assist them in performing their duties. Independent board members may, when necessary, also request and receive support from officers, employees or outside professionals such as auditors, advisers and counsel to perform such duties. NORTHRAIL shall cover the reasonable expenses of providing such support.

7.2. Obtaining Director’s and Officers’ Liability Insurance (DOLI). The authority to provide the DOLI for members of GOCC’s governing Boards and for officers is stipulated under Section 32 of the Code of Corporate Governance.

7.2.1. Purpose. Having imposed the highest level of responsibility and accountability on the members of the Board and Officers, i.e., that of extraordinary diligence, it is equitable that when the BCDA itself and/or the members of the Board and Management are sued before tribunals on matters that are within the official functions and capacity and on matters where business judgment has been exercised in good faith, that there be proper recovery of the costs of litigation and the judgment liability imposed. It is prudent for BCDA to obtain DOLI coverage for itself and the BCDA Board and Officers against contingent claims and liabilities that may arise from, as well as expenses that may be incurred in prosecuting, the actions that may be filed against BCDA arising from the actions of the BCDA Board and/or Officers that may cause loss or damage to third parties.

7.2.2. Definition and Scope. The DOLI Policy is an insurance cover designed to protect the Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC), Government Financial Institution (GFI), agency, or commission and its directors/trustees and officers against the cost of litigation and liability in the course of performing the official acts of its governing Board and Management. 7.2.3 Procurement. Procurement of DOLI coverage is subject to public bidding for private insurers, pursuant to all applicable procurement laws, rules and regulations, Republic Act 9184, and Administrative Order No. 33, or through direct contracting with GSIS.

7.2.4 Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Fund (DOLF). In the event that NORTHRAIL finds itself in a situation where under the mandates of its corporate charter, obtaining DOLI coverage from accredited insurance providers may not be feasible because the premium costs may have proven to be prohibitive for NORTHRAIL’s situation that a procurement process would not attract accredited insurance providers, or that the reimbursement process afforded by the insurance company may be a long and tedious process that undermines the annual budget of NORTHRAIL, NORTHRAIL may establish a DOLF (The Fund) as an alternative to obtaining a DOLI coverage, based on actuarial and feasibility studies commissioned by the Board. The DOLF (The Fund) is a trust fund which provides indemnity coverage for NORTHRAIL and the members of its Board of Directors who are either Appointive Directors or Ex-Officio Directors and its Officers who are either Board Officers, Executive Officers or Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members (the "Beneficiaries") who are sued or included as parties to any action or proceeding against the NORTHRAIL pursuant to provisions of law, executive order or regulation or by reason of their being Directors or Officers of the NORTHRAIL.

1. Funding. The funding of the DOLF shall be determined by the Actuarial Advisor and payment of the benefits thereunder shall be provided for through the medium of a Fund held by a Trustee under an appropriate Trust Agreement. The contributions to the Fund so created together with gains and losses realized and unrealized plus contributed accrued liabilities, if any, shall constitute the Fund.

2. Valuation. The contributions to the Fund shall be actuarially determined at least once every two or three years.

3. Administration and Management. The DOLF shall be administered by a Trustee appointed by NORTHRAIL who shall be responsible for the general administration and management of the Fund. The NORTHRAIL Board may appoint a Board of Trustees that will coordinate with the Trustee in the implementation of the DOLF. The Trustee may seek the advice of counsel and may appoint an investment manager or managers to manage the Fund, an independent accountant to audit the Fund and an actuary to value the Fund. Fees and expenses incurred in the investing and accounting and / or actuarial audit, amendment and other services for the DOLF may be charged to the Fund.

4. Trust Agreement. The NORTHRAIL Board shall appoint a government bank as trustee. The powers, authorities and discretion necessary or expedient for the Trustee to perform its duties shall be expressed in the Trust Agreement executed by NORTHRAIL and the duly appointed entity.

5. Board of Trustees. The duties of the Board of Trustees shall consist of the following functions solely as they relate to the DOLF:

1. Enact and implement the rules and procedures in filling applications for benefits, for furnishing proofs necessary to establish the eligibility of the claimant and the claim.

2. Recommend to the Trustee the appropriate payment of the amount due to a claimant in accordance less accountabilities to NORTHRAIL.