" 
Sl!rulil? 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
(Q{f,;, 'If t!te>t>Cfthtr\! 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 SEP 10 P 3 :08 
SENATE 
S. No. 
1615 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 13, Section 3, provides that "The State shall afford full 
protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment 
opportunities for all. The State shall guaranty the rights of all workers to self-organization, , 
collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including the right to 
strike in accordance with law, They shall be entitled to security of tenure, humane conditions of 
work, and a living wage. They shall also participate in policy and decision-making processes 
affecting their rights and benefits as-may be-ptovided by law." 
Employees in the private sector are notably squeezed by their employers to give as much 
work as would permit. Many are often compelled to work beyond the legally prescribed working 
hours without monetary or other form of compensation benefit. Among others, these lead to the 
neglect of the employees' families and their own physical and spiritual needs. 
In accordance with the constitutional mandate, this bill seeks to afford further protection 
to labor by providing employees in the private sector demands of workplaces with their personal 
needs and those of their families by allowing employers to offer compensatory time off, which 
employees may voluntarily elect to receive, and to establish biweekly work programs and 
flexible credit hour programs, in which employees may voluntarily participate.' 
~ 
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p,MIRIAM DEF~NSOR S1ffii"IfiC'i 
• This bill was originally filed'during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 1615 
Introduced by Sen.ator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
~ell11tt' 
(~H';. of tll.,)mtt"'~ 
'13 
SEP lOP 3 :08 
2 
PROVIDING PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYEES COMPENSATORY TIME OFF, 
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BIWEEKLY WORK SCHEDULES, AND FLEXIBLE CREDIT HOURS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "Family Friendly Workplace 
5 
Act." 
6 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to afford full protection 
u L .f. '" 
I; .• ,J. 
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to labor and provide them with humane working conditions. 
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SECTION 3. Compensatory Time Off. - An employee may receive, in lieu of monetary 
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oveltime compensation, compensatory time off at a rate of not less than one and one-half (.1 12 
10 
hours) for each hour of employment for which inonetary compensation is required. 
11 
For purposes of this Act, the term "employee" does not include an employee of the 
12 
national government, its branches, instrumentalities, and agencies; local governments; and 
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government-owned and -controlled corporations. 
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SECTION 4. Conditions. -
An employer may provide compensatory time off to 
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employees under Section 3 pursuant to such time as may be provided only in accordance with: 
16 
(A) 
Applicable provisiom;.·of·the.employee recognized under the Labor Code; 
17 
(B) 
In the case of employees who are not represented by a labor organization 
18 
recognized as provided in the Labor Code, an agreement or understanding arrived at between the 
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• 
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employer and employee before the performance of the work involved if such agreement or 
2 
understanding was entered into knowingly and voluntarily by such employee and was not a 
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condition of employment; 
4 
(C) 
If the employee has not accrued compensatory time off in excess of the limit 
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applicable to the employee prescribed by Section 5. 
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SECTION 5. Hour Limit. -
7 
(A) 
Maximum Hours. - An employee may accrue not more than two hundred forty 
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(240) hours of compensatory time off. 
9 
(B) 
Compensation Date. - Not later than 31 January of each calendar year, the 
10 
employee's employer shaH provide monetary compensation for any unused compensatory time 
11 
off accrued during the preceding calendar year that was not used prior to 31 December of the 
12 
preceding calendar year. An employer may designate and communicate to the employees of the 
13 
employer a twelve (12) month peUQd,.otlj.er than the calendar year, in which case such 
14 
compensation shaH be provided not later than thirty one (31) days after the end of such 12-month 
15 
period. 
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(C) 
Excess of Eighty (80) Hours. -
The employer may provide monetary 
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compensation for an employee's unused compensatory time off in excess of eighty (80) hours at 
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any time after giving the employee at least thirty (30) days notice. 
19 
SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or 
20 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shaH remain 
21 
valid and subsisting. 
22 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
23 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
24 
with the provisions of this Act is her~by repe~l~d, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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· ~ .. 
1 
SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
2 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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