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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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SENATE
Senate Bill No. 1254
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INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO
AN ACT
CREATING ONE ADDITIONAL DIVISION IN THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS 
COMMISSION, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS FROM 
FOURTEEN (14) TO SEVENTEEN (17), AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In accordance with its mandate, the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) 
is a quasi-judicial body tasked to promote and maintain industrial peace by resolving labor 
and management disputes involving both local and overseas workers through compulsory 
arbitration and alternative modes of dispute resolution. It is attached to the Department 
of Labor and Employment for program and policy coordination.
In 2018, the Commission posted an overall disposition output of 48,770 cases 
through compulsory arbitration, which consist of 37,073 (76%) original cases from the 
Regional Arbitration Branches and 11,733 (24%) appealed cases from the Commission 
Proper.
Out of 39,160 original cases received for the current year, 37,037 or 95% are 
disposed by the Regional Arbitration Branches (RABs) while 11, 733 or 105% are disposed 
by the Commission Proper from the 11,193 appealed cases received for the current year.


Moreover, with the growing number of both local and overseas workers, the NLRC 
is now tasked with a bigger responsibility. Thus, the creation of an additional division of 
the NLRC will be beneficial for the proper administration and implementation of the labor 
laws and rules.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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T9 GEC 18
SENATE
Senate Bill No. 1254
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INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE ” BONG"T. GO
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AN ACT
CREATING ONE ADDITIONAL DIVISION 
IN THE 
NATIONAL LABOR 
RELATIONS 
COMMISSION, 
INCREASING 
THE 
NUMBER 
OF 
COMMISSIONERS FROM FOURTEEN (14) TO SEVENTEEN (17), AMENDING 
FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, AS AMENDED, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE 
PHILIPPINES, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Title II, Chapter I, Article 213 of Presidential Decree No. 442, as 
amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
"Article 213. National Labor Relations Commission. There shall be 
a National Labor Relations Commission which shall be attached to the 
Department of Labor and Employment for program and policy 
coordination only, composed of a Chairman and [ fourteen (14)]
SEVENTEEN (17) Members.
[ Five (5)] SIX (6) members [eaeb] shall be chosen from among 
the nominees of the workers and employers organizations, respectively.
The Chairman and [ the four (4)] FIVE (5) [ remaining] members shall 
come from the public sector, with the latter to be chosen from among 
the recommendees of the Secretary of Labor and Employment.


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Upon assumption into office, the members nominated by the 
workers and employers organizations shall divest themselves of any 
affiliation with or interest in the federation or association to which they 
belong.
The Commission may sit en banc or in [ fivo- (5)] SIX (6) 
divisions, each composed of three (3) members. Subject to the 
penultimate sentence of this paragraph, the Commission shall sit en 
banc only for purposes of promulgating rules and regulations governing 
the hearing and disposition of cases before any of its divisions and 
regional branches, and formulating policies affecting its administration 
and operations. The Commission shall exercise its adjudicatory and all 
other powers, functions, and duties through its divisions. Of the [five 
(S)] SIX (6) divisions, the first, second and third divisions shall handle 
cases coming from the National Capital Region and the parts of Luzon; 
and the fourth, [end] fifth, AND SIXTH divisions, cases from the 
Visayas and Mindanao, respectively; Provided that the Commission 
sitting en banc may, on temporary or emergency basis, allow cases 
within the jurisdiction of any division to be heard and decided by any 
other division whose docket allows the additional workload and such 
transfer will not expose litigants to unnecessary additional expense. The 
divisions of the Commission shall have exclusive appellate jurisdiction 
over cases within their respective territorial jurisdictions.
The concurrence of two (2) Commissioners of a division shall be 
necessary for the pronouncement of judgment or resolution. Whenever 
the required membership in a division is not complete and the 
concurrence of two (2) commissioners to arrive at a judgment or 
resolution cannot be obtained, the Chairman shall designate such 
number of additional Commissioners from the other divisions as may be 
necessary.


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The conclusions of a division on any case submitted to it for 
decision shall be reached in consultation before the case is assigned to 
a member for the writing of the opinion. It shall be mandatory for the 
division to meet for purposes of the consultation ordained herein. A 
certification to this effect signed by the Presiding Commissioner of the 
division shall be issued and a copy thereof attached to the record of the 
case and served upon the parties.
The Chairman shall be the Presiding Commissioner of the first 
division and the [ four (4)] FIVE other members from the public sector 
shall be the Presiding Commissioners of the second, third, fourth, [a r^ ] 
fifth, AND SIXTH divisions, respectively. In case of the effective 
absence or incapacity of the Chairman, the Presiding Commissioner of 
the second division shall be the Acting Chairman.
The Chairman, aided by the Executive Clerk of the Commission, 
shall have administrative supervision over the Commission and its 
regional branches and all its personnel, including the Executive Labor 
Arbiters and Labor Arbiters.
The Commission, when sitting en banc shall be assisted by the 
same Executive Clerk and, when acting thru its Divisions, by [said] THE 
Executive Clerks for the second, third, fourth, [and] fifth, AND SIXTH 
Divisions, respectively, in the performance of such similar or equivalent 
functions and duties as are discharged by the Clerk of Court and Deputy 
Clerks of Court of the Court of Appeals."
Sec. 2. Title II, Chapter I, Article 214 of Presidential Decree No. 442, as 
amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
"Article 214. Headquarters, Branches and Provincial Extension 
Units. The Commission and its First, Second and Third divisions shall


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have their main offices in Metropolitan Manila, and the Fourth, [and]
Fifth, AND SIXTH divisions in the Cities of Cebu, [and] Cagayan de 
Oro, AND DAVAO respectively. The Commission shall establish as many 
regional branches as there are regional offices of the Department of 
Labor and Employment, sub-regional branches or provincial extension 
units. There shall be as many Labor Arbiters as may be necessary for 
the effective and efficient operation of the Commission. Each regional 
branch shall be headed by an Executive Labor Arbiter."
Sec. 3. Funding. -  The amounts necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its 
enactment into law and thereafter.
Sec. 4. Upon the effectivity of this Act, all pending cases, except those which 
have been submitted for resolution, shall be referred to the proper division of the 
National Labor Relations Commission.
Sec. 5. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow the transfer, except in 
cases of temporary assignment, of any member of the National Labor Relations 
Commission to any place or station without such member's written consent, or to 
undermine the security of tenure of its members, or alter the seniority in the National 
Labor Relations Commission in accordance with existing laws.
Sec. 6. Separability Clause. -  If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision thereof not affected 
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 7. Repeating Clause. -  All laws, presidential decrees, letters of instruction, 
executive orders, rules, or regulations, or any part thereof inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


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Sec. 8. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
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its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,