Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. oe

Introduced by Representatives
[KAELA ANGELA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

AN ACT
TO PROTECT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM THE HAZARDS OF
WORKING IN AGRICULTURAL SITES

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution expressly states:

“The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced
and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.”

‘A report from the Philippines Statistics Authority released in 2020 reinforces the
salience of agriculture as a pillar of the national economy. As of 2020, the agriculture sector
absorbed 9.72 million persons, contributing 22.9 percent to the national employment.' Given
the large number of Filipinos who work in agriculture, the Philippine Government, through the
Department of Agriculture, has sought to funnel funds into various programs for farmers and
farm workers (kabesilyas), such as providing for farm equipment, skills development and loan
programs, along with supporting local crop development research through agencies such as the
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

However, despite these beneficial programs, the protection for agricultural workers in
the country remains insufficient in certain aspects, particularly with regard to working
conditions in farms that use pesticides. As early as 1990, a task force of the World Health
Organization has estimated that about one million unintentional pesticide poisonings occur
annually, leading to approximately 20,000 deaths.” Further, in a systematic review of scientific
literature published between 2006 and 2018, it is estimated that about 385 million cases of
unintentional pesticide poisoning occur annually worldwide including around 1 1,000 fatalities.

+ 2020 Selected Statistics on Agriculture, Philippine Statistics Authority
2 Wolfgang Boedeker, Meriel Watts, Peter Clausing & Emily Marquez. The global distribution of acute
unintentional pesticide poisoning: estimations based on a systematic review. October 27, 2021. Retrieved June
22, 2022 from https://bmepublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-020-09939-0



Considering the worldwide farming population of approximately 860 million, about 44% of
farmers are estimated to be poisoned by pesticides every year.?

A study from the Journal of Rural Medicine found that in the Philippines the number
of young children, aged six to nine years old, either exposed or working in agricultural sites
has increased. Likewise, there have been numerous reports of symptoms of pesticide poisoning
such as headaches, skin irritation and abdominal pain among children after being exposed to
pesticide chemicals. Another study by the United States Government’s Global Hunger and
Food Security Initiative reveals that there is an extensive risk of pesticide poisoning among
vegetable farmers in the Philippines given the nature of the chemical used in planting vegetable
crops and the largely-manual techniques used.’ Moreover, a more recent study shows that
farmers do not have adequate knowledge of pesticides including its proper use, management
and disposal, thereby affecting not only their livelihood, but more so their personal well-being.*

This bill seeks to establish measures ought to be taken by farm owners and operators
to ensure the safety of their workers and their respective families. Specifically, it aims to
address the health hazards presented to agricultural workers by the presence of
organophosphate pesticides, which produce both short-term (acute poisoning) and long-term
(chronic) effects that affect various organs. Prolonged exposure to these pesticides also
increases the potential risks of developing abnormalities in the genes and human reproductive
system.

As the nation’s food providers, farmers, farm workers including their families must be
accorded with the highest regard of protection and safety against the hazards of modern
agriculture. It is not only necessary but more importantly just, to put their welfare at the
forefront of public service. For a country cannot sustain itself without the hands and sweat of
the people who toil the land at the expense of their own personal gain and well-being.

Therefore, in view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly

sought.

HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.
2nd District of Sultan Kudarat

> bid.

“Lu, J. et al. (2010) Trends of Pesticide Exposure and Related Cases in the Philippines. Journal of Rural
Medicine, 5, 5, 153-164.

5 tid

© Lu, J. (2022) Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on Pesticide among Farmers in the Philippines. Retrieved on
June 22, 2022 from https://actamedicaphilippina.upm.edu.ph/index.php/acta/article/view/3868/3070


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

217

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives
MIKAELA ANGELA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

AN ACT
TO PROTECT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM THE HAZARDS OF
WORKING IN AGRICULTURAL SITES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION I. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Farm Workers’ Protection Act

SEC. 2. Requirements. ~ The following requirements shall be imposed at any agricultural site
to which pesticides have been or will be applied. Farm owners or operators shall:

(A)Conduct or cause to have conducted mandatory testing for the presence of
organophosphate pesticides for all handlers of pesticides, including applicators and
mixers of pesticides. This testing shall be conducted within one week of the departure
of such workers from the site;

(B) Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) which has been fit-tested to all individuals
who are required to wear such in the course of their work, and which is readily available
to any worker needing to wear or use such equipment;

(C) Provide education and information to farm workers and their families about the hazards
of exposure to pesticides, how to avoid such exposures among children, personal
clothing and possessions, and what to do if pesticide exposure or contamination occurs;

(D)Report to the Department of Agriculture every incident of pesticide exposure among
farm workers or their families, whether by direct exposure to pesticide applications or
from drift of pesticides from the application site. Such reporting shall occur within 24

ide exposure and shall include the day and time of day the exposure

sticides to which the individuals were exposed;

hours of such pes
occurred and the

(E) Provide on- washing machines for workers to clean pesticide-contaminated
clothing, which are separate from clothes washing facilities used by families. The farm


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‘owner or operator shall be responsible for providing instruction on the proper handling
of clothing contaminated with or exposed to pesticides;

(F) Provide one shower facility for every five workers, with separate facilities for males
and females, for the removal of pesticide residues and other contaminants;

(G)Provide one or more public telephones for workers to report medical emergencies,
including pesticide exposures or contamination; and

(H)Ensure that all new housing for farm workers are located at least fifty feet (50) from
any field or site, except for enclosed facilities such as greenhouses, which may be
treated with pesticides. Existing housing which does not comply with this paragraph
shall be replaced within five (5) years or ceases to be used after that time.

SEC. 3. Penalty. - The Department of Agriculture is hereby empowered to establish and assess
penalties or fines against the farm owners and operators for violations of this Act. In no
circumstance will any penalty or fine exceed One Hundred Thousand Pesos (100,000.00).

SEC. 4. Annual Report. - The Department of Agriculture shall issue an annual report of all
farm inspections done in the previous calendar year to the legislature on or before the I of
March, including compliance with the requirements contained in this Act, enforcement action,
fines and penalties for non-compliance resulting from such inspections, and pesticide exposure
or contamination reports submitted to the Department of Agriculture.

SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 6. Separability Clause. If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared to be
unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected
thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

ity Clause. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
ion.

SEC. 7. Effe
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general c

Approved,