Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 2228
 Introduced by Representative Charisse Anne C. Hernandez
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 14, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provides that, “The State recognizes the role 
of women in nation building, and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women  
and men.”
Furthermore, as provided under the Labor Code, Article 3 provides that, “The State shall 
afford protection to labor, promote full employment, ensure equal work opportunities regardless of 
sex, race or creed and regulate the relations between workers and employers. The State shall  
assure the rights of workers to self-organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just 
and humane conditions of work.”  
In this day and age, discrimination in the labor market towards women remains pervasive 
notwithstanding protection given by the Constitution and other laws. According to the World 
Economic Forum as provided in its Global Gender Gap Report 2021, the Philippines ranked 17th 
out of 156 countries in narrowing the gender gap in terms of economic participation and 
opportunities. This shows progress, however we must further improve and continuously ramp up 
our efforts in eliminating discrimination and abasement against women which still exists in the 
ordinary workplace.
In view of the foregoing, this bill seeks to expand the prohibited acts of discrimination 
against women on account of sex as provided under the Labor Code, as amended. 
This humble representation urges the immediate passage of this bill
July 23, 2025
3:09 pm


CHARISSE ANNE C. HERNANDEZ
Representative
 Lone District, Calamba City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 2228
       Introduced by Representative Charisse Anne C. Hernandez
AN ACT
EXPANDING THE PROHIBITED ACTS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN ON 
ACCOUNT  OF  SEX,  AMENDING  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  PRESIDENTIAL  DECREE 
NO.442,  AS  AMENDED,  OTHERWISE  KNOWN  AS  THE  "LABOR  CODE  OF  THE 
PHILIPPINES"
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. - Article 135 of Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, otherwise 
known as the "Labor Code of the Philippines", is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Article  135. Discrimination  Prohibited.  - It shall be  unlawful for any 
employer to discriminate against any woman employee with respect to 
terms and conditions of employment solely on account of her sex  OR 
CHARACTERISTICS  OF  HER  SEX, WHETHER  ACTUAL  OR 
PRESUMED. 
“The following are acts of discrimination:
"(a) Payment of a lesser compensation, including wage, salary or other 
form of remuneration and fringe benefits, to a female employee as 
against a male employee, for work of equal value; [and]
"(b) Favoring a male employee over a female employee with respect to 
promotion,
 ASSIGNMENT,
 EMPLOYMENT  BENEFITS, 
training 
opportunities, study and scholarship grants solely on account of their 
SEX OR CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR SEX, WHETHER ACTUAL 


OR PRESUMED; AND
"(C) FAVORING A MALE EMPLOYEE OVER A FEMALE EMPLOYEE 
WITH  RESPECT  TO  DISMISSAL  OF  PERSONNEL  OR  THE 
APPLICATION  OF  ANY  RETRENCHMENT  POLICY  OF  THE 
EMPLOYER
SOLELY  ON  ACCOUNT  OF  THEIR  SEX  OR 
CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THEIR  SEX,  WHETHER  ACTUAL  OR 
PRESUMED.
"Criminal  liability  for  the  willful  commission  of  any  unlawful  act  as 
provided in this article or any violation of the rules and regulations issued 
pursuant to Section 2 hereof shall be penalized as provided in Articles 
288 and 289 of this Code: Provided, That the institution of any criminal 
action under this provision shall not bar the aggrieved employee from 
filing an entirely separate and distinct action for money claims, which may 
include claims for damages and other affirmative reliefs. The actions 
hereby authorized shall proceed independently of each other."
SEC. 2. Article 137 of the Labor Code is hereby amended to read as 
follows:
"Article 137. Prohibited Acts. - It shall be unlawful for any employer:
"(1) To deny any woman employee the benefits provided for in this Chapter 
or  to  discharge  any  woman  employed  [by  him] for  the  purpose  of 
preventing her from enjoying any of the benefits provided under this Code;
"(2) To discharge such woman on account of her pregnancy [,] or while on 
leave or WHILE in confinement due to her pregnancy;
"(3) To discharge or refuse the admission of such woman upon returning to 
her work for fear that she may again be pregnant [.]; OR
"(4) TO DENY ANY WOMAN THE BENEFITS OF EMPLOYMENT OR OTHER 
STATUTORY BENEFITS UNDER OUR LAWS BY REASON OF HER SEX.
"ANY EMPLOYER WHO COMMITS OR ATTEMPTS IN ANY MANNER TO 
COMMIT ANY OF THE ACTS PROHIBITED UNDER THIS ARTICLE OR  ANY 
RULE  OR  REGULATION  ISSUED  PURSUANT  THERETO  SHALL,  IN 
ADDITION TO OTHER PENALTIES AS MAY BE PROVIDED BY LAW, UPON 
CONVICTION, BE PUNISHED WITH A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN FIFTY 
THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) BUT NOT MORE
THAN TWO HUNDRED 
THOUSAND
PESOS (P200,000.00), AND/OR SUFFER IMPRISONMENT 
OF NOT LESS THAN ONE (1) YEAR BUT NOT MORE THAN TWO (2)  YEARS: 
PROVIDED, THAT THE CONVICTION OR ACQUITTAL OBTAINED BY THE 
EMPLOYER SHALL NOT BE A BAR TO THE FILING BY THE FEMALE 
EMPLOYEE  OF  A  CIVIL  SUIT  FOR  THE  PAYMENT  OF  SALARIES  OR 
BENEFITS DUE HER.


"ANY EMPLOYEE OR PERSON WHO WILLFULLY AIDS OR ABETS IN THE 
COMMISSION OF THE ACTS PROHIBITED HEREIN OR WHO CAUSES THE 
COMMISSION OF ANY SUCH ACTS BY ANOTHER SHALL BE LIABLE IN THE 
SAME MANNER AS THE EMPLOYER."
SEC. 3. All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, presidential proclamations, 
rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,