Prepcued by the Coinmittees on Labor, Employment and Human Resoonrces Development 
and on Civil Service and Government Reorganization 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the FIvuse ofRepvesentatives u/the Philippines in 
Coigmy assembled: 
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SECCION 1. Article 21" of P.J3. No. 442, as amended, otherwise known as the 
Labor Code of the Philippines, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
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c6AWiCLE 213. 
Natiovral Labor Relations Conrmissiorz. 
There 
sl.laJ.1 be a National Labor Relations Commission which shall be attached to the 
Department of Labor and Employment for 
p r o p m  and policy coordination only, 
composed of Ihe Chairman and TWENTY THREE (23) [fourteen (14)j Members. 
[Five (5)1 EIGHT (8) members each shall be chosen ONLY from among the nominees 
of the workers and isniployers organizations, respectively. The Chairman anci the SEVEN 
(7) {four (.?)I remaining members shall come from the public sector, with the latter to be 
chosen PRKFEW ABLY froin among the IIVCCJMBXNT LABOR ARBITERS AS 
recomnieiidees of the Secretary af Labor and E.mployment. 
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"Upon assumption into office, the members nominated by the worlilers and 
ernployers organizations shall divest themselves of any affiliation with or interest in the 
federasion 01' assocltiticn to which they belong. 
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'"The Cotninission 1xd.y sit en banc or in EXGalr (8) [five (5)] divisions, each 
co~i~posed 
of lllree (3) members. [Subject to the penultimate sentence of' this paragraph, 
t] The Comnisison shall sit en banc only for purposes o f  promulgating rules and 


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xegjl:&1:ions 
govoming the hearing and clisposition of cases before any of its divisions and 
regiord branches and forniu1rrtir:g pohies affecting its administration and operations. 
The Conmission shall exercise its adj udicatoiy and all other powers, fimctions and duties 
tlirm~gh hi tiivisloas. Of the EIGEiT (8) [five ( S ) ]  divisions, <he first, second, [and! 
ihird, T9'UXfH, FYPTH AND SZXTH dkkions shall handle cases coming from the 
?L.ia!icmal C,apitzl Region i~1is1 the QTEIER parts of Luzoa; and the SEVENTH AND 
EIGT'YI [fourth m d  fifth] divisions, cases from the Visayas and Mindmao, respectively; 
IJmvidsd, that the Commission sittikig cn bnnc may, on tanpomry or emergency basis, 
allow cases within the jurisdiction of any cli.vision to be heard aid dccided by any other 
&vision whose docket allows the additional workload and such transfer will not expose 
litigan?s to rmxcessary additional expense. 711e divisions of the Commission shall h.aw 
exclusive appellate jurisdiction over cases within their respective territorial j~rrisdictions. 
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"The coacixrence of two (2) Commissioners of a division shall be necessary fi~r 
the proriounccrnellt o f  judpeilt 01 resolution. V&xzevcr the required inembership in a 
division is iiot compkte arid the co1ic:lirreiIce of two (2) Commissioners to arrive at a 
ji;dgm.erit or resol:ri.ion camiot be ob?dilled, the Chairman shall designate such number of 
a%?itionaI Conrmissioncrs from the other divisions as nay be nccessary. 
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serxxl upon the palries. 
""i'l~e conclusions of a division on my case submitted to it for decision shall be 
rcaeliecl. in eoasilltation before the case is assigned to a mernbor for the wiling of the 
opinion. It shdl bc inmdatov for the division to meet for puxposes of the consultation 
ordaiiied therein. A certification to this effect signed by the Presiding Commissioner of 
the tivision shell be Issued arid a copy thereof attached to the record of the case and 
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"The Chairnian shall be the Presiding Commissioner of the Erst division and the 
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[four (4)] other rnenibers h m  the public sector shall be the Presiding 
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Cornmissiomr of the second, third, fourth, [and] fifth, SIXTH, SEVEFJTH AHD 
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FXG'FB divisions, respectively. In case of the effective absence or incapcity of the 
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Chairman, the Presiding Conimissioner of the second division shall be the Acting 
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Chairman. 
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'"The Chaimzn, aided by the Executive Clerk of the Conmissira, shall have 
E,XCl,USlVE administmtive supervision over die Commission and its regional branches 
and all its persomiel, includhg the [Executive Labor Arbiters and] Lahar Arbiters. 


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'T?ic Commissioa, when skting en h n c ,  shall be assisted by the smie Executive 
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C!J.eric and, T N F ~ :  actin:: through its divisions, by &d Executive Clerk for its first &vision 
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ant: SXiVEPif (7) i.roir (413 oilier Deputy Executive Clerks for the sec,ond, third, fowth> 
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fifh, SIXTR9 SEVENTH AND EHGTB divisions, respectively, in Ih.: 
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pcrTormance o f  such similar or cquivalervt functions and duties as are dischwged by file 
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Clsrlc o f C ! ~ ~ t  
and Deputy Clerks of Court ofthe Couri- of Appeals. 
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foliciws: 
SEC. 2<. 
Article 2i4 of the Labor Codz is hereby amended to read as 
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"MflcE,E 21 4. ~
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Bronche5 and Pr5vineierl Extension 
lhit.~. The Commissioi~ ad its First, Second, [and] Third, FOWIWR, FIFTH AND 
SIXTH divisions shall have their main otlices in Metropolitan Manila, and the 
SEVENTFI AND EICXH 
divisions in the Cities of Ceba and 
Cagayan de Oro, respectively. The Commission shall establish as many regional 'branches 
as theic are regional ofiices of the Department of Labor and Employment, sub-regional 
brmcbes or provincial extension units. Thme shall be as marly Labor Arbitzrs as may be 
necessary for the effective aid efficient operation of the Commissi.on. [Each regional 
branch shall be headed by an Executive Labor Arbiter.] 
[Fo~ulh and Pif?h] 
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foilows: 
KKC. 3. 
Axticle 215 of the Labor Code is hereby anended to i,ad as 


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"&ft?ij;GZ,E 219. 
Apprim'ment and 
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- "he Clhairman 
mci uhe?: Cormnisainnet:s shall be members of the Philippine Bar and must hsve been 
ellgaged in the practice 0%' law in th.e Phjli.ppines for at least fifteen (IS) years, with a: 
least Gve (5) yeais experience or ccposure in tlx field of labor-management relations, and 
sl~tdl preferably be residents of tke region where they skdl hold offke. The [Ex:xcc,utive 
tabor Arbiters andl Labor Arbi!ers shall likgwise be Members oftlie Philippine Bar md 
must have been engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines for at least T'ER (IO) 
[seven (7)] yeas, wi~h at least FFJE (5) [time (3)] years experience or exposure in the 
ficld of labor-rnmagemeu1t relations. [Provided, however, that incumbent Exec~tirs: 
Labor .!%+>iten and Labor Arbiters who have been engaged in the practice of law for at 
least five (5) years m.ay be coasidered as al~eacty qualified for purposes of reappoinhext 
RS such under this Act.\ 
"The Chaiiman9 [and] tiit? other Commissioners, AND &e [Executive Labor 
/h:teis aid] Labor Arbiters shall hold office dwing good behavior until they reach the 
age o~C stxty-five (65) years, unless socner removed for caxe as provided by law or 
become iiie8,paiasita,ted to discharge the dufies dtheir office. 
""The CI?aimui, the Division Presiding Comnissioners and other Coimmission.zs 
s!lail "c? appointed by tlie President. 
subject to confirmation by the Commission an 
/appointments.] &@nmcnt 
to my vacancy IN A SPECXFTC ~~~~~~~~ 
shall come 
0MF;H from the nominees of the sector which noininat-,I the predecessor. 
The 
if-ixecutive Eahor Ai:bi:-ers a 1 4  Labor Arbiters shall also be appointed by the President, 
u,poii recornmerrdatioii of the Secretary of Labor and Employment, TO A SH"E:ClFIC 
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lN 'THE EXCION WXXERE THEW 
ARE Rt,S131EtWS9 md shall be subject to the Civil Service i a v ,  rules and regulations; 
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THAT -rEE I-ABOR 
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WHO 241m PrnSEN'I"LY 
HiCBLDXiVG OVU'ZCE IN 'El& 1WAXQii 
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TLYGY AW~ ~~~~~~~~~ 
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SfIALL BE DEEMED iWPCalM%E:D 'rHER%A'r. 
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T h e  Secretary of Labor and Employment shall, in consultation with the Chairman 
of the Commission, appoint the staff and employees of the Commission and its regional 
brmiches i: 
the needs of Ilie service may require, subject to the Civil Service Law, rules 
and regulations, and upgrade their current salaries, benefits and other emolun~ents in 
accordance with law. 
SEC. 4. 
Arlicle 216, as amended, is hereby hrther micnded to read as 
fol!o ws: 


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SEC. 6. 
Repealiq Claase. - P.D. 442, as amended, otherwise known as 
the 1,abor Code of the Philippiaes, and all other acts, laws, executive orders, presidential 
issimces, d e s  arid regulations or any part thereof which are inconsistent herewith are 
hereby d-cmed rcpcslad or modiiisd accordingly. 
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I’ This Act shall tale effcct fifteen (1 5) days &cer its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in ai least two (2) national newpapers of genec.1 
circulation, whichever clxnes emlier. 
SEc* 
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