Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon C`ity
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HouseBfil`i3o?      6812
Introduced by REP. PRINCESS RIHAN MANGUDADATU SAKALURAN
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article XIII, Section 3, provides that:
The   State   shall  afford  full  protection  to   labor,   local  and  overseas,
organized  and  unorganized,  and  promote  full  emplayment  and  equality  of
emplayment opportunities i;or all.
Moreover, under Article 11, Section 18, to wit:
The State affilrms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect the
ri!ghts Of work.ers and promote their welf are.
Overseas Filipino workers are referred to as modem-day heroes. They are
also considered as a vital partners of Philippine development as a result of their
remittances. In a report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on
March 7, 2022, it is said that before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in
2019,  OFWs were  registered  at 2.18  million.t  Based on the  data presented by
the  Philippine  Overseas  Employment  administration  (POEA)  during  a  Senate
budget hearing, the number of deployed OFWs in 2022 was 1,394,788, which is
lower compared to the 2 mimon for th_e entire 2019,2
[https://www.manilatincs.nct/2022/09/27/news/migrant-workcrs-dcpt-pavcs-way-forjob-opportunities-for-
ofw-s/1860056
2 Ibid.


This bill seeks to provide a monthly social pension benefit amounting to
Php 3,000 in I-avor of the OFWs.  To efi-ectively implement the distribution of
the monthly social pensions,  a database of all OFWs should be created by the
DMW. Renewed efforts must be made to collect comprehensive,  accurate and
updated  information that  can  be  disaggregated  according  to  a wide  range  of
variables  as  a  basis  for  effective  planning  and  inplementatiorT.  services,  and
monitoring and evaluation. The provision of this monthly social pension would
uplift the  lives  of the  OFW in the same manner that they boost our economy
through remittances.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HouseBfilhfio?      6612
Introduced by REP. PRINCESS RIHAN M. SAKALURAN
ANACT
PROVIDING SOCIAL PENSION TO 0VHRSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS
WHO REACHHD THEIR RETIREMENT
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Represerttatives Of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
Scctl.o"  I.   Sfeor/  rz.//e.   ~  This  Act  shall  be  known  as  "OFW  Social
Pension Act".
Sectr.o# 2. Dec/czrczzj.o# o/Po/jc};. -It is the declared policy of the State to
promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and free
the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services,
rising standard of living and an improved quality of life.
Sectr.oi!  3.  De¢72j.f7.o77 o/ Terms.  - Overseas Filipino  Workers under this
act  shall  refer  to  Filipino  migrant  workers  who  was  employed  in  another
country for a period of time.
Sectl.o#  4.  Coverczge.  -  Qualifled    Overseas  Filipino  Workers  shall  be
entitled to  a monthly  pension in the  amount of Three  Thousand   Pesos  (Php
3,000,00) per month.
S€c#.o# 5.  g"fl/JJFca/jo#,g.  - Qualifying conditions   of  Overseas Fi]jpjno
Workers who are entitled to a monthly pension:
a.   At  least  60  years  old  with  accumulated   15  years  of  overseas
employment


b.   OFW   Registered   with   the   Philippine   Overseas   Employment
Agency;
Prov7.dec7,  that Overseas Filipino Workers covered by the Social Security
System, the Government Service Insurance System, the Pension system for the
Philippine  National  Police  and the  Armed  Forces  of the  Philippines  Military
Persormel shall not be eligible for this be,nefit.
Sec#.o# 6.   rczx exexpfz.o#. - All laws to the contrary notwithstanding, the
benefits herein granted shall be exempt from any tax.
Scc#.o"  7. /xp/eme#//.#g czge#cy. - The Department of Migrant Workers
is mandated as the  central planning,  coordinating,  implementing agency   with
the responsibilities to cany out the purposes of this Act.
Section  8.    Implementing  Rules  and Regulations.  ~ The Depa]ct]nem o£
Migrant Workers  shall within silrty  (60)  days  from the  effectivity  of this  Act
shall promulgate the necessary rules  and regulations  of the provisions  of this
Act.
Secfl.oJ! 9. .4pprap„.crzr.o#s'. - The anount necessary to implement this act
shall  be  added  to  the  regular  appropriations  of the  Department  of Migrant
Workers in the General Appropriation Act.
Secfl.o" JO. Sep¢J'cJbz./i.fy c/craise. -  If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional,  the  other  provisions  not  affected  by  such  declaration  shall
remain in full force and effect.
Sec&.o"  JJ.  jzapecz/z.7!g c/cr%se.  - All  laws,  executive  and  administrative
orders,  rules  and  regulations  inconsistent  with  the  foregoing  provisions  are
hcrcby rcpcalcd or modified accordingly.
Scc#.o"  J2.  E#ecfjv7.fy  c/cralse.  -This  Act  shall  take  effect  fifteen  (15)
days  after  its  publication  in  the  Official  Gazette  or  in  newspaper  of general
circulation.
Approved.