Introduced by Senator frillar 
Explanatory Note 
Green collar jobs involve products and services that are environment-friendly. An 
employment company or organization that seeks to improve upon the environment is 
considered noteworthy and may be considered “green”. Green collar jobs include any 
that involve the design, manufacture, installation, operation, and/or maintenance of 
renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. Green collar employments satisfy 
the demand for green development. Generally, they implement environmentally 
conscious design, policy, and technology to improve conservation and sustainability. 
In Wikipedia, the following professional and personnel are considered to be 
“green collar workers”: professionals and their staff working 
in a conservation 
movement or non-governmental organizations on ecological protection, environmental 
consultants, environmental or biological systems engineers, green building architects, 
holistic passive solar building designers, solar energy and wind energy enginners and 
installers, rluclear engineers, ”green business” owners, green vehicle, organic farmers, 
environmental lawyers, ecology educators, and ecotechnology workers, and sales staff 
working with these services or products. Green collar workers also include vocational or 
trade-level workers: electricians who install solar panels, plumbers who install solar 
water heaters, construction workers who build energy-efficient green buildings and wind 
power farms, construction workers who weatherize buildings to make them more energy 
efficient or other workers involved in clean, renewable, sustainable hture energy 
development. 
In the United States of America today, the green collar sector is booming and it 
is currently the fifth largest market sector. In the Philippines, very recently, President 
Gloria Arroyo said that a P 2 billion reforestation fund will be put up to provide 
employment in the re-greening of logged-over uplands in the mountains of Bukidnon, 
Cagayan de Oro, Lana0 del Sur and the regeneration of mangrove areas. It will also 
fund projects on coastal clean-ups and bay watch projects, tree planting and bio-fuels 
implementation that will require massive green employment opportunities. 
This bill seeks to complement the present effort of the national government. 
Likewise, in the context of the current economic crisis facing the country, a massive 
push to promote ecological protection and develop renewable sources of energy could 
create thousands of new jobs and help the economy recover while simultaneously 
improving the environment and strengthening energy security. 


The promotion of green employment is a mechanism to ensure the sustainability 
of the right to a healthy and balanced ecology. It is also aimed at a transgenerational 
guarantee of enjoying the benefits of environmental rights. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
Second Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Introduced by Senator Villar 
AN ACT 
PROMOTING THE CREATION OF GREEN COLLAR JOBS, PROVIDING A 
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. This Act shall be cited and known as the "Promoting Green 
Collar Jobs in the Philippines Act of 2009." 
SEC. 2. 
Declaration of Policy. 
In accordance with the constitutional 
policy that, "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", 
it is hereby 
declared that it is every citizen's responsibility to one another and to the future 
generations to see that the Philippine environment is preserved and protected and that the 
government has the supreme intergenerational responsibility and mandate to ensure the 
sustainable development of the country's environment and Mother Earth. 
SEC. 3. Creation of Green Collar Jobs Council. A Green Collar Jobs Council, 
hereinafter called as the Council, is hereby created as a special organization under the 
Department of Labor and Employment. 
The Council shall be tasked as the premier 
government body to implement the provisions of this Act. 
The Council shall be headed by the Secretary of the Department of Labor and 
Employment and will have the Secretaries of the Department of Trade and Industry, 
Environment and Natural Resources and Energy and the Director-General of the National 
Economic Development Authority as members. 
Four (4) representatives from the 
private sector and non-governmental organizations representing management and 
indusm, environmental and conservation advocacy, academic community and local 
government shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines. 
The Council shall have an Executive Director who will head a lean corps of 
competent personnel which will serve as the administrative and technical secretariat. 


SEC. 4. Strategic Initiative for the Creation of Green Collar Jobs. 
The Council 
shall formulate a Strategic Initiative which will serve as framework for the promotion and 
creation of green collar employment. 
The Strategic Initiative shall contain: 
a. 
strategies and approaches to adopt new ways o f  looking at industry sectors 
and the development of potential new technologies combined with innovative public 
policy and strategic investments to stimulate the growth of new markets for green 
products and services; 
b. 
action plans identifying the framework, strategies, programs and policies, 
partnerships and opportunities necessary to address the growing need for a highly skilled 
and well-trained workforce to meet the needs of the emerging green economy. 
c. 
a data base that identifies and links green collar job opportunities with 
entities, agencies and corporations requiring green collar employments. It shall include 
training programs to assist and prepare specific sectors such as displaced and retrenched 
workers, at-risk youth and out-of-school youth, students, veterans, persons with 
disabilities and others facing barriers to employment. 
d. 
dossiers and information emerging green industries workforce needs, 
trends, and job growth and funding recommendations on how to expand and leverage 
these funds. 
e. 
such other data that may be significant in the promotion and propagation 
of green collar jobs. 
SEC. 5. Immediate Needs for Green Collar Jobs in the Country. Initially, the 
Department of Labor and Employment must publish in its website and must avail of all 
free media advertisements announcing immediate green collar job opportunities, in such 
areas as: 
a. 
b. 
c. 
d. 
garbage collection; 
e. 
f. 
g. 
SEC. 6. Coordination with Local Government Units. Local government units 
must assist in the implementation of this Act through the promotion of green collar jobs 
creation. 
coastal clean-up and bay watch projects; 
reforestation efforts and tree planting; 
construction and designation of bike lanes and installation of solar- 
powered street lights and other clean energy initiatives; 
planting and replanting of coconut trees to ensure bio-fuel feed stock; 
opportunities in refitting public utility vehicles with liquefied petroleum 
gas; 
re-electrification of barangays using solar panels and hydro-electric grids 
SEC. 7. 
Incentives. An incentive scheme is hereby provided for the purpose 
of encouraging LGUs, enterprises, or private entities, including NGOs, to develop or 
undertake an effective program to generate green collar jobs or actively participate in any 
program geared towards the promotion thereof as provided for in this Act. 


The Council shall provide a system of incentives to businesses and industries that 
are in the promotion and generation of green collar jobs. 
Government financial institutions such as the Development Bank of the 
Philippines (DBP), Landbank of the Philippines (LBP), Government Service Insurance 
System (GSIS), and such other government institutions providing financial services shall, 
in accordance with and to the extent allowed by the enabling provisions of their 
respective charters or applicable laws, accord high priority to extend financial services to 
individuals, enterprises, or private entities that creates green collar jobs. 
SEC. 8. Public Education and Information. - The Council shall, in coordination 
with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and mass media organizations, conduct a 
continuing education and information campaign on the development and generation of 
green collar jobs including: 
(a) Aim to develop public awareness of the positive effects of green economy; 
(b) Encourage the general public to patronize green products and services and 
endorse and patronize environmentally acceptable products and packaging 
materials. 
SEC. 9. Appropriations. - For the initial operating expenses of the Council, the 
amount of Twenty million pesos (P20,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated from the 
budget of the DOLE. Thereafter, the Council shall submit to the Department of Budget 
and Management its proposed budget for inclusion in the General Appropriations Act. 
In the next five (5) years following the approval of this Act, the government must 
appropriate one half of one percent (0.5 %) of the annual appropriation act for various 
green collar jobs/employments. In addition, the government agencies are encouraged to 
utilize their savings for short- and medium-term green collar jobs employment. 
SEC. 
10. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IM). - The Council, in 
coordination with the Committees on Environment and Ecology of the Senate and House 
of Representative, respectively, the representatives of the Leagues of Provinces, Cities, 
Municipalities and Barangay Councils, the MMDA and other concerned agencies, shall 
promulgate the implementing rules and regulations of this Act, within one (1) year after 
its enactment. . 
SEC. 11. Transitory Provision. - Pending the establishment of the Strategic 
Initiative under Section 4 hereof, existing laws, regulations, programs and projects on 
generation of green collar jobs shall be enforced Provided, That for specific undertaking, 
the same may be revised in the interim in accordance with the intentions of this Act. 
SEC. 12. Report to Congress. - The Council shall report to Congress not later than 
March 30 of every year following the approval of this Act, giving a detailed account of 
its accomplishments and progress on promotion of green collar jobs during the year and 
make the necessary recommendations in areas where there is need fdr legislative action. 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act or the application of 
such provision to any person or circumstances is declared unconstitutional, the remainder 


of the Act or the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not 
be affected by such declaration. 
SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, issuances, d e s  and regulations 
or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
SEC. 15. Eflectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,