Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HOUSEB|LLNo.8793
;,ha:.,, BY -
Introduced by Hon. Ma. Victoria Co - Pilar
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Despite our laws being replete with provisions that promote labor rights, the
Filipino  workforce  remains  to  be  exploited  by  some  unscrupulous  employers.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, 59.5% of the 50,161 establishments
inspected  in  2015  are  violating  labor  standards  laws.  Working-class  Filipinos,
especially those freshly entering the labor force, are left defenseless and ignorant of
their rights, and mostly unaware they are being exploited by their employers.
The K-to-12 curriculum has been envisioned so that the additional two  (2)
years of basic education can amply prepare our students to be already employable
without going to college. Hence, it is imperative that our students have knowledge of
their labor rights and benefits under the law to protect themselves from abuse once
they face "real life" and contribute to our nation.
This bill was first filed by Hon. Argel Joseph T. Cabatbat of Magsasaka Partylist
during the 18th Congress.
Inviewoftheforegoingtheapprovalofthisbillis#t


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
lIoUsEBILLNo.8793
Introduced by Hon. Ma. Victoria Co - Pilar
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A COMPREHENSIVE LABOR RIGHTS EDUCATION
IN THE K TO 12 AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
CURRICUIA, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Representatives Of the Philippines in the Congress
assembled:
1                    SECTION 1. SJiorf ritJe. -This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensi.ve Labor
2       Rights EducationAct."
3                    SEC. 2. DecJaratr-o7] a/Porky. -The state recognizes its role in developing,
4      harmonizing, and prioritizing the Labor laws and promote a just and dynamic social
5      order thatwill ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation.
6                   The state also recognizes the role of the youth in nation-building and shall
7      prospectively protect their rights and promote their welfare.
8                   The state also affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect
9      the rights of workers and promote theirwelfare.
10                   The State shall likewise afford full protection to labor, local and  overseas,
11      organized   and   unorganized,   and   promote   full   employment   and   equality   of
12       employment opportunities for all.
13                   The state shall further guarantee the rights of all workers to self-organization,
14      collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including
15      the right to strike, entitlement to security oftenure, humane conditions of work and
16      a living wage. It shall also promote the principle of shared responsibility between
17      workers  and  employers  and  the  preferential  use  of voluntary  modes  in  settling
18      disputes, including conciliation, and shall enforce their mutual compliance therewith
19      to fosterindustrialpeace.
20                   Ultimately,  the  State  shall  promote  social  justice  in  all  phases  of national
21      development, particularly development in labor sector.


1               SEC. 3. DefiJ]ItJ.on a/Terms.  As used in this Act:
2                     a)   CoJxprehensi.ve Labor RI.ghts Educatr.on -shall refer to the study of all labor
3                           laws  and  statutes,  including but not limited  to  labor standards,  labor
4                           relations, pre-and post-employment laws, anti-sexual harassment laws,
5                           anti-gender discriminations laws, and other related laws, to provide labor
6                           rights literary and proficiency to an individual.
7               SEC. 4. Institutionalization of comprehensive Labor Rights Education in the K-12
8      and Technical Education and skills Development curricula. -It is hereky mandated
9      that a comprehensive labor rights education shall be an integral part and mandatory
10      in the curricula of the Kto 12 Program of the Department of Education (DepEd) and
11       the Technical Education and skills DevelopmentAuthority (TESDA). It shall be taught
12      as a core subjectwith a minimum of three (3) hours perweektime allotment.
13              SEC.  5.  Coverage.  -The  pertinent provisions  of the  Constitution,  along with
14      Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, otherwise known as the Labor code of the
15      Philippines, and other laws pertaining to core labor standards and rights of laborers,
16      both migrantanddomestic, shall be taughtto students in senior High school level and
17      the students taking technical education and skills development courses.
18               SEC. 6. Medr.urn a/JnscrLictr.on. -The Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education
19       (MTB-MLE)  method, as provided for under the K-12  Program, shall be adopted in
20      teaching comprehensive labor rights education in the senior High school level and in
21      the technical education and skills development courses.
22              The  DepEd  and TESDA,  in  coordination with  the  Commission  on the  Filipino
23       Language  (CFL)  and  the  Department of Labor  (DOLE),  and  in  collaboration  with
24      academic  and  research  institutions  concerned  with  education,  shall  formulate  a
25      mother    tongue-based    multilingual    framework    for    teaching    and    learning
26      comprehensive labor rights education.
27               SE:C. 7.  Teaching  Qualif ications  and  pref erence.  -TeaLchers with  certiFi\caLtion,
28      diploma,  and  training  in  the  field  of  Human  Resources,  Law,  and  other  allied
29      disciplines shall be given preference in the teaching of comprehensive labor rights
30      education subjects implemented under this Act.
31               SEC. 8. Revl.ew andAss€ssmen£ -The DepEd and TESDA, in consultation with the
32       DOLE, shall conduct a mandatory review and assessment every five (5) years from
33      the effectivity of this Act to ensure its proper implementation and assess student
34      learning outcomes to determine the efficaey of the program.
35              A report shall be submitted to the committees on Basic Education and Labor of
36      both houses of congress within thirty (30) days from the termination of the period of
3 7      review and assessment.
38               SEC. 9. JmpJementr.ng Ageney. -The DepEd, in coordination with TESDA, shall be
39      the lead ageney in the implementation of the provisions of this Act.
40              SEC.10. Approprr.afrons. -The amount necessary for the initial implementation
41      of this Act shall be sourced from the currentappropriations of the DepEd and TESDA.


I      Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous implementation of this Act shall
2       be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
3              SEC.11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -Within ninety (90) days from the
4      effectivity  of  this  Act,   the   DepEd   and   TESDA,   in   consultation   with  relevant
5      stakeholders, shall formulate and issue the necessary rules and regulations to fully
6      implementthe provisions ofthisAct.
7              SEC.  12.   Separabi.J].ty C/arse.  -  If for  any  reason  or  reasons,  any  portion  or
8      provision  of  this  Act  shall  be  held  unconstitutional  or  invalid,  the  remaining
9      provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
10              SEC.13. Repea/ing crduse. -AIl laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations,
11      rules, regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with
12      the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
13               SEC.  14.  E#ectr.VI.ty.  -  This  Act  shall  take  effect  fifteen  (15)  days  after  its
14      publication in the official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,