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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Third Regular Session 
) 
77 
SENATE 
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s. No. 
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
There are about two million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) all over the world 
which the Government is mandated to adequately protect and safeguard under Republic Act 
No. 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 (RA 8042). However, 
the Government seems incapable to effectively and efficiently assist distressed OFWs 
whenever situations, like the current war in Lebanon, happen. 
An estimated 34,000 OFWs in Lebanon are under threat due to the war and the 
Government's repatriation efforts of these OFWs have clearly been inadequate. This bill 
intends to provide the necessary measures for the government to carry out its 
responsibilities to assist distressed OFWs in cases of war, epidemic, disaster or calamities, 
natural or man-made, and other similar events, and promote their general welfare. 
This bill proposes amendments to RA 8042 to raise the necessary resources for the 
Emergency Repatriation Fund for OFWs in cases of war, epidemic, disaster or calamities, 
natural or man-made, and other similar events, so that OFWs can be speedily repatriated 
and kept out of harm's way at the soonest possible time. It also proposes to establish and 
maintain an up-to-date database and locator system of OFWs necessary for their 
repatriation, as well as the necessary disaster preparedness and mitigation measures, 
should misfortune happen, through the Migrant Workers and Other Overseas Filipinos 
Resource Centers in various Philippine embassies all over the world. 


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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLlC ACT NO. 8 0 4 2 , 0 ~ H € ~ W l S ~  
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THE MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 4995 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 15 of Republic Act No. 8042, otherwise known as the Migrant 
Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, is hereby amended to read as foliows: 
"Sec. 15. Repatriation of Workers; Emergency Repafriation Fund. - 
The repatriation of the worker and the transport of his personal belongings 
shall be the primary responsibility of the agency which recruited or deployed 
the worker overseas. All costs attendant to repatriation shall be borne by or 
charged to the agency concerned andlor its principal. 
Likewise, the 
repatriation of remains and transport of the personal belongings of a 
deceased worker and all costs attendant thereto shall be borne by the 
principal andlor the local agency. However, in cases where the termination of 
employment is due solely to the fault of the worker, the principallemployer or 
agency shall not in any manner be responsible for the repatriation of the 
former andlor his belongings, 
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in 
coordination with appropriate international agencies, shall undertake the 
repatriation of workers in cases of war, epidemic, disaster or calamities, 
natural or man-made, and other similar events without prejudice to 
reimbursement by the responsible principal or agency. However, in cases 
where the principal or recruitment agency cannot be identified, all costs 
attendant to repatriation shall be borne by the OWWA. 


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For this purpose, there is hereby created and established an 
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emergency repatriation fund under the administration, control and supervision 
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of the OWWA, initially to consist of One hundred million pesos 
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(PlOO,OOO,OOO.OO), which shall be taken from the existing fund controlled and 
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administered by the OWWA. Thereafter, such fund shall be provided for in 
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the General Appropriations Act from year to year: Provided, That the amount 
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appropriated shall in no case be less than One hundred million pesos 
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(PlOO,OOO,OOO.OO), inclusive of outstanding balances. IN ADDITION TO THE 
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OBLIGATION TO REPATRIATE ITS WORKERS, THE RECRUITMENT 
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AGENCY OR ITS PRINCIPAL SHALL CONTRIBUTE AN AMOUNT TO BE 
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DETERMINED BY OWWA OF NOT LESS THAN FIFTY DOLLARS 
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(US$SO.OO) BUT NOT MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED (US$lOO.OO) FOR 
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EVERY WORKER RECRUITED OR DEPLOYED OVERSEAS TO OWWA’S 
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EMERGENCY REPATRIATION FUND.” 
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“Sec. 19. Establishment of a Migranf Workers and Other Overseas 
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Filipinos Resource Center. - Within the premises and under the 
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administrative jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy in countries where there 
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are large concentrations of Filipino migrant workers, there shall be 
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established a Migrant Workers and Other Overseas Filipinos Resource 
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Center with the following services: 
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(a) Counseling and legal services; 
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(b) Welfare, DISASTER, AND EMERGENCY assistance, including RESCUE, 
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RELIEF, AND REHABILITATION SERVICES AS WELL AS the 
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Sec. 2. Section I9 of Republic Act No. 8042, otherwise known as the Migrant 
Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
procurement of medical and hospitalization services; 
(c) Information, advisory and programs to promote social integration, such as 
post-arrival orientation, settlement and community networking services 
and activities for social interaction; 
(d) Institute a scheme of registration of undocumented workers to bring them 
within the purview of this Act. For this purpose, the Center is enjoined to 
compel [existing] undocumented workers to register with it within six (6) 
months from the effectivity of this AMENDATORY Act OR TWO WEEKS 


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FROM THEIR ARRIVAL IN THEIR PLACE OF WORK ABROAD, under 
pain of having hidher passport cancelled; 
(e) Human resource development, such as training and skills upgrading; 
(0 Gender sensitive programs and activities to assist particular needs of 
(9) Orientation program for returning workers and other migrants; [and] 
(h) Monitoring of daily situations, circumstances and activities affecting 
women migrant workers; 
migrant workers and other overseas Filipinos[.]; 
(I) INFORMATION, ADVISORY, 
AND 
PROGRAMS TO 
ENHANCE 
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND MITIGATION MEASURES IN CASES 
OF WAR, EPIDEMIC, DISASTER OR CALAMITIES, NATURAL OR MAN- 
MADE, AND OTHER SIMILAR EVENTS; AND 
(J) MAINTAIN AN UP-TO-DATE DATABASE AND LOCATOR SYSTEM OF 
MIGRANT WORKERS AND OTHER OVERSEAS FILIPINOS FOR THEIR 
NEEDED REPATRIATION, ESPECIALLY IN CASES OF WAR, 
EPIDEMIC, DISASTER OR CALAMITIES, NATURAL OR MAN-MADE, 
AND OTHER StMlLAR EVENTS. 
Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. -All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or other 
issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
Sec. 4. Separabilify Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain 
in force and effect. 
Sec. 5. fffecfivify. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the 
completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation in the Philippines. 
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Approved,