Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In the Philippine setting, it is relatively hard for women to get jobs compared to men. 
Being a woman is often associated to being weak and fragile that oftentimes leads to 
being harassed, paid less, evaluated more harshly, or even less likely to be 
considered for promotion.  
In recent years, the Philippine government has attempted to address workplace 
concerns under a multitude of legislative measures. These include policies to 
respond to workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, and even on domestic 
violence and human trafficking. Despite the progress and achievements of women’s 
rights in the Philippines, the country is still in need of further development. 
In the 2022 Global Gender Gap Index, the Philippines ranked 19th out of 146 
countries for gender equality and was recorded as our lowest rank since 2006.  This 
data shows that in terms of leadership representation, education, health, and political 
empowerment, the Philippines still lags behind other countries and our gender 
inequality situation continues to worsen. 
This bill seeks to lay out additional policy safeguards to protect women at work by 
imposing stiffer penalties on employers who will disenfranchise women's equal 
rights. With the belief of achieving robust economic growth when men and women 
participate fully in the labor market, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
October 20, 2022
1:53 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
EXPANDING THE PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATORY ACTS AGAINST 
WOMEN ON ACCOUNT OF SEX, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE "LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES" 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Article 133 of the Labor Code of the Philippines is hereby amended to 
read as follows: 
"Article 133.   Discrimination Prohibited.  -   It shall be unlawful for 
any employer to discriminate against any woman employee with 
respect to terms and conditions of employment solely on account of 
her sex. 
"The following are acts of discrimination: 
"(a) Payment of a lesser compensation, including wage, salary or 
other form of remuneration   and fringe benefits to a female 
employee as against a male employee for work of equal value; [and] 
"(b) Favoring a male employee over a female employee with respect 
to promotion, ASSIGNMENT, training opportunities, study and 
scholar ship grants solely on account of their sex[es]; AND 
"(C) FAVORING A MALE EMPLOYEE OVER A FEMALE 
EMPLOYEE WITH RESPECT TO DISMISSAL OF PERSONNEL 
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OR THE APPUCATION OF ANY RETRENCHMENT POLICY OF 
THE EMPLOYER SOLELY ON ACCOUNT OFTHEIR SEX. 
 
"[Criminal  liability  for  the  willful commission  of  any unlawful  act 
as provided  in  this  Article  or  any  violation  of  the  rules  and  
regulation issued  pursuant  to  Section  2 hereof  shall be penalized  
as provided in Articles 288 and 289 of this Code: Provided, That the 
institution of any criminal action under this provision shall not  bar 
the aggrieved employee from filing an entirely  separate and distinct 
action for  money claims, which may include claims for damages and 
other affirmative reliefs. The actions hereby authorized shall proceed 
independently of each other.]"  
 
SEC. 2. Article 135 of the Labor Code is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
 
"Article 135. Prohibited Acts. - (a) It shall be unlawful for any 
employer: 
 
 
"(1) To deny any woman employee the benefits provided for in this 
Chapter or to discharge any woman [employed by him] EMPLOYEE 
for the purpose of preventing her from enjoying any of the benefits 
provided under this Code; 
"(2) To discharge such woman on account of her pregnancy, or while   
on leave or in confinement due to her pregnancy; 
"(3) To discharge or refuse the admission of such woman upon 
returning to her work for fear that she may again be pregnant[.]; 
"(4) TO DENY ANY WOMAN THE EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS 
PROVIDED UNDER OUR LAWS BY REASON OF HER SEX." 
 
SEC. 3.  A new article denominated as Article 135-A is hereby added after Article 
135 to read as follows: 
 
"ARTICLE 135-A. PENALTIES. - ANY EMPLOYER WHO 
COMMITS ANY OF THE ACTS PROHIBITED IN ARTICLES 133 


AND 135 SHALL, IN ADDITION TO OTHER PENALTIES AS MAY 
BE PROVIDED BY LAW, UPON CONVICTION, BE PUNISHED 
WITH A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS 
(P50,000.00) NOR MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND 
PESOS (P200,000.00) OR IMPRISONMENT OF NOT LESS THAN 
THREE (3) MONTHS NOR MOR THAN THREE (3) YEARS, OR 
BOTH SUCH FINE AND IMPRISONMENT AT THE DISCRETION 
OF THE COURT: PROVIDED, THAT THE INSTITUTION OF ANY 
CRIMINAL ACTION SHALL NOT BAR THE AGGRIEVED 
EMPLOYEE FROM FILING AN ENTIRELY SEPARATE AND 
DISTINCT ACTION FOR MONEY CLAIMS, WHICH MAY INCLUDE 
CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES AND OTHER AFFIRMATIVE RELIEFS. 
 
THE 
ACTIONS 
HEREIN 
AUTHORIZED 
SHALL 
PROCEED 
INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER. 
  
"IN ADDITION TO SUCH PENALTY, ANY ALIEN FOUND GUILTY 
SHALL BE SUMMARILY DEPORTED UPON COMPLETION OF 
SERVICE OF SENTENCE. 
 
 
"ANY EMPLOYEE OR PERSON WHO WILLFULLY AIDS OR 
ABETS IN THE COMMISSION OF THE ACTS PROHIBITED IN 
ARTICLES 133 AND 135 OR WHO CAUSES THE COMMISSION 
OF ANY SUCH ACTS BY ANOTHER SHALL BE LIABLE IN THE 
SAME MANNER AS THE EMPLOYER. 
 
"IF THE OFFENSE IS COMMITTED TO A CORPORATION, 
TRUST, FIRM, PARTNERSHIP, ASSOCIATION OR ANY OTHER 
ENTITY, THE PENALTY SHALL BE IMPOSED UPON THE 
GUILTY OFFICER OR OFFICERS OF SUCH CORPORATION, 
TRUST, FIRM, PARTNERSHIP, ASSOCIATION OR ENTITY.'' 
 
SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. –  All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations and 
other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 


are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
 
SEC. 5. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,