Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7342

House Bill No.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Despite the country’s highly touted rapid economic growth, unemployment remains a
persistent problem. Based on the year 2016 survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority,
‘unemployment had already reached an almost 3 million unemployed persons in the Philippines.

In the Philippines, progress has been uneven, with poverty gap between the urban
and rural areas. The lack of significant economic growth in the rural areas has resulted
to shortage of employment opportunities for residents in the said areas, which
contributes to the poverty incidence. This also explains the stubborn rural-to-urban
migration experience.

This bill shall aims to provide a temporary employment for qualified members of
poor households in the rural areas. Projects and activities to be identified and undertaken
under the proposed Rural Employment Assistance Program may include the following:

a. Development, rebuilding / rehabilitation of agri-based livelihood assets destroyed or
lost due to natural disasters such as desilting of irrigation canals, development of
paddy dikes and rehabilitation of water impounding;

b. Rehabilitation and or development of common service facilities which are being
shared and used by poor families as production or consolidation centers/units such
as post-harvest facilities and public markets;

€. Development or rehabilitation of physical assets to open up access to natural assets
where the former is necessary to bring the products of poor families to the market
such as farm-to-market roads, slope protection and bridges; and

4. Protection of productive assets through mitigation measures such as mangrove
planting, rehabilitation and tree planting.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this measure is earnestly
sought.

FRED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7342

House Bill No._°"

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A RURAL EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. ‘This Act shall be known as the “Rural Employment Assistance
Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is declared policy of the State to promote a just and
dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity of the nation and free the people from
poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising
standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all. Towards this end, the State shall
provide employment assistance to qualified head of family or an unmarried, single adult member
of qualified poor households in rural areas identified by the National Household ‘Targeting

System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD).

SECTION 3. Rural Employment Assistance Program. ‘The DSWD shall establish and
implement the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP), hereinafter referred to as the
Program, in coordination with the local government units (LGUs). ‘The Program shall provide
temporary employment to every qualified head of family or an unmarried, single adult member
of qualified poor families in rural areas who volunteers to do unskilled manual work for a
minimum of forty-five (45) days but not more than ninety (90) days in every calendar year.

As used in this Act, a “rural area” refers to a barangay which has a population size of less
than two thousand five hundred (2,500) and which does not have any business establishment
with twenty-five (25) or more employees, or five (5) or more establishments with a minimum of
ten (10) employees, or five (5) or more facilities within a two (2) kilometer radius from the
barangay hall.

‘The “poor” refers to individuals and families whose income fall below the poverty
threshold as defined by the government or those who cannot afford to provide their minimum.
basic needs of food, health, education, housing and other essential amenities of life in a sustained
manner or those who have been identified as poor by NHTS-PR.


SECTION 4. Assessment to Determine Qualification for Aailment of
Employment Assistance. The DSWD, in close coordination with the LGUs and other
concerned government agencies, shall conduct an assessment of all poor individuals and families
in rural areas who signify interest to do unskilled labor to determine their eligibility to avail of the
services and benefits under the REAP.

SECTION 5. Rate of Assistance. Every head of family or an unmarried, single adult
member of a poor family in the rural areas who qualifies to avail of the benefits and services
under the REAP shall be entitled to receive for each day of work financial assistance equal to
the applicable minimum wage set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board
(RTWPB) in the region. ‘The shall also be entitled to the coverage of mandatory social security
benefits such as those extended by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth),
Home Development Mutual Fund (PAG-IBIG) and the Social Security System (SSS).

SECTION 6. Types of Works and Activities. ‘The DSWD, in coordination with the LGUs
and other concemed government agencies, shall lead in the implementation of the REAP,
particularly in projects and activities to be identified and undertaken under the REAP should be
Of the type and nature that can be completed in a specific period of time. ‘These projects may
include the following:

€ Development, rebuilding / rehabilitation of agr-based livelihood assets destroyed or
lost due to natural disasters such as desilting of irrigation canals, development of
paddy dikes and rehabilitation of water impounding;

£ Rehabilitation and or development of common service facilities which are being
shared and used by poor families as production or consolidation centers/units such
as post-harvest facilities and public markets;

8 Development or rehabilitation of physical assets to open up access to natural assets
where the former is necessary to bring the products of poor families to the market
such as farm-to-market roads, slope protection and bridges; and

h. Protection of productive assets through mitigation measures such as mangrove
planting, rehabilitation and tree planting,

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). Within ninety (90) days after
the approval of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
shall, in consultation with the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government,
issue the necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. ‘This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following the completion
of its publication in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,