Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bilt No. 11367

Introduced by Representative Marjorie Ann “Maan” A. Teodoro

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to institute policies for the protection and welfare of cleaning workers,
specifically street sweepers and garbage collectors in the country, to promote the
advancement of their rights within their respective communities to uplift their quality of life,

Cleaning workers such as street sweepers and garbage collectors are given the main
task of keeping our roads, homes, infrastructures, and our communities clean and safe.
However, as much as their jobs are significant to the development of their respective local
government units, they are oftentimes overlooked and considered as part of the marginalized
sector due to limited access to resources, opportunities and services due to any employee.
People tend to demean their jobs just because they are tasked to sweep, collect, clean, and
manage waste. In fact, if we delve into their hazardous occupations, their roles are crucial - the
simple removal of debris from streets, picking up of small trashes along sidewalks, collecting
garbage bags from homes, offices and other infrastructures, and disposing them thereafter
create an enormous impact in a community for they maintain the health and hygiene of the
citizens, Personally, | can't even function in a cluttered room, let alone in a community. that's
why in Marikina, we believe that a clean city is a healthy city. Between 2006 to 2008, Marikina
City was recognized by the World Health Organization and the Alliance for Health Cities as a
healthy city for being a clean city.

However, our cleaning workers are prone to health hazards as they are exposed to
smog and dirt which may cause respiratory illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis, and
infections which they may contract from exposing themselves from collecting dirt and filth.
Furthermore, they are likewise prone to physical injuries and exhaustion due to their working
conditions and workplace. Unfortunately, our cleaning workers have limited access to safety
equipment, paid insufficiently for their hard work, and lack of benefits. Besides being employed
on a contractual basis, their highest compensation is P5,000 monthly, depending on the
number of days they have rendered work. No matter how menial their occupations may be, all



of our cleaning sweepers have no choice but to resort to such jobs as they are conflicted with
socioeconomic factors such as poverty and lack of education.

As the representative of my district and possibly one of the voices of our cleaning
sweepers nationwide, itis vital to remember that this marginalized sector is underrepresented
and voiceless. It is our responsibility to ensure them equal rights, uplift their quality of life
through provisions of benefits such as social security benefits and health benefits, and livable
compensation.

In view of the foregoing, this bill is earnestly sought for.

MARUORIE ANN “ \. TEODORO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House BilrNo, 11367

Introduced by Representative Marjorie Ann “Maan” A. Teodoro

AN ACT
INSTITUTING POLICIES FOR THE PROTECTION AND WELFARE OF CLEANING WORKERS
SUCH AS STREET SWEEPERS AND GARBAGE COLLECTORS

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 “Cleaning Workers Act of 2025"

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby policy of the State to promote social justice in all
phases of national development, and values the dignity of every human person and guarantees
full respect for human rights. Furthermore, the State shall protect and advance the right of
the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of
nature.

The State likewise affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect the

rights of workers and promote their welfare.

SEC. 3. Scope. - This Act applies to all cleaning workers such as street sweepers and garbage

collectors employed and working within the country.

SEC. 4. Who are Cleaning Workers. - A cleaning worker refers to any person engaged in
cleaning public places and surroundings as well as office premises and other establishments

such as street sweepers and garbage collectors.


SEC. 5. Employment of Cleaning Workers. - To maintain the cleanliness of streets, public places,
and infrastructures, and to ensure proper waste collection and management; local government
units shall include in their plantilla positions, street sweepers and garbage collectors.

The concerned LGU shall assign at least one street sweeper in every barangay. The
number of garbage collectors shall depend on the population of the LGU or the class of city
or municipality.

Other national government agencies as well as private institutions may hire cleaning
workers on special events and occasions through job orders. Agencies, whose main business
is to offer cleaning services, may provide cleaning workers to any individual or institution

subject to existing and applicable laws.

‘SEC. 6. Standard of Treatment. - All those contracting the services of cleaning workers shall

not subject them to any kind of abuse nor inflict any form of physical violence or harassment

or any act tending to degrade their dignity. To carry out their work assignments, they shall be
provided with the necessary instruments, tools or gadgets needed in order that they could
perform their job efficiently and effectively including masks and gloves that will protect them
from contracting diseases in connection with the performance of their cleaning jobs.

Those employed on a regular basis shall be entitled to a periodic medical and physical

examination to monitor their health conditions.

SEC. 7. Pre-Employment Requirements. - Those cleaning workers to be employed on a regular
basis shall comply with the basic requirements on employment to ascertain their fitness for
work such as medical or health certificate, barangay or police clearance, birth certificate and
other appropriate identification documents. The cost of securing a medical certificate and

clearances shall be borne by the employer, subject to applicable rules and procedures.

SEC. 8. Terms and Conditions of Employment. - The employers shall safeguard the health and
safety of the cleaning workers in accordance with laws, rules and regulations, with due
consideration to the peculiar nature of their work. A cleaning worker shall be obliged to render
service for eight (8) hours a day on weekdays. The schedule for "cleaning" or “collecting” hours

shall be provided by the employer to complete the 8 hours of service. Work on weekends,


upon the discretion of the employer, shall be considered overtime. However, cleaning workers

may opt to avail of the weekend as their rest period.

SEC. 9. Salary. - The salary of cleaning workers to be employed on a regular or permanent
status in national government agencies and local government units shall be equivalent to the
salary being received by a government utility worker based on the Salary Standardization Law.

Those cleaning workers hired on a contractual basis shall be paid in accordance with

their agreement with their employers or their agents.

SEC. 10. Entitlements. - Regularly employed cleaning workers shall be entitled to 13th month
pay, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), or Social Security Systems (SSS) benefits as
members, PhilHealth, and Pag-Ibig. Premium payments or contributions shall be shouldered
by the employer. They shall also be entitled to all other benefits and incentives under existing

laws.

SEC. 11. Termination of Employment. - The services of regularly employed cleaning workers
shall be terminated on lawful grounds such as habitual absenteeism, unsatisfactory
performance of job assignments, willful obedience, and neglect of duties or upon a complaint

filed by the residents based on legal grounds such as commission of a crime, ete.

SEC. 12. Mechanism for Settlement of Disputes. - All labor-related disputes shall be elevated
to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Offices having jurisdiction over
the workplace without prejudice to the filing of a civil or criminal action in appropriate cases.
The DOLE Regional Office shall exhaust all conciliation and mediation efforts before a decision
shall be rendered.

Ordinary crimes or offenses committed under the Revised Penal Code and other special

penal laws by either party shall be filed with the regular courts.

SEC. 13. Information Program. - The DOLE, in coordination with DILG, SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-
Ibig, shall develop and implement a continuous information dissemination program on the
provisions of this Act, both at the national and local level, immediately after the enactment of

this law.


SEC. 14, Penalty. - Any violation of the provisions of this Act declared unlawful shall be
punishable with a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) but not more than
Forty Thousand Pesos (P40,000.00) without prejudice to the filing of appropriate civil or
criminal action by the aggrieved party.

SEC. 15. Appropriations. - The Department of Budget and Management shall increase the
budget allocations or ceiling for personnel services of local government units to enable them

to hire street sweepers and garbage collectors as plantilla workers.

‘SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - All provisions of existing laws, presidential decrees or issuances,
executive orders, letters of instruction, administrative orders, rules and regulations contrary to
or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified

accordingly.

‘SEC. 17. Separability Clause. — If any portion of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the same

shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions not affected thereby.

SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official

Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,