TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S. No.
)
SENATE
923
25 AUG -5 P3 :44
RECEIV'D
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY INSURANCE COVERAGE AND BENEFITS 
FOR ALL LINE WORKERS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
If electricity is the lifeblood of our economy, then line workers are the 
backbone that ensures that economic activity is uninterrupted. Line workers 
however, face a number of risks to their personal safety in carrying out their duties.
In 2019, occupational injuries for the electricity, gas, steam, and air 
conditioning suppiy industries amounted to 628 out of the 40,892 reported. Of these 
reported injuries, 300 or 48% were reported with workdays lost. For the cause of 
injury, 131 or 44% fell under the PSA category of stepping on, striking against or 
struck by objects, excluding faliing objects1.
In terms of frequency rates of cases of occupational injuries with workdays 
lost, the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply industry ranked second 
with 2.42, second to the manufacturing industry. It follows that in terms of average 
workdays lost, the industry ranked highest with 26.39 average workdays iost.
1 Philippine Statistics Authority. (2019). 2019/2020 Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment 
(ISLE).
1


Clearly these numbers indicate the risk that line workers and similar 
occupations face in order to ensure reliable supply of electricity.
This risk can be related to the fact that there is a large demand for workers in 
the Electricity, Gas, Steam, and Air Conditioning Supply industry group. According to 
the "2021/2022 Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment (ISLE) - Occupational 
Shortages and Surpluses; September 2021 to August 2022" published by the 
Philippine Statistics Authority, the aforementioned industry group has the second 
highest number of posted job vacancies at 55.9% which means that there are 
"unfilled job openings that are immediately available for placement and where active 
recruitment steps are being undertaken".2
This bill seeks to mandate the provision of insurance for line workers, which 
refer to persons including crew, drivers, and helpers, who are directly responsible for 
the construction, installation, maintenance, reconstruction, and repair of overhead 
transmission and distribution electrical systems, including underground cables, 
electrical substations, and other related electrical equipment and facilities.
Employers are also mandated to provide line workers with retirement and 
disability benefits, as well as reimbursement of actual medical expenses in the event 
of death, accident, sickness, disability, or injury sustained by the line worker in the 
line of duty.
In view of the foregoing circumstances, immediate passage of this bill is 
earnestly sought.
INGSOY EJERCITO ESTRADA
2 Content I Philippine Statistics Authority I Republic of the Philippines


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
t * i -.1
"F'Sffro ;i!' V -'
25 AUG-5 P3:45
S. No.
SENATE
923
RHCEIVtO BV.
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY INSURANCE COVERAGE AND BENEFITS 
FOR ALL LINE WORKERS
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Line Workers
2 
Insurance and Benefits Act.
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the role of the electrical
4 
line workers in the pursuit for sustainable economic development through the
5 
continuous and reliable supply of electricity, not only in residential dwellings, but
6 
most importantly, in commercial and industrial establishments, specifically in the
7 
countryside and rural areas, as envisioned by the Rural Electrification Program, and
8 
the risk they encounter in the performance of their duties and responsibilities. As
9 
such, it shall provide measures that recognize the contributions of line workers to
10 
nation-building particularly in the transmission and distribution sectors of the power
11 
industry by ensuring that their employers are providing them insurance coverage
12 
and other benefits in addition to what is provided for regularly by existing labor laws.
13 
Sec. 3. Definition of Line Workers. - As used in this Act, line workers shall
14 
refer to persons including crew, drivers, and helpers, who are directly responsible for
15 
the construction, installation, maintenance, reconstruction, and repair of overhead
16 
transmission and distribution electrical systems, including underground cables,
17 
electrical substations, and other related electrical equipment and facilities.


1 
Sec. 4. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all line workers in the power industry
2 
sector as defined in Section 3 hereof, including those working in private distribution
3 
utilities (PDUs), electric cooperatives (ECs), and transmission or grid operators.
4 
Sec. 5. Mandatory Insurance Coverage. - All line workers shall be entitled to
5 
life and accident or disability insurance benefits in accordance with the following
6 
minimum required coverage schedule:
7 
a) In the case of electric cooperatives, the insurance coverage requirement
8 
shall be calibrated according to the following classification:
9 
National Electrification 
Minimum Insurance Coverage
10 
Administration Classification 
(in Philippine Peso)
11 
Small 
200,000
12 
Medium 
400,000
13 
Large 
600,000
14 
Extra Large 
800,000
15 
Mega Large 
1,000,000
16 
b) For the transmission or grid operator, the minimum insurance coverage
17 
shall be Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00).
18 
c) For Private Distribution Utilities, the minimum insurance coverage shall be
19 
One million and five hundred thousand pesos (Pl,500,000.00).
20 
The coverage shall be effective upon the commencement of their employment
21 
until their separation from the company, either by resignation, termination, or
22 
retirement. The insurance premium payments shall be shouldered entirely by the
23 
employer.
24 
Employers who are already providing insurance coverage to their line workers
25 
equal to or more than the minimum requirement as prescribed herein are no longer
26 
required to make adjustments to their insurance coverage. Otherwise, they should
27 
augment the amount of coverage to comply with this Act: Provided, That in no way
28 
shall this Act be construed to diminish or reduce any insurance coverage which the
29 
line workers are already receiving or any entitlement under existing laws, company
30 
policy, or employment contracts or collective bargaining agreements between the
31 
employer and the employees.


1 
Sec. 6. Mandatory Benefits. - In addition to the mandated insurance
2 
coverage, the employers of line workers shall also ensure the provision of the
3 
following mandatory benefits:
4 
a. Retirement benefits;
5 
b. Mortuary assistance;
6 
c. Disability benefits; and,
7 
d. Reimbursement of actual medical expenses in case of death, accident,
8 
sickness disability or injury sustained by the line worker in the line of duty:
9 
Provided, That when a line worker participates in power restoration and
10 
rehabilitation efforts in calamity-stricken areas or similar engagements
11 
hosted by an entity other than the employer of the line worker, such host
12 
entity shall provide the line worker with benefits similar to those provided
13 
under this Section and as may be allowed by its financial capacity to cover
14 
death, accident, sickness, disability or injury sustained by the line worker
15 
during such engagement.
16 
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in consultation with
17 
stakeholders, shall provide comprehensive list of all other benefits that line workers
18 
should be entitled to in addition to the above mandatory benefits and the same shall
19 
be incorporated in the rules and regulations to be issued to implement this Act.
20 
Sec. 7. Disquaiification from Benefits. - No benefits shall be given to any line
21 
worker or the line worker's beneficiaries if and when the death, accident, sickness,
22 
disability, or injury happened during an unauthorized absence or abandonment of
23 
office or is caused by any of the following:
24 
a. Willful intention to injure or kill oneself;
25 
b. Notorious negligence;
26 
c. Failure to observe safety protocols or exercise reasonable care for one's
27 
own safety; and
28 
d. Commission of a crime by the line worker.
29 
Sec. 8. Impiementing Ruies and Reguiations. - Within ninety (90) days upon
30 
approval of this Act, the National Electrification Administration shall, together with
31 
the DOLE, the Energy Regulatory Commission, and in consultation with the PDUs


1 
and ECs, promulgate and issue the rules and regulations to effectively implement the
2 
provisions of this Act.
3 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
4 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and
5 
effect.
6 
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations
7 
or other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
8 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
9 
Sec. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
10 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of
11 
general circulation.
Approved,