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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
AMENDING SECTION  3(A) AND 14 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11641 OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS AN ACT CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF MIGRANT WORKERS, 
DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, RATIONALIZING THE ORGANIZATION 
AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RELATED TO OVERSEAS 
EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR MIGRATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR,   
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
While the State is faithful to its duty to protect the rights and promote the welfare of 
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families by obtaining the best possible conditions of 
work that uphold the dignity of Overseas Filipino Workers1, some inevitable and unprecedented 
events will likely put the lives of our OFWs and their families in danger. 
On February 24, 2022, Russian President Putin authorized special military operations in 
Ukraine. Russian forces began missile and artillery attacks, striking major Ukrainian cities 
including Kiev, and as the tension between Russia and Ukraine escalated, there were 300 Filipinos 
living in Ukraine2 , while more than 10,000 OFWs in Russia3 were affected amid the invasion of 
Ukraine.   
Recently, the armed conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas 
began on 7 October 2023, with a coordinated surprise offensive on Israel. The attack began with 
a barrage of at least 3,000 rockets launched from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip against Israel. 
In parallel, some 2,500 Palestinian militants breached the Gaza–Israel barrier, attacking military 
bases and massacring civilians in neighboring Israeli communities.4 Israel houses around 30,000 
Filipinos who are mostly working as caregivers, the government said earlier. Unfortunately, it 
1 RA 11641 Sec. 2. 
2 https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippines-main-concern-safety-workers-russia-ukraine-crisis/ 
3 https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/dispatch/825421/over-10-000-ofws-in-russia-
amid-invasion-of-ukraine-poea/story/ 
4 Hamas Leaves Trail of Terror in Israel. The New York Times. 10 October 2023. ISSN 0362-4331. 
Retrieved 14 October 2023. 
October 17, 2023
8:00 am
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has been reported over the news that there were already three (3) OFWs who died amid conflict. 
The first two Filipino fatalities were identified as a 33-year-old female from Pangasinan who was 
working in Israel for six years, and a 42-year-old male from Pampanga, as of October 13, 2023, 
the number of our kababayan killed due to the ongoing conflict in Israel has increased to three.5 
While the State does not promote overseas employment as a means to economic growth 
and national development and shall continuously aim to make it a choice and not a necessity6 let 
us not neglect our duty to help our fellow kababayan by all means necessary who were affected 
by actual or potential war and violence abroad as it was mandated not only by our laws but more 
so the Holy Writ –the Bible in 1 John 3:17 (KJV)  
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of 
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 
For the foregoing reasons, the passage of the instant bill is earnestly sought. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
5 https://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/another-filipino-dead-in-israel-hamas-war 
6 RA 11641 Sec. 2 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
AMENDING SECTION  3(A) AND 14 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11641  OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS AN ACT CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF MIGRANT WORKERS, 
DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, RATIONALIZING THE ORGANIZATION 
AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RELATED TO OVERSEAS 
EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR MIGRATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR,    
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1.  Sec 3. Definitions of Terms, - As used in this Act, the following terms and 
phrases are defined as follows: 
(a) Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na nangangailangan (AKSYON) Fund
– the fund created under Section 14 of this Act to provide legal, medical, financial and
other forms of assistance to overseas Filipino Workers, including repatriation,
shipment of remains, evacuations, rescue and any other analogous help TO
INCLUDE AMONG OTHERS OFWs AFFECTED BY AND/OR VICTIMS OF
ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL WARS AND VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRIES THEY
ARE WORKING or intervention to protect the rights of Filipino nationals;
SEC. 2  Sec. 14 Agarang kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailngan 
(AKSYON) Fund – The Agarang kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailngan 
(AKSYON) Fund is hereby established to provide legal and other forms of assistance to OFWs, 
TO INCLUDE AMONG OTHERS OFWs AFFECTED BY AND/OR VICTIMS OF ACTUAL 
OR POTENTIAL WARS AND VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRIES THEY ARE WORKING 
separate from the funds managed by the DFA. The DFA shall retain ATN and Legal Assistance 
Funds for the benefit of other Filipinos overseas and for consular assistance services. An 
appropriate shall initially be provided for the AKSYON fund in the General Appropriation Act 
of the year following its enactment into law and an appropriate amount for every year thereafter 
to provide assistance to OFWs at Foreign Service Posts where MWO have been established and 
staffed. 
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Xxxx 
Xxxx 
SEC. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Transition Committee shall promulgate 
the implementing rules and regulations within seventy-five (75) days after the effectivity of this 
Act.  
SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or 
invalid, the remaining provisions which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force 
and effect. 
SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, and 
other issuances, or parts thereof, contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby modified, 
amended, or repealed accordingly. 
SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,