THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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'to.the State while in the process of rehabilitation and reformation into a law-abiding and 
responsible citizen. Prison work, which is the rehabilitation of a prisoner through work, aims 
to promote discipline and enhance the prisoner's self-respect, self-confidence, personal 
dignity and sense of responsibility by allowing the prisoner to pay for his or her own keep 
:while serving time in prison. 
A person who is committed to prison must lead a productive life and not be a burden 
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With prison work, taxpayers will not be unduly obligated to pay for the maintenance 
..of prisoners. While less public funds will be required to spend for prisoners, more resources 
will be made available for other productive uses of the government. 
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Although some form of rehabilitation program is being undertaken to reform 
,prisoners by the Bureau of Corrections and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, 
there is a need to provide a legal framework for prison work to grant incentives and ensure 
maximum benefits so.that it may be effectively utilized as a tool to rehabilitate and reform 
;'prisoners, decongest prisons, and allow the prisoners to serve the State in reforestation, 
infrastructure, and government projects as. a way of reparation for the crimes they 
.committed. 
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The salient provisions of this bill include voluntary prison work, compulsory prison 
,'.\hjork, secure work program for work outside the prison proper in reforestation, 
Infrastructure, and government projects, the establishment of reforestation camps in 
,cooperation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other national 
.and local agencies concerned, and compensation and time allowance for prison work. 
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J. GORDON 
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Senator 
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Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
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AN ACT TO REHABILITATE AND REFORM PRISONERS THROUGH PRISON WORK 
AND ALLOW THE PRODUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF QUALIFIED PRISONERS IN 
REFORESTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND GOVERNMENT PROJECTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the “Prison Work Act.” 
Sec. 2. Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote the rehabilitation of prisoners 
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ahd their reformation into responsible and law-abiding citizens through prison work and the 
productive engagement of qualified prisoners in reforestation, infrastructure, and 
g&einmen t projects. 
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Sec. 3. Definitions. - For purposes of this Act, 
(1) “Prisoner” refers to any person deprived of liberty and confined or detained in 
prison. 
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(2) “Detained Prisoner“ refers to a prisoner pending preliminary investigation, trial or 
appeal of a crime, or upon legal process issued by a court other than a final judgment. 
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(3) “Convicted Prisoner” refers to a prisoner sentenced to a term of imprisonment in 
afinal judgment by a court. 
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(4) ”Bureau” refers to the Bureau of Corrections under the Department of Justice or 
the’Bureau of Jail Management and Penology under the Department of Interior and Local 
Government, as the case may be. 
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(5) “Prison” refers to a secured place where prisoners are confined or detained, such 
as 
, . .  the New Bilibid Prison, the Correctional Institution for Women, the Leyte Regional Prison, 
and the Davao, San Ramon, Sablayan and lwahig Prison and Penal Farms under the 
control of the Bureau of Corrections, and such district, city, and municipal prisons under the 
control of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. 
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(6) “Prison Work“ refers to the rehabilitation of prisoners through work. 


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(7) "Qualified prisoner" refers to a prisoner who is fit and eligible to work as 
determined by the Bureau and qualified to work outside the prison and in reforestation, 
infrastructure, and government projects based on the Bureau's security classification and 
standards. 
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Sec. 4. Voluntary Prison Work. - Any prisoner, including a detained prisoner, who is 
fit.and eligible to work as determined by the Bureau may volunteer to work in and about the 
$risen, reforestation, infrastructure, and government projects subject to the approval of the 
Bureau, 
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provided that in the case of a detained prisoner, such work shall in no way impair 
the detained prisoner's right to be present at every stage of his or her criminal proceedings 
before a trial court. 
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A prisoner who chooses to work under this Section does so voluntarily and may not 
receive compensation for work. 
Sec. 5. Compulsory Prison Work. - A convicted prisoner who is fit and eligible to 
Work as determined by the Bureau may be required to work for e,ight (8) hours a day in and 
about the prison, reforestation, infrastructure, and government projects with a rest period of 
not 
., . .  less ,than twenty-four (24) consecutive hours after every six (6) consecutive normal 
working days, except if the work is necessary household work or when the work is 
necessary to maintain the management or discipline of the prison. 
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Sec. 6. Secure Work Program. - The Bureau may establish a secure work program 
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prisoners working outside the prison proper and in reforestation, infrastructure, 
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. government projects while appropriately restrained for security purposes. Qualified 
prisoners on a work secure program shall be required to wear distinctively colored outer 
garments and such other devices that would preserve and secure the Bureau's custody 
over them. 
Any qualified prisoner on a secure work program who escapes shall be punished 
with, the penalty of prision correccional in a special summary procedure to be promulgated 
bythe Supreme Court. 
Sec. 7. Reforestation, Infrastructure, and Government Projects. - Qualified prisoners 
may be engaged in reforestation, infrastructure, and government projects in coordination 
4th the Bureau, provided that no employee shall be displaced nor employment opportunity 
supplanted. 
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Reforestation camps may be established, maintained, supervised and controlled by 
the: Bureau in cooperation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and 
other national and local agencies concerned. 
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Sec. 8. Compensafion for Work. - Prisoners may be reasonably compensated for 
k'ork performed and any and all compensation earned by a prisoner shall be collected and 
disbursed by the Bureau only in the order stated as follows: 
(1) Taxes due to the government from income; 
(2) Support of the prisoner, including board, food, clothing, and necessary travel 
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expenses to and from work and other incidental expenses, if any; 
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(3) Payment of the civil liability arising from crime, if any; 
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(4) Support of the prisoner's dependents, if any; 
(5) Payment for legal representation, if any; 
(6) Payment of the prisoner's obligations acknowledged by the prisoner in writing or 
reduced to judgment, if any; and 
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(7) The balance, if any, to the prisoner upon the prisoner's final discharge from 
prison. 
Sec. 9. Compensation to Injured Prisoners. - If any prisoner, in the performance of 
work, is injured so as to be permanently incapacitated, or to have materially reduced 
earning power, the prisoner may, upon being released from prison on final discharge, be 
allgwed and paid such compensation as the Bureau may deem necessary, except that the 
total 
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amount to be paid to any such prisoner shall not exceed fifty thousand pesos 
(f$PSO,OOO). 
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Sec. 10. Labor Code. - The provisions of the Labor Code on labor standards 
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pertaining to occupational health and safety shall be observed as far as practicable by the 
Bureau in implementing the provisions of this Act. 
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Sec. 11. Time Allowance for Prison Work. - In addition to time allowances provided 
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in the Revised Penal Code, a prisoner who works diligently under Sec, 4 of this Act as 
determined by the Bureau shall be entitled to a deduction of five (5) days from the period of 
sentence for each month of voluntary prison work rendered, while a prisoner who works 
diligently under Sec. 5 of this Act as determined by the Bureau shall be entitled to a 
deduction 
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of three (3) days from the period of the sentence for every month of compulsory 
prison work rendered. 
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regulations  to^ implement the provisions of this Act within three (3) months from the 
effectivity of this Act. 
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Sec, 13. Appropriation. - The initial funding to carry out the provisions of this Act 
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 be charged against the current year's appropriation. Thereafter, such sums as may be 
necessary shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. 
Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
; Sec. 15. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
'remain in force and effect. 
Sec. 16. Effecfivify. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the 
completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation in the Philippines. 
Sec. 12. Rules and Regulations. - The Bureau shall promulgate rules and 
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Approved, 
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