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‘Republic of the Philippines SOF py |
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES \ a /
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

Second Regular Sesion,

House Bill No.

Tntr NN JAN JOHNNY R.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill proposes to require all recruitment agencies, employment agencies, labor providers and
direct-hiring employers of Overseas Filipino Workers to provide a parallel translation in Filipino or in
any of the major Philippine Regional or Indigenous Languages, of the employment contracts that the
OFW will sign before their deployment abroad.

‘There have been many cases of misunderstanding, misinterpretation, confusion and eventual
conflict between recruitment agencies or employment agencies, labor providers or direct hiring foreign
employers and overseas Filipino workers on issues of their condition of employment as stated in the
employment contracts which only provide an English text and the language of the host country. An
OFW who is not well versed in the English language is usually at a disadvantage as the employment
contracts are usually interpreted in the language that an OFW has difficulty comprehending

This bill then obligates the translation of the employment contract into a language with which
the Overseas Filipino Worker is familiar with in order to avoid misunderstanding or doubt about the
term of the contract including the condition of his employment, the compensation and benefits, period
of employment, working hours, health and safety issues, among others.

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HON. JUAN JOHNNY R. REVILLA
OFW Family Party List

Considering the importance of thi


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

4836

House Bill No, __

Tntroduced by HONORABLE JUAN JOHNNY R. REVILLA

ANACT.
REQUIRING THE PARALLEL TRANSLATION IN FILIPINO OR IN ANY MAJOR
PHILIPPINE REGIONAL OR INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES OF THE EMPLOYMENT
CONTRACT OF THE OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKER.

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

SECTION 1. Scope ~ This Act shall cover all employment contracts prepared by recruitment agencies,
employment agencies, labor providers or direct-hiring foreign employers that Filipino Workers will sign before
they will be deployed overseas.

SEC. 2. Translation in the Filipino Language - It shall be mandatory for all recruitment agencies,
employment agencies, labor providers or foreign employers to provide a parallel translation in the Filipino
Language or in any of the major Philippine Regional or Indigenous Languages that the Filipino worker
understands, of the employment contract and any of its annexes and attachments,

SEC. 3. Ban on All Non-Complying Recruitment Agencies, Employment Agencies, Labor
Providers or Direct Foreign Employer. ~ All recruitment agencies, employment agencies, labor providers or
direct-hiring foreign employers shall be prohibited from recruiting or employing any Filipino worker if they do
not comply with the requirements of this Act.

SEC, 4, Implementing Agency — The lead agency in the implementation of this Act shall be the
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). It shall determine, define and disseminate
information regarding the requirements of this Act. The POEA shall also be responsible for the monitoring
compliance with this Act

SEC. 5. Penalties — A fine of Twenty-Five Thousand Pesos ( P25,000.00) shall be imposed on any
recruitment agency, employment agency, labor provider or direct hire foreign employer for violation of the
provisions of this Act.

SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations — .The POEA shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act not later than three (3) months from the effectivity of this
law.

SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause - This Act Shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least
two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,