Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6734

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE MANUEL ANTONIO F. ZUBIRI

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The wrath of the Covid-19 virus has brought not only health perils but also economic
devastation the world over. As of the time of the writing of this bill, our country is struggling
to balance the revival of the economy as against protecting ourselves from getting infected
while the world waits for vaccine against it.

All the while, our constituents have become poorer especially those who only get their
income on whatever output they do for a day's work. This has pushed our constituents
further down the social spectrum as the economy takes a blow from the closure of the
various industries and businesses.

While the government has taken steps to ease the economic suffering of our constituents
through the Social Amelioration Program as well as other hand outs of basic food supplies,
the same is not enough considering that business have already folded, people have been
laid off, the few of the businesses that will endure the quarantine period will not open on a
full scale at once and poverty will be a continuous and long battle even after a vaccine has
been found for the Covid-19 virus. Towards this end, | implore the top 2% of the Philippine
society to work hand-in-hand with the government on a program that will allow them to
“adopt a household” by hiring the head of a family of at least one (1) family belonging to the
poorest of the poor either as a worker in their respective household or businesses.

Giving a household head with a job with a rate equal to the minimum wage based on
location is very doable and not difficult at all. This is patriotism at its finest with millions
working as true patriots for the country.

In lieu of the abovementioned, the passage of this bill iseamestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6734
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE MANUEL ANTONIO F. ZUBIRI

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE ADOPT A POOR HOUSEHOLD PROGRAM

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Adopt a Poor Household
Program Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of State Policies. - The 1987 Constitution provides in Sec.
1, Article XIII that The Congress shall give highest priority to the enactment of measures
that protect and enhance the right of all the people to human dignity, reduce social,
economic, and political inequalities, and remove cultural inequities by equitably diffusing
wealth and political power for the common good.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the following terms are
defined as follows:

a. DSWD — Department of Social Welfare and Development.
b. PSA — Philippine Statistics Authority.

c. NGOs — Non-Government Organizations as defined under Sec. 3 of RA 11291
‘otherwise known as the Magna Carta of the Poor.

d. Development Partners. — as defined under Sec. 3 of RA 11291 otherwise known
as the Magna Carta of the Poor.

e. Poor — as defined under Sec. 3 of RA 11291 otherwise known as the Magna
Carta of the Poor.

f. DOLE — Department of Labor and Employment

g. Adopting Entity — a household or individual or corporate entity hiring a head of the
household of poor family.

h. Hiree — an individual who is the head of the family of a poor household.

SECTION 4. Adopt a Poor Household Program. - The Adopt a Poor Household
program is the national poverty reduction program strategy and a human capital investment
program that links the top 2% rich of society with the poor in order that the former may
choose and hire a head of a family of the latter to be assigned either in the former's
household or business establishment.

SECTION 5. Eligible Beneficiaries. - The DSWD shall coordinate with the PSA in
the selection of the poor households that may be included in this program.

SECTION 6. Compliance with Labor Laws. — The DSWD shall coordinate with the
DOLE in making sure that hire partnered with an adopting entity shall be protected by the
provisions of the labor laws.


SECTION. 7. Role of Development Partners and NGOs — The various non-
government organizations such as development partners and NGOs and the PSA shall
coordinate with the DSWD in updating the list of poor households to be included in this
program. The DSWD, jointly with the DOLE, shall be the lead agencies which will
implement this program.

SECTION 8. The Adopting Entity is not precluded from hiring more than one (1)
head of the family of a poor household. Neither is the adopting entity precluded from
making his hiree a permanent employee of his household or business entity.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations — Within six (6) months from the
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the DSWD shall, in coordination with appropriate
government departments and agencies with the participation of the local government units,
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
this Act shall be charged against those authorized in the current and subsequent General
Appropriations Act.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act be found
unconstitutional by a court of law, such provision shall be severed from the remainder of
this Act, and such action shall not affect the enforceability of the remaining provisions of this
Act.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, letters of instruction,
resolutions, orders or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby-repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,