NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
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•22 JUL “7 P3 *04
RECEIVED BY: •
SENATE 
S.B. No. 133
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT
EXPANDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS, AMENDING 
FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14-B OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11199, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT OF 2018, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Social protection refers to “policies and programs that seek to reduce poverty, 
inequality, and vulnerability to risks and enhance the social status and right of the 
marginalized by promoting and protecting livelihood and employment, protecting 
hazards and sudden loss of income, and improving people’s capacity to manage 
risks.”1 It is an important component in ensuring the well-being, as well as the 
empowerment of, the citizens as the country aims to achieve continuous economic 
growth and development.
Recognizing the importance of social protection, the Updated Philippine 
Development Plan 2017-2022 devoted Chapter 11 to propose initiatives that will 
ensure the responsiveness of the country’s social protection system, including the 
proposal to “enhance people’s access to unemployment insurance and related 
services. ”2
The Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic recorded dismal unemployment 
rates, with April 2020 reaching 17.7%, or equivalent to 7.3 million unemployed 
individuals.3 Furthermore, all regions reported double-digit unemployment rates, with 
the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao at 29.8%, Region III 
(Central Luzon) at 27.3%, and Cordillera Administrative Region, at 25.3% recording 
the highest unemployment rates within the same period.4
1 NEDA Social Development Committee (SDC) Resolution No. 1, series of 2007 - Adopting a Philippine Definition of Social 
Protection.
2 Updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, p. 215.
3 Philippine Statistics Authority, Employment Situation in April 2020, accessible at httDs://psa.qov.ph/content/emplovment- 
situation-april-2020 {last accessed June 29, 2022).
4 Id.


Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s latest Labor Force Survey for the 
period of April 2022, the country’s unemployment rate is 5.7%, equivalent to 2.76 
million.5 While significantly lower than the recorded rates at the onset of the pandemic, 
it is still higher than the latest unemployment rates in certain countries in Asia, such 
as Vietnam (2.8% as of March 2022), Malaysia (4.1% as of March 2022), but lower 
than Indonesia (5.8% as of February 2022) and India (7.8% as of April 2022).6
Given the foregoing, it is necessary to strengthen our existing unemployment 
insurance benefits in order to provide sufficient social protection for unemployed 
workers, combined with active labor market policies, to assist workers.
Under this bill. Section 14-B of Republic Act No. 11199, otherwise known as 
the “Social Security Act of 2018,” is amended to introduce the following key 
improvements to the country’s current Unemployment Insurance system:
1. 
Increases covered monthly cash payments of the Unemployment Insurance 
or Involuntary Separation Benefits from two (2) months to three (3) months;
2. 
Allows persons to claim unemployment benefits more than once every three 
(3) years if the cause of unemployment is due to business contractions 
brought about by public health emergencies and policy-related disruptions, 
such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and
3. 
Incorporates active labor market policies for the benefit of the beneficiaries- 
members, such as training or re-tooling under programs offered by various 
government agencies, and provision of job search assistance, including the 
provision of local information on market opportunities, job matching, and 
identification of education and training opportunities.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA^
5 Philippine Statistics Authority, April 2022 Labor Force Survey, accessible at https://psa.qov.ph/content/emplovment-rate-april- 
2022-estimated-943-percent {last accessed June 29, 2022).
6 National Economic and Development Authority, Report on Labor Force Survey (April 2022), accessible at 
https://neda.qov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Report-on-NIA-Q1-2022.pdf {last accessed June 29, 2022).


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE
S. B. no.133
Peltate
of Hjr isrrrrtn rp
’22 JUL-7 P3:04
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
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AN ACT
EXPANDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS, AMENDING 
FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14-B OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11199, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT OF 2018, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
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 “Expanded Unemployment 
Insurance Act of 2022”.
SEC. 2. Expanded Unemployment Insurance. - Section 14-B of Republic Act 
No. 11199, otherwise known as the “Social Security Act of 2018” is hereby 
amended to read as follows:
Section14-B. Unemployment 
Separation Benefits. -
insurance or involuntary
A member who is not over sixty (60) years of age who has paid at 
least thirty-six (36) months contributions twelve (12) months of 
which should be in the eighteen-month period immediately 
preceding the involuntary unemployment or separation shall be paid 
benefits in the form of monthly cash payments equivalent to fifty 
percent (50%) of the average monthly salary credit for a maximum 
of THREE (3) months: Provided, That an employee who is 
involuntarily unemployed can only claim unemployment benefits 
once every three (3) years, EXCEPT IF THE CAUSE OF 
UNEMPLOYMENT IS DUE TO BUSINESS CONTRACTIONS 
BROUGHT ABOUT BY PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES AND 
POLICY-RELATED DISRUPTIONS: PROVIDED, FURTHER, 
THAT DURING THE PERIOD OF UNEMPLOYMENT WHEREBY


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A MEMBER RECEIVES UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AS 
PROVIDED UNDER THIS ACT, THE BENEFICIARY-MEMBER 
SHALL UNDERGO TRAINING OR RE-TOOLING UNDER 
PROGRAMS OFFERED BY VARIOUS GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES AND/OR ACTIVELY SEEK EMPLOYMENT: 
PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT FOR THIS PURPOSE, JOB 
SEARCH ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF 
LOCAL INFORMATION ON MARKET OPPORTUNITIES, JOB 
MATCHING, AND IDENTIFICATION OF EDUCATION AND 
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES SHALL BE PROVIDED BY THE 
PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OFFICES (PESO): 
PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE COMMISSION SHALL 
ESTABLISH A PROPER REFERRAL AND COORDINATION 
SYSTEM AND COORDINATE WITH OTHER RELEVANT 
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO PROPERLY IMPLEMENT THIS 
SECTION; Provided, FINALLY further, That in case of concurrence 
of two or more compensable contingencies, only the highest benefit 
shall be paid, subject to the rules and regulations that the 
Commission may prescribe.
SEC. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Social Security 
Commission, in coordination with relevant government agencies and upon 
proper consultation with other stakeholders, shall promulgate the necessary 
implementing rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from the effectivity 
of this Act.
SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules, and regulations or parts 
thereof, which are contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed 
or modified accordingly.
SEC. 5. Separability. - If any provision of this law or the application thereof to 
any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of this law, or the 
application of such provision or part to other persons of circumstances, shall 
not be affected thereby.
SEC. 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved,