RECEIVED
wATEEP_1 3 2022

Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 4758

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is no less than our national hero who said that the youth is the hope of our
future. Under the 1987 Constitution’,

SECTION 3. The State shall defend:

(2) The right of children to assistance, including proper care and
nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse,
cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their
development;

There are a lot of laws enacted to protect children from neglect, abuse, cruelty,
exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development. One example of
which is Republic Act No. 9231, which aims to eliminate child labor and affording
protection for the working child. R.A. No. 9231 further amended Republic Act No. 7610
which is the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and
Discrimination Act.

R.A. No. 9231 states that, children below fifteen (15) years of age shall not be
employed, except when a child works directly under the sole responsibility of his or
her parents or legal guardian and where only members of his or her family and
employed and where a child's employment or participation in public entertainment or
information?.

Further, the same law states that

* Section 3(2), Article XV, 1987 Constitution
? Section 12, Republic Act No. 9231.


“(1) A child below fifteen (15) years of age may be allowed to work
for not more than twenty (20) hours a week: Provided, That the
work shall not be more than four (4) hours at any given day;

“(2) A child fifteen (15) years of age but below eighteen (18) shall
not be allowed to work for more than eight (8) hours a day, and in
no case beyond forty (40) hours a week;

“(3) No child below fifteen (15) years of age shall be allowed to
work between eight o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the
morning of the following day and no child fifteen (15) years of age
but below eighteen (18) shall be allowed to work between ten
o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the morning of the
following day.”

As gleaned from the provision of law, there is a difference with regard to the
allowable working hours for minors aged below fifteen (15) years of age and minors
who are fifteen (15) years of age to eighteen (18) years of age. This bill aims to remove
the difference between the working hours among minors and provide a uniform time
to which minors are allowed to work.

ERNEST( IX” M. DIONISIO, JR.
Assistant Majority Floor Leader
Congressman
First Congressional District of Manila

% Section 3, Republic Act No. 9231.


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 475 8

Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR.

AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION 12 (A) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7610, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS “SPECIAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AGAINST ABUSE,
EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION ACT”, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 9231

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

SECTION 1. Article 12-A, Paragraph 3, of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise
known as “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and
Discrimination Act’, as amended by Republic Act No. 9231, is hereby amended to
read as follows.

"Sec. 12-A. Hours of Work of a Working Child. - Under the exceptions provided
in Section 12 of this Act, as amended:

XXX

(3) No child below eighteen (18) years of age shall be allowed to work between
eleven o'clock in the evening and seven o'clock in the morning of the following
day.”

SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. — All other laws, decrees, orders, issuances,
rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 3. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
publication in the Official Gazette and two (2) newspapers of national circulation.