Twelve lawmakers, including AKO BICOL Party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr., filed House Bill 4618, a measure meant to cause the most major revision of the Labor Code of the Philippines since it took effect as Presidential Decree 442 on May 1, 1974.
HB 4618 has been referred to the House Committee on Labor and Employment.
In their explanatory note to HB 4618, the lawmakers said, “The proposed Revised Labor Code of the Philippines seeks to codify, harmonize, and update the law governing employment relations to reflect present-day realities and future challenges.”
Garbin said, “When HB 4618 becomes law, it will mark the start of a new historic chapter in labor legislation and will matter in the lives of all Filipinos for generations to come.”
“This is the result of courageous and tedious teamwork among us authors of the bill that is 182 pages long from explanatory note to the very last page.”
“This is the result of courageous and tedious teamwork among us authors of the bill that is 182 pages long from explanatory note to the very last page. There are a multitude of revisions because HB 4618 is 182 pages long,” the veteran legislator stressed.
“In my view, the consistency of gender sensitivity, gender neutrality, anti-discrimination against age, civil status, and other factors used as basis to discriminate and oppress workers are among HB 4618’s most pivotal changes to labor law,” the seasoned lawmaker pointed out.
Another important provision of HB 4618 is, the AKO BICOL lawmakers highlighted, its explicit ban against public officials and employees and their relatives within the fourth degree of consanguinity from directly or indirectly engaging in the recruitment and placement of overseas workers, whether for profit or not.
“Ipagbabawal ng aming panukalang batas ang mga negosyo at umano’y non-profit foundations at entities na may kahit anong kinalaman ang sinumang lingkod bayan hanggang sa mga kadugo.”
“Ipagbabawal ng aming panukalang batas ang mga negosyo at umano’y non-profit foundations at entities na may kahit anong kinalaman ang sinumang lingkod bayan hanggang sa mga kadugo ng mga pamangking kaugnay sa first cousin, hanggang sa mga tito o tita ng first cousin, at hanggang sa mga magulang ng lolo o lola. Iyan ang meaning ng fourth degree of consanguinity,” he explained.
“HB 4618 also sets a minimum capitalization of P12 million for overseas recruitment and placement entities that are single proprietorships and P12 million minimum paid-up capital for partnerships and corporations engaged in overseas recruitment and placement entities activities. P3 million is the minimum for local employment activities. These minimums make sure the business entities are adequately capitalized for their operations and business risks,” Garbin noted.
