SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS __)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
‘Second Regular Session )

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.
House Bill No. 7628

EXPLANATORY NOTE

International labor mobility is increasing, as a matter of policy and a matter of fact.
Today, the number of Overseas Filipino workers has increased almost 25-fold over the past
20 years, with nearly 1.2 million registered deployments to over 190 countries in 2006 alone.
Although government policy initially focused on exporting professionals, OFW occupations
abroad have diversified over time to include factory workers, construction workers, and
service workers, such as care givers and domestic helpers.

In 2006, a total of 91,411 domestic helpers and other household workers were
deployed overseas. Of this number, 98 percent or nearly 90,000 are female. Most of them
were deployed to the following areas: Hong Kong (19,532), Kuwait (19,097), Saudi Arabia
(11,898), United Arab Emirates (11,844), Lebanon (7,710), Qatar (6,524), Jordan (4,359),
Singapore (3,162), Oman (2,068), Cyprus (1,178) and Bahrain (1,343). In 2007, the
Philippines deployed a total of 49,431 workers to Singapore, part of the 1.08 million Filipinos
who went overseas for work that year.

In 2012, statistics from the Department of Labor show that 2,111,000 Overseas
Contract Workers were deployed to different countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and
North and South America.

There are numerous reports of maltreatment and exploitation suffered by our OFWs.
Henee, there is a need to protect and ensure the welfare of our migrant workers. This bill
seeks to provide compulsory welfare insurance for our overseas contract workers.

In view thereof, immediate approval of this Bill is sought.

Mp

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.

RECEIVED

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‘SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )

Second Regular Session )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.
House Bill No. 762 8
AN ACT

PROVIDING COMPULSORY WELFARE INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR ALL OVERSEAS
CONTRACT WORKERS

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Overseas Contract Workers Insurance
Act’.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared a policy of the State to ensure the
welfare of our overseas contract workers by providing insurance program without cost on
their part.

SEC. 3. Benefits under the Insurance Program. — All overseas contract workers shall be
covered by a welfare insurance program in addition to benefits being provided by Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration. They shall be entitled to the following benefits:

a.) Accidental Death Benefit of up to US$15,000;
b.) Survivor's Benefit, in case of Natural Death, of up to S$10,000;

c.) Permanent Total Disablement of up to US$7,500;

4.) Repatriation of Bodily Remains, including burial, of up to US$15,000;

) Repatriation due to Emergency Evacuation and legitimate causes of up to
US$1,000;

f.) Subsistence Allowance of US$100 per month for six months totaling US$600;
and

9) Legitimate Monetary Claims for Unpaid/Rightful and Just Wages of up to
USS$4,500.

SEC. 4, Insurance Premium. — All recruitment agencies shall pay a premium of US$ 3.00
per month to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration for the insurance coverage of
overseas contract workers.

SEC. 5. Penalty. — In case of failure to pay the premium on time, the recruitment agency
shall be liable to pay interest at the rate of 12% per annum. Refusal to pay premium for at
least three consecutive months shall be a ground for the suspension or revocation of the
recruitment agency's license.

SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Labor and
Employment shall promulgate the rules and regulations for the effective enforcement of the
provisions of this Act.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. — Should any provision of this Act or any part thereof be
declared invalid, the other provisions, so far as they are separable from the invalid ones,
shall remain in full force and effect.


SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

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

Approved,