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

CEIVED
ie 8 AU
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HouSE BILL No, 2979

Introduced by _
OFW Family Party-List Representative ROY V. SENERES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill is in furtherance of relevant provisions of the Constitution and
the Family Code, to wit:

1. Section 12, Article I, of the Constitution states: “The State
recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and
strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It
shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of unborn
from conception. The natural and primary right and duty of parents
in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development
of moral character shall receive the support of the Government.”

2. Section 1, Article XV, of the Constitution provides: “The State
recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation of the nation.
Accordingly, it shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote
its total development.”

3. Section 3, (2) of the same article which says: “The State shall
defend: (2) The right of children to assistance, including proper
care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect,
abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their
development.”

4. Article 149 of the Family Code refers to the family as a “basic social
institution which public policy cherishes and protects.”

This bill seeks to require all heads of Local Government Units to create
or establish an OFW Family Help Desks in their respective offices in order to
strengthen and enhance the protection by the government of the families of
OFWs who get deprived of pillars of their families when the OFWs leave for
abroad to work.

In view of the foregoing, approval <f this
requested, /

ill is most respectfully

ENERES



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

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No® 579

Introduced by 2
OFW Family Party-List Representative ROY V. SENERES

AN ACT
REQUIRING ALL HEADS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS TO
ESTABLISH “OFW FAMILY HELP DESKS” IN THEIR OFFICES

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the "OFW
Family Help Desks Act of 2013.”

SEC. 2. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all Overseas Filipino Workers
(OFW), whether land-based or sea-based, documented or undocumented,
including their families in the Philippines.

SEC. 3. Declaration of Policy. - This Act is in furtherance of the
State Policies provisions of the Constitution, to wit:

A. Section 12, Article 11: “The State recognizes the sanctity of family
life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic
autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the
mother and the life of unborn from conception. The natural and
primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for
civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall
receive the support of the Government.”;

B. Section 1, Article XV: “The State recognizes the Filipino family as
the foundation of the nation. Accordingly, it shall strengthen its
solidarity and actively promote its total development.”;

C. Section 3, Article XV: “The State shall defend:


(1) The right of spouses to found a family in accordance with their
religious convictions and the demands of responsible
parenthood;

(2) The right of children to assistance, including proper care and
nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect,
abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to
their development;

(3) The right of the family to a family living wage and income; and

(4) The right of families or family associations to participate in the
planning and implementation of policies and programs that
affect them.”

This Act is also in pursuance of Article 149 of the Family Code which
says that, “The family, being the foundation of the nation, is a basic social
institution which public policy cherishes and protects.”

SEC. 4, Ten (10) Million Weakened Families. - The Department of
Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
estimate the total number of OFWs as having reached ten (10) million and
almost all of them are heads of families and breadwinners.

When millions of heads of families and/or breadwinners leave to work
overseas, millions of Filipino families in the homefront are left without the
essential pillars of their homes which expose them to certain vulnerabilities
such as to the drug menace; to abuses such as bullying in schools and in the
neighborhood and the like.

SEC. 5. The Role of Governors and Mayors. ~ Provincial Governors,
City and Municipal Mayors are traditionally known as the “Ama” or “Ina” of
their respective local government units and must perforce fill the gap in
protecting and overseeing the welfare of weakened OFW Families in their
areas of responsibilities.

SEC. 6. Creation of OFW Family Help Desks. - All Provincial
Governors, City and Municipal Mayors are hereby required to create or
establish OFW Family Help Desks in their offices to attend to, provide

assistance and to address concerns or problems of Overseas Filipino Workers


and their families including counseling on business and_ livelihood
opportunities, who are residing in the local government unit’s territorial
jurisdiction.

All local government units (LGUs), in partnership with the DFA, POEA,
OWWA, other concerned government agencies, advocating the rights and
welfare of overseas Filipino workers, shall also take a proactive stance in the
dissemination of information to their constituents on all aspects of overseas
employment. Such help desks shall be linked to the database of all concerned
government agencies particularly the POEA and the OWWA for its updated
lists of overseas job orders and licensed recruitment agencies in good
standing.

SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ The Secretary of
the Department of Interior and Local Government is hereby tasked to
implement this Act and shall, in consultation with the local government units,
the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), other concerned government
agencies, formulate the necessary implementing rules and regulations to
effectively implement the provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days after
its effectivity.

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders,
issuances, rules and regulations which may be inconsistent with any of the
provisions of this Act, are hereby deemed repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,