FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
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11AY 23 P 5 :54 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2838 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA AND 
SEN. ANTONIO "SONNY" F. TRILLANES IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (NTIPC) endorsed this proposal 
to align the provisions of Articles 234, 235, 236 and 237 of the Philippine Labor 
Code to ILO Convention No. 87 (Freedom of Association and Protection of the 
Right to Organize, ratified on December 29 1953), on registration requirements 
for independent unions and labor federations. Aligning certain provisions of the 
Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended, is a commitment of the Philippine 
Government to the International Labour Organization (ILO) relative to the High 
Level Mission to the Philippines in 2009 and the findings of the ILO Committee of 
Experts on gaps in the application of the standards both in law and in practice. 
The proposed bill seeks to remove the 20% minimum membership requirement 
for registration of independent unions and reduce the registration requirement for 
federation from 10 to 5 duly recognized bargaining agent-local chapters. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 
~~~.~ 
ANTONIO "SONNY" F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
OY EJERCITO ESTRADf 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2838 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA AND 
SEN. ANTONIO "SONNY" F. TRILLANES IV 
AN ACT 
'11 
MAY 23 P5:54 
FURTHER STRENGTHENING WORKERS' RIGHT TO SELF-ORGANIZATION, 
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE ARTICLES 234, 235, 236 AND 237 OF 
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR 
CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AS AMENDED 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Article 234(c) of the Labor Code, as amended by Republic Act 9481, 
is hereby repealed. 
Sec. 2. Article 237 of the Labor Code, as amended, is hereby renumbered as 
Article 235 and amended to read as follows: 
''Article [237J235. [AdditionalJRequirements for Federations or 
National Unions. - [Subject to Article 238,] fi] If the applicant for 
registration is a federation or a national union, it shall, in addition to 
the requirements of the preceding Articles, submit the following: 
(a) Proof of affiliation of at least [ten (10) locals or chapters] FIVE 
(5) LOCAL CHAPTERS, each of which must be a duly recognized 
collective bargaining agent in the establishment or industry in which 
it operates; [supportive of the registration of such applicant 
federation or national union] and 
(b) The names and addresses of the companies where the [locals 
or chapters] LOCAL CHAPTERS operate and the list of all the 
members in each company involved." 
Sec. 3. Article 235 of the Labor Code, as amended, is hereby renumbered as 
Article 236 and amended to read as follows: 
[Article 235. Action on Applications. - The Bureau shall act on all 
applications for registration within (30) days from filing. 


All requisite documents and papers shall be certified under oath by 
the secretary or the treasurer of the organization, as the case may 
be, and attested to by its president.] 
"ARTICLE 236. SUBMISSION AND ACTION ON APPLICATION. 
- APPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION MAY BE SUBMITTED 
IN PERSON OR ONLINE TO THE APPROPRIATE DOLE 
REGIONAL OFFICE OR FIELD OFFICE OR THE BUREAU OF 
LABOR RELATIONS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY THE 
APPROPRIATE OFFICE. THE BUREAU SHALL PRESCRIBE 
SUCH FORMS AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THIS PURPOSE." 
The Bureau OR THE APPROPRIATE DOLE REGIONAL OFFICE 
OR FIELD OFFICE shall act on all applications for registration 
WITHIN ONE (1) CALENDAR DAY FROM RECEIPT THEREOF. 
Sec. 4. Article 236 of the Labor Code, as amended, is hereby renumbered as 
Article 237 and amended to read as follows: 
"Art. [236] 237. Denial of Registration; Appeal. - The decision of 
the [Labor Relations Division in the regional office] DOLE 
REGIONAL OFFICE OR FIELD OFFICE denying registration may 
be appealed by the applicant union to the Bureau within ten (10) 
days from receipt of notice hereof. 
Sec. 5. Article 270, "Regulation of Foreign Assistance" of the Labor Code is 
hereby repealed. 
Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of Labor and 
Employment shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement 
the provisions of this Act. 
Sec. 7. Separability Clause. - If any part, section or provision of this Act shall 
be held invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions shall not be affected 
thereby. 
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, acts, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations or other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this 
Act, are hereby modified and repealed. 
Sec. 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
national circulation. 
Approved,