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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
AMENDING SECTIONS  3(A) AND 14 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11641 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN ACT CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF 
MIGRANT WORKERS, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
RATIONALIZING THE ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF 
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RELATED TO OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT AND 
LABOR MIGRATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR,   AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
While the State is faithful to its duty to protect the rights and promote the 
welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families by obtaining the best 
possible conditions of work that uphold the dignity of Overseas Filipino Workers1, 
some inevitable and unprecedented events will likely put the lives of our OFWs and 
their families in danger. 
Last February 24, 2022, Russian President Putin authorized special military 
operations in Ukraine. Russian forces began missile and artillery attacks, striking 
major Ukrainian cities including Kiev, and as the tension between Russia and Ukraine 
escalated, there were 300 Filipinos living in Ukraine2 , while more than 10,000 OFWs 
in Russia3 were affected amid the invasion of Ukraine.  
Recently, the armed conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups led 
by Hamas began on 7 October 2023, with a coordinated surprise offensive on Israel. 
The attack began with a barrage of at least 3,000 rockets launched from the Hamas-
controlled Gaza Strip against Israel. In parallel, some 2,500 Palestinian militants 
breached the Gaza–Israel barrier, attacking military bases and massacring civilians in 
neighboring Israeli communities.4 Israel houses around 30,000 Filipinos who are 
mostly working as caregivers, the government said earlier. Unfortunately, it has been 
1 RA 11641 Sec. 2. 
2 https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippines-main-concern-safety-workers-russia-ukraine-crisis/ 
3 https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/dispatch/825421/over-10-000-ofws-in-russia-amid-
invasion-of-ukraine-poea/story/ 
4 Hamas Leaves Trail of Terror in Israel. The New York Times. 10 October 2023. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 
October 2023. 
August 5, 2025
12:07 pm
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reported on the news that there were already three (3) OFWs who died amid the 
conflict. The first two Filipino fatalities were identified as a 33-year-old female from 
Pangasinan who was working in Israel for six years, and a 42-year-old male from 
Pampanga. As of October 13, 2023, the number of our kababayan killed due to the 
ongoing conflict in Israel has increased to three.5 
While the State does not promote overseas employment as a means to economic 
growth and national development and shall continuously aim to make it a choice and 
not a necessity6 let us not neglect our duty to help our fellow kababayan by all means 
necessary who were affected by actual or potential war and violence abroad as it was 
mandated not only by our laws but more so the Holy Writ –the Bible in 1 John 3:17 
(KJV) 
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his 
bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 
For the foregoing reasons, the passage of the instant bill is earnestly sought. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
5 https://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/another-filipino-dead-in-israel-hamas-war 
6 RA 11641 Sec. 2 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
AMENDING SECTIONS  3(A) AND 14 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11641  
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN ACT CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF 
MIGRANT WORKERS, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
RATIONALIZING THE ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF 
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RELATED TO OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT AND 
LABOR MIGRATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR,    AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1.  Sec 3. Definitions of Terms - As used in this Act, the following 
terms and phrases are defined as follows: 
(a) Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na nangangailangan
(AKSYON) Fund – the fund created under Section 14 of this Act to provide
legal, medical, financial, and other forms of assistance to overseas Filipino
Workers, including repatriation, shipment of remains, evacuations, rescue,
and any other analogous help, TO INCLUDE, AMONG OTHERS, OFWs
AFFECTED BY AND/OR VICTIMS OF ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL
WARS AND VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRIES THEY ARE WORKING
or intervention to protect the rights of Filipino nationals;
SEC. 2  Sec. 14 Agarang kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na 
Nangangailngan (AKSYON) Fund – The Agarang kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW 
na Nangangailngan (AKSYON) Fund is hereby established to provide legal and other 
forms of assistance to OFWs, TO INCLUDE, AMONG OTHERS, OFWs AFFECTED 
BY AND/OR VICTIMS OF ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL WARS AND VIOLENCE IN 
THE COUNTRIES THEY ARE WORKING, separate from the funds managed by the 
DFA. The DFA shall retain ATN and Legal Assistance Funds for the benefit of other 
Filipinos overseas and for consular assistance services. An appropriate shall initially 
be provided for the AKSYON fund in the General Appropriation Act of the year 
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following its enactment into law, and an appropriate amount for every year thereafter 
to provide assistance to OFWs at Foreign Service Posts where MWOs have been 
established and staffed. 
Xxxx 
Xxxx 
SEC. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Transition Committee shall 
promulgate the implementing rules and regulations within seventy-five (75) days 
after the effectivity of this Act.  
SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be held 
unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions which are not affected thereby 
shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, contrary to or inconsistent with this 
Act are hereby modified, amended, or repealed accordingly. 
SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,