Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City 13 jay 2014
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS ape
First Regular Session
a 333
House Bill No. 4

Introduced by Honorable RAYMOND DEMOCRITO C. MENDOZA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines has a college student population of 3,317,530 as of Academic
Year 2012-2013 according to the National Statistical Coordination Board
(NSCB) who are either enrolled in private universities and colleges, state
universities and colleges, local universities and colleges or in other
government higher education institutions.

With trade liberalization and cut-throat competition, violations of the
internationally accepted core labor standards such as security of tenure,
collective bargaining, the right to strike, and the need for workers to receive a
decent wage have become more prevalent regardless of a worker's
educational attainment or academic background. The current curriculum in the
tertiary level does not equip fresh graduates, or the new entrants to the labor
force with the basic knowledge of their rights.

An estimated 500,000 new job seekers who enter the labor force is recorded
annually. It is imperative that college students who will eventually join the
labor force as workers and employees should have knowledge about labor
rights, worker’s welfare and benefits, core labor standards, labor laws and
regulations, the national and global labor situation, labor market concerns,
labor issues, overseas work and related problems, and other topics related to
labor and employment including jobs matching for their career guidance, so
that they will become aware of their rights and privileges as workers as well
as their responsibilities to society thereby avoiding possible abuse,
manipulation or neglect of employees at the workplace.

Knowledge of labor rights and standards is critical for college students to
understand and use for their own advantage much more for those who opt to
work overseas where they are governed by foreign laws and are away from
home, their families and their own government and are especially vulnerable
to abuse and exploitation.


Violation of worker's rights and core labor standards denigrate the dignity of
labor. The massive practice of contractualization and labor-only-contracting
also adds to the woes of workers who continue to be marginalized despite
their great contributions to economic and social development.

Labor education of this sort is absolutely critical for workers to empower
themselves and thereby provide them the knowledge to protect themselves
from being cheated or taken advantage of by employers or recruiters in a
globalized economy where there are no longer any secure jobs, where the
privatization phenomenon places even the jobs of public sector workers at
risk, and where the concept of decent work is under constant siege.

In view of the foregoing, we strongly recommend passage of this measure as
companion measure for our collective goal of achieving inclusive growth.

AYMOND DEMOCRITO C. MENDOZA
Representative, TUCP Party-List


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4399

House Bill No.

Introduced by Honorable RAYMOND DEMOCRITO C, MENDOZA

AN ACT
MANDATING THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED) TO
INCLUDE LABOR EDUCATION IN THE TERTIARY EDUCATION
CURRICULUM.

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

Section 1. Short Title. -- This Act shall be known as the “Labor Education

Act.

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ Itis the policy of the State to protect the
rights of workers and promote their welfare.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. -- For purposes of this Act, the term:

(A)"Labor Education” refers to the teaching of labor rights, worker's
welfare and benefits, the core labor standards, labor laws and
regulations, national and global labor situation, labor market concerns
including job matching for career guidance, labor issues, overseas
work and related problems, decent work and decent wages, and other
topics related to labor and employment,

(B) “CHED” refers to the Commission on Higher Education

Section 4. Inclusion of Labor Education in College Curriculum . - The
CHED is hereby mandated to develop a mandatory subject or course on labor
education that will be separately offered together with existing subjects in the
college curricula.


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Section 5. Appropriations. - Such sums as may be necessary for the initial
implementation of this Act shall be taken from the current appropriations of
CHED. Thereafter, the fund necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act

Section 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
‘executive order, presidential proclamation, rule and regulation or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, modified, or
amended accordingly

Section 7. Separability Clause. - |f any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the
other provisions hereof.

Section 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation

Approved,