NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE
S. B. NO. R 5
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’22 JUL 12 All :28
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Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT INTEGRATING LABOR EDUCATION 
IN THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (SHS) CURRICULUM
EXPLANATORY NOTE
One of the objectives of the K-12 program is to provide needed preparation to 
students who intend to work or to engage in business instead of pursuing higher 
education. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Youth Education 
Investment and Labor Market Outcomes (YEILMO), 15% of Senior High School (SHS) 
graduates (or approximately 187,000 graduates) are inclined to look for employment 
or to engage in business immediately after graduating from SHS.
At present, the Department of Education (DepEd) is working towards this goal of 
ensuring SHS graduates are employment-ready by providing students opportunihes 
to specialize outside academic-related tracks. However, molding the youth into 
productive members of the labor force is not limited to skills training alone.
While DepEd currently implements SHS career guidance programs and other 
career guidance or counseling programs, none of them provides comprehensive focus 
on labor education. Moreover, most of them are only offered to Grade 10 to Grade 11 
students, and are geared towards assisting them with their choice of SHS track, 
university course and career.
In 2021, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported that of the 
48,267 establishments inspected covering 2,803,302 workers, the compliance rate 
after correction for general labor standards is at 89.65%. Despite a high compliance 
rate, DOLE still received 46,518 cases of violations of labor standards.


In light of the inadequacy of the Filipinos’ knowledge of their labor rights and in 
recognition of the prevalence of Filipinos having only secondary education, the 
government has to strive to make every Filipino worker aware of his or her labor rights. 
This bill seeks to address this by mandating the integration of labor education in the 
SHS curriculum. Under this measure, “labor education” refers to the teaching of 
theories, concepts, and issues concerning labor, such as, but not limited, to labor 
rights, dignity, economic welfare, and political participation.
Indeed, the State must bridge information gaps that limit the voice of workers 
in our society, and empower them to maximize their labor potentials and overall 
welfare. Thus, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
SENATOR J(^ VILLANUEVAJU-


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
)
*22
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
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22 JUL 12 All SS
s. B. NO. 365
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT INTEGRATING LABOR EDUCATION 
IN THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (SHS) CURRICULUM
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SEC. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Labor Education in Senior High 
School Act.”
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall afford protection to labor, promote 
full employment, ensure equal work opportunities regardless of sex, race or creed, 
and regulate the relations between workers and employers. The State shall also 
assure the rights of workers to self-organization, collective bargaining, security of 
tenure, and just and humane conditions of work.
The State shall further empower its citizens with crucial information relevant to their 
rights and labor market participation. For this purpose, the State shall bridge 
information gaps that limit the voice of workers in our society, and empower them to 
maximize their labor potentials and overall welfare.
SEC. 3. Labor Education. - As used in this Act, “labor Education” refers to the 
teaching of theories, concepts, and issues concerning labor, such as, but not limited, 
to labor rights, dignity, economic welfare, and political participation.
SEC. 4. Integration of Labor Education in Senior High School (SHS) Curriculum.
- All public and private senior high schools (SHS) are mandated to integrate Labor 
Education in the core SHS subject called “Understanding Culture, Society and 
Politics”: Provided, That in the event that there shall be an amendment to the K-12 
curriculum and the list of core subjects taken up by SHS students, the Department of 
Education (DepEd) shall ensure that Labor Education is integrated in another core
subject.


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SEC. 5. Curriculum Review. - The coverage and quality of labor education shall be 
included in comprehensive curriculum review to be conducted by the DepEd.
SEC. 6. Labor Empowerment and Career Guidance Conference. - As far as
practicable, private and public senior high schools (SHS) must also hold a Labor 
Empowerment and Career Guidance conference, which shall be attended by all 
graduating students.
SEC. 7. implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, DepEd, in consultation with appropriate government agencies 
and other relevant stakeholders, shall formulate the rules and regulations to effectively 
implement the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - Any portion or provisions of this Act that may be 
declared unconstitutional or invalid shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions 
and provisions hereof as long as such remaining portions or provisions can still subsist 
and be given effect in their entirety.
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations and 
administrative regulations, or any parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby revoked, repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national papers of general 
circulation.
Approved,