NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 1187
lx ^cuntc
o( tlic
*22 AUG 16 P2 37
RECEiVcD EV
Introduced by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" T. Go
AN ACT
CREATING ONE ADDITIONAL DIVISION IN THE NATIONAL LABOR 
RELATIONS COMMISSION. INCREASING THE NUMBER OF 
COMMISSIONERS FROM TWENTY-THREE (23) TO TWENTY-SIX (26). 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442. AS 
AMENDED. OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE 
PHILIPPINES. APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR. AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) is a quasi-judicial body 
attached to the Department of Labor and Employment tasked with promoting and 
maintaining industrial peace by resolving labor and management disputes involving 
workers.
In 2021, the Commission posted an overall disposition output of 32,433 cases 
through compulsory arbitration, consisting of 24,262 original cases from the 
Regional Arbitration Branches and 8,171 appealed cases from the Commission 
Proper.
Out of 27,037 original cases received for the current year, 24,262 or 90% are 
disposed of by the Regional Arbitration Branches (RABs), while the Commission 
Proper disposes of 8,171 or 102% from the 8,031 appealed cases received for the 
current year.


With the growing number of local and overseas workers, the NLRC is now 
tasked with more significant responsibility. Thus, creating an additional division of 
the NLRC will be beneficial for the proper administration and implementation of the 
labor laws and rules.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought
SENATOR CHRISTOPHERjLAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
s. No. 1187
of t!jr ^rrverarp
*22 AUG 16 P2 37
Introduced by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" T. Go
AN ACT
CREATING ONE ADDITIONAL DIVISION IN THE NATIONAL LABOR 
RELATIONS COMMISSION. INCREASING THE NUMBER OF 
COMMISSIONERS FROM TWENTY-THREE (23) TO TWENTY-SIX (26). 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442. AS 
AMENDED. OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE 
PHILIPPINES. APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR. AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Title II, Chapter I. Article 220 of Presidential Decree No. 442, as 
amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
Article 220. National Labor Relations Commission. There shall be 
a National Labor Relations Commission which shall be attached to the 
Department of Labor and Employment for program and policy 
coordination only, composed of a Chairman and [twentyHihree (23)] 
TWENTY-SIX (26) Members.
[Eight (8)] NINE (9) members [eaeb] shall be chosen from 
among the nominees of the workers and employers organizations, 
respectively. The Chairman and [the—seven—F^] EIGHT (8) 
[remaining] members shall come from the public sector, with the latter


to be chosen from among the recommendees of the Secretary of Labor 
and Employment.
Upon assumption into office, the members nominated by the 
workers and employers organizations shall divest themselves of any 
affiliation with or interest in the federation or association to which they 
belong.
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The Commission may sit en banc or in [eight (8)] NINE (9) 
divisions, each composed of three (3) members. Subject to the 
penultimate sentence of this paragraph, the Commission shall sit en 
banc only for purposes of promulgating rules and regulations 
governing the hearing and disposition of cases before any of its 
divisions and regional branches, and formulating policies affecting its 
administration and operations. The Commission shall exercise its 
adjudicatory and all other powers, functions, and duties through its 
divisions. Of the [eight (8)] NINE (9) divisions, the first, second, 
third, fourth, fifth and sixth divisions shall handle cases coming from 
the National Capital Region and other parts of Luzon, and the seventh, 
[afthl eighth, AND NINTH divisions, cases from the Visayas and 
Mindanao, respectively: Provided, That the Commission sitting en banc 
may, on temporary or emergency basis, allow cases within the 
jurisdiction of any division to be heard and decided by any other 
division whose docket allows the additional workload and such transfer 
will not expose litigants to unnecessary additional expense. The 
divisions of the Commission shall have exclusive appellate jurisdiction 
over cases within then respective territorial jurisdiction.
The concurrence of two (2) Commissioners of a division shall be 
necessary for the pronouncement of judgment or resolution. Whenever 
the required membership in a division is not complete and the 
concurrence of two (2) Commissioners to arrive at a judgment or


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resolution cannot be obtained, the Chairman shall designate such 
number of additional Commissioners from the other divisions as may 
be necessary.
The conclusions of a division on any case submitted to it for 
decision shall be reached in consultation before the case is assigned to 
a member for the writing of the opinion. It shall be mandatory for the 
division to meet for purposes of the consultation ordained therein. A 
certification to this effect signed by the Presiding Commissioner of the 
division shall be issued, and a copy thereof attached to the record of 
the case and served upon the parties.
The Chairman shall be the Presiding Commissioner of the first 
division, and the [seven (7)] EIGHT (8) other members from the 
public sector shall be the Presiding Commissioners of the second, third, 
fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, [anef] eighth, AND NINTH divisions, 
respectively. In case of the effective absence or incapacity of the 
Chairman, the Presiding Commissioner of the second division shall be 
the Acting Chairman.
The Chairman, aided by the Executive Clerk of the Commission, 
shall have exclusive administrative supervision over the Commission 
and its regional branches and all its personnel, including the Labor 
Arbiters.
The Commission, when sitting en banc, shall be assisted by the 
same Executive Clerk, and, when acting thru its Divisions, by said 
Executive Clerk for its first division and [seven (7)] EIGHT (8) other 
Deputy Executive Clerks for the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, 
seventh, [efief] eighth, AND NINTH Divisions, respectively, in the 
performance of such similar or equivalent functions and duties as are 
discharged by the Clerk of Court and Deputy Clerks of Court of the 
Court of Appeals.


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The Commission and its [eight (8)] NINE (9) divisions shall be 
assisted by the Commission Attorneys in its appellate and adjudicatory 
functions whose term shall be coterminous with the Commissioners 
with whom they are assigned. The Commission Attorneys shall be 
members of the Philippine Bar with at least one (1) year experience or 
exposure in the field of labor-management relations. They shall receive 
annual salaries and shall be entitled to the same allowances and 
benefits as those falling under Salary Grade twenty-six (SG 26). There 
shall be as many Commission Attorneys as may be necessary for the 
effective and efficient operation of the Commission but in no case 
more than five (5) assigned to the Office of the Chairman and each 
Commissioner
Sec. 2. Title II, Chapter I, Article 221 of Presidential Decree No. 442, as
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amended. Is hereby further amended to read as follows:
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Article 221. Headquarters, Branches and Provincial Extension 
Units. The Commission and its first, second, third, fourth, fifth and 
sixth divisions shall have their main offices in Metropolitan Manila, and 
the seventh, [afidl eighth, AND NINTH divisions In the cities of Cebu, 
Cagayan de Oro, AND DAVAO, respectively. The Commission 
shall establish as many regional branches as there are regional offices 
of the Department of Labor and Employment, sub-regional branches or 
provincial extension units. There shall be as many Labor Arbiters as 
may be necessary for the effective and efficient operation of the 
Commission.
Sec. 3. Funding. - The amounts necessary to carry out the provisions of this
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Act shall be Included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its
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enactment into law and thereafter.
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Sec. 4. Upon the effectivity of this Act, all pending cases, except those which 
have been submitted for resolution, shall be referred to the proper division of the 
National Labor Relations Commission.
Sec. 5. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow the transfer, except in
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cases of temporary assignment, of any member of the National Labor Relations
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Commission to any place or station without such member's written consent, or to
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undermine the security of tenure of its members, or alter the seniority in the
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National Labor Relations Commission in accordance with existing laws.
Sec. 6. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
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unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision thereof not affected
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thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, letters of
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instruction, executive orders, rules, or regulations, or any part thereof inconsistent
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with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
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Approved.