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

13" Congress
First Regular Session

374

HOUSE BILL

Introduced by Representative Roseller L. Barinaga

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to amend Article 3 of Presidential Decree No. 1620 issued during
martial law. This is to ensure the protection of-the workers and employees of the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) who have been deprived of their labor rights
since the signing of the decree in 19 April 1979 which granted the IRRI immunity from
any penal, civil and administrative proceedings

At the start there was no intention to grant IRRI inttnunity from suit since it was
merely established through a MOA, and subsequently registered with the SEC, subject to
civil, administrative and criminal processes. The institute was initially established in the
Philippines in 9 December 1959 through an agreement between the Philippines and the
Ford and Rockefeller Foundations. However, through P.D. No. 1620, the IRRI was
granted the status, prerogatives, privileges and immunities of an_ international
organization,

P.D. No. 160 is anomalous considering that it is not a treaty between two or more
sovereign states that could vest intemational and legal personality upon IRRI. Although
the pact was confirmed by the Philippines in 19 May 1995 by belatedly signing an
agreement with twenty donor countries, this has not been ratified by the Senate.
Furthermore, the agreement provides that any grant of immunity to IRRI should be
consistent with and should conform to the applicable and accessing laws of the signatory
States.

IRRI employees and workers have been barred from seeking compensation under
appropriate laws because of PD 160. It has been reported that the Institute has used this
privilege to subvert all such rights, conduct union busting, harass unionists, and conduct
mass layoffs



In order to address this problem, this bill proposes to amend Article 3 of P.D. No.
1620 by expressly excluding the rights of labor from any penal, civil and administrative
immunity granted to the IRRL This is to ensure the protection of the rights of workers in
IRRI in accordance with our constitution and our laws, the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights as well as with various ILO conventions our government has ratified.

It is stressed that since IRRI claims it is an international organization, it is with

more reason that it should comply with international standards, propagated by the ILO
worldwide in the interests of workers

In the light of the above, support of this bill is earnestly sought.

ROSELLER L. BARINA‘



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

13" Congress
First Regular Session

374

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Roseller L. Barinaga

AN ACT

PROTECTING THE RIGHTS TO LABOR OF THE WORKERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL
RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (IRRI) AS ENSHRINED IN THE 1987 CONSTITUTION,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE 3 OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1620 AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Article 3 of Presidential Decree No. 1620 is hereby amended to read as follows
“The Institute shall enjoy immunity from any penal, civil and administrative proceedings,
except insofar as that immunity has been expressly waived by the Director-General of the
Institute or his authorized representatives. THIS IMMUNITY SHALL NOT APPLY

WITH RESPECT TO THE RIGHTS OF LABOR.”

SEC, 2. All laws, decrees, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are

hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official

Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,