Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH (19th) CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
'HouseBi||No.`8792
Introduced by: Hon. Ma. Victoria Co - Pilaf
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Social  Security  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  basic  human  rights.  The
Philippines as a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights is committed to ensure its application within our jurisdiction.
Article XV, Section 4 of the Philippine Constitution affirm this commitment.
However, despite having a national policy that upholds universal security
coverage, a sizable proportion of workers and their families remain uncovered,
with ordy 38.4 percent of labor force contributing either through the SSS or GSIS
(Pha.Z{.ppi.#e Sf"ft.sft.cs Awfhorz.fry, 2017). Similarly, the labor force contributing to Pag-
ibig  Fund  accounted  for  45.9  percent  only  in  2018.  On  the  other  hand,  the
population  covered  by  the  National  Health  Insurance  Program  (NHIP)  is
maintained  high  and  generally  increasing  either  through  direct  or  indirect
contributions due to the enactment of RA 11223 Universal Health Care Act.
In a study conducted by the International I.abor Organization, among the
reasons why there is low coverage of social security pension is the complex and
burdensome procedures.  Particularly in rural areas, people face  difficulties  in
accessing  social  protection  schemes  due  to  a  low  density  of  adrhinistrative
structures and services.
To  ease  the burden of  daunting  processes  of registration,  collection  of
contributions,  processing  of  loan  applications,  release  of  loans  and  pensions,
among others, this bill proposes to create a One-Stop Shop for all state{ontrolled


provident funds and other government mandated benefit institutions in every
Legislative District of the country.
Through these Cine-Stop Shops called the Pangarap Centers, a member
does not need to go to different government mandated provident funds agencies,
with different locations just to remit their contributions or remittances. This will
not only cut the time and effort in processing their transactions, moreover this will
encourage members of the workforce and those who are from the informal sector
to register and contribute to their social security funds. Through this sudden ease
in  their  transactions,  we  can  expect  that  the  coverage  of  our  social  security
instruments to increase and become streamlined.
This measure is aligned with the President's vision of creating a single
operating system for all government transactions to ensure ease of doing business
across the Philippines.
In view of the foregoing passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
i---_


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTII (19th) CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
`HouseBi||No.'8792
Introduced by: Hon. Ma. Victoria Co - Pilar
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING PANGARAP CENTERS IN ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT
UNITS IN THE COUNTRY AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by  the  Senate and House Of Rapresentatives Of the  Phitippi:res in
Congress assembled:
1                  SECTION 1. Short Tt.fzc -This Act shall be known as the ``Pangarap centers
2      Actof 2023"
3
4                   SECTION 2. Dccharflfr.ow a/ Pozi.ci.cs -It is a declared policy of the state to
5      improve the delivery of social security, health and housing services to the people
6      and to ensure access  to and efficiency in the process of availing services and
7      assistance to fund social security, health and housing services.
8                 Further, the state shall adopt a multirsectoral and streamlined approach in
9      addressing social security, health and housing issues and affirm their inherently
10      integrated and indivisible linkage consistent with the emphasis of ``work, save,
11      invest, and prosper framework''.
12                Towards this end, the state shall adopt a well{oordinated one-Stop shop
13      for all beneficiaries of state{ontrolled provident funds and other government
14      mandated benefit institutions.


1                  SECTION   3.   P#7zgrrap   ProgrH7#   -   The   Department   of   Labor   and
2     Employment shall establish a pangarap program that shall adopt and implement
3      the following otyectives:
4           a.   Provide  a  policy framework for  integrated-and  people{entered  social
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
benefit program that shall:
1.   Ensure    and    promote    organizational    culture    geared    towards
responsiveness;
2.   Ensure the promotion of information for beneficiaries to know every
avenue of investments in the Pangarap One-Stop Shop System;
3.   Ensure appropriate infrastructure and processes;
4.   Promote client engagement and empowerment.
12           b.   Ensure financial risk protection and alleviate financial burden of financially
13                 incapacitated beneficiaries who avail of the different benefit programs of
14                 government mandated benefit institutions;
15           c.   Maximize  investment  opportunities  for  workers  through  the  different
16                 benefit programs such as, but not limited to, PAG-IBIG Mpl and PAG-IBIG
17                    MP2;
18           d.  Eliminate the  transferring and  the inconvenience  of long and  arduous
19                 processes for first time workers to obtain necessary identity numbers.
20                 The  Department  of  Labor  and  Employment  shall  provide  the  policy
21      direction and pertinent guidelines together with the Home Development Mutual
22      Fund (HDMF), Government service Insurance system (GSIS), the social security
23      System  (SSS),  Philippine  Health  Insurance  Corporation  (PhilHealth),  and  the
24      Department of Migrant workers (DMW) to ensure and promote responsive and
25      effective benefit engagement in pangarap centers.
26
27                  SECTION 4. P#r!g#rap Ggr!fer o#ce -There shall be established a pangarap
28     Center Office under the Department of I.abor and Employment. The Pangarap
29     Center office shall oversee the operations of pangarap centers nationwide.
30
31                  SECTION  5.  PmgHrtlp  carlfers  ~  There  shall  be  established  a  Pangarap
32      Center in all Local Government units which shall:
3 3                 Serve as a one-Stop shop for all government mandated benefit institutions
34      for workers, including but not limited to, collection of contributions, processing of


1      loan  applications,  release  of  loans  and  pensions,  processing  of  documentary
2      requests frommembers;
3            a.   Provide beneficiary navigation and referral to proper agencies and benefit
4                  packages;
5           b.  Provide  information  with  regard  to  membership,  coverage  and  other
6                 packages  to  maximize  all  benefit  programs  according  to  each  one's
7                 investments and contributions;
8           c.   Provide  capacity  building and  performance  evaluation  to  ensure  good
9                  client interaction;
10           d.  Document,   process   and   utilize   date   from   beneficiaries   through   a
11                 standardized   form   if   institutional   changes   in   government   benefit
12                  institutions; and
13           e.   Provide critical information on future benefit programs that will emanate
14                 from each government mandated benefit institution.
15                 There shall be a special lane in each pangarap center for exclusive use of
16      Senior citizens and persons with Disabilities.
17                 The Pangarap Center  shall  be  non-partisan,  convenient,  free  of charge,
18      accessible and shall have a standard system of availment of benefits.
19
20                   SECTION 6. Adrmz.7]z.sfrozfro# a/P¢7igHri¢p Ge#fers -The Department of Labor
21      and Employment shall  designate its Regional Directors to oversee the proper
22      management and efficient operation of the pangarap centers in their respective
23      localities. The pangarap center Director shall:
24           a.   Ensure  the  provision  of  appropriate  space,  furniture,  equipment  and
25                 fixtures based on the standard pangarap centers plan of the Department of
26                 Labor and Employment;
27           b.   Promote harmony, coordination and cooperation among the participating
28                 agencies in the pangarap centers and strengthen the delivery of services by
29                 upholding the highest performance of duties and responsibilities; and
30           c.   Perform such other functions as may be necessary for the accomplishment
31                 of the objectives of the pangarap center program.
32                 The  Pangarap  Center  Director  shall  assign  the  Head  Officer  of  the
33      respective DOLE local office as the pangarap center Operations Manager, who
34     shall take charge of the day-torday management and operations of the pangarap


1     Centers.  The Pangarap Center Director,  and the Pangarap Center Operations
2      Manager, shall receive no extra compensation.
3
4                   SECTION   7.   Perso7inez   Cb"pfermc7!£  -   The  Pangarap  Center  shall  be
5      adequately staffed by the employees of the Department of Labor and Employment
6      and  support  staff .  The  Pangarap  Center  Director  and  the  Pangarap  Center
7     Operations Manager shall appoint and assign such other personnel as may be
8     necessary for the effective operation of the pangarap center.
9                   Each Pangarap Center shall consist of duly designated representatives
10      from the HDMF, GSIS, SSS, PhilHealth and DMW. The HDMF, GSIS and SSS
11      representatives shall process and approve the application of new members and
12      requests for loans, requests for increase of contributions. The DMw representative
13      shall process and approve applications for benefits of overseas Filipino workers
14      and their respective beneficiaries.
15                 The HDMF, GSIS, SSS, PhilHealth and  DMW are hereby authorized  to
16     create the required plantilla and staffing pattern necessary for the implementation
17      of this Act in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management
18      (DBM). The civil service commission (CSC), and the Governance commission for
19      Government owned or controlled corporations (GCG), as the case may be.
2o                 The DMw and philHealth shall include in their budgetary submission to
21      the DBM the required budget for the personnel services requirements of each
22     Pangarap center. Such budgetary requirement shall be included in the budgets of
23      the respective agencies in the General Appropriations Act
24
25                   SECTION   8.   Mo#i.£orl.7ig   fl7id   fz7¢Junh.o#   -   The   DOLE   shall   conduct
26     monitoring and evaluation to assess the responsiveness of the pangarap centers,
27      including a client satisfaction survey, utilizing indicators such as reduced waiting
28      time,  percentage  of  beneficiaries  and  individuals  served,  and  percentage  of
29      complaints endorsed for action, among others.
30
31                   SECTION 9. A7i„z4¢J Raporf -The HDMF, GSIS, SSS, PhilHealth and the
32      DMW shall jointly submit to the office of the president of the philippines, Senate
33      Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, House
34     Comlnittee on I.abor and Employment on or before the end of December of every


1      year, or upon the request of any of the aforesaid offices, a report giving a detailed
2      account of the status of the implementation of this Act.
3
4                  SECTION 10. 4apropH.¢fro7Is -The DOLE shall immediately include in the
5      program of the Department the operationalization of this Act, the initial funding
6      of which shall be charged against its current year's appropriations. Thereafter, the
7     amount necessary for the establishment and operation of the pangarap centers
8      shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.
9
10                  SEC"OIN 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations -W±thir\ one year:, frorr\
11      the  Approval  of  this  Act,  the  Secretary  of  DOLE,  in  coordination  with  the
12      Departments stipulated in the preceding section of this Act, shall formulate rules
13      and   guidelines  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  proper  implementation  and
14      enforcement of this Act.
15
16                   SECTION 12. Sap¢rtzbI.Ji.fy chawsc -If any portion or provision of this Act is
17      held unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions not affected thereby
18      shall continue to be in full force and effect.
19
20                   SECTION 13. RcpeflJ!.7zg cha#sc -All laws, executive orders, proclamations,
21      rules, regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with
22      the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
23
24                  SECTION 14. £#cft.ui.fry ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
25      publication in the official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
26
2 7                  Approved,
*
ftfu