Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House BILL No. 2218

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

News of abuses against Filipino migrant workers grace mainstream media a lot more
frequently than before. More surprising are the abuses that happen while our Filipino
Overseas Workers are in the custody of fellow Filipinos. Accounts of migrant workers
being abused by Philippine government officials abroad astound especially as we
expect a certain standard of morals from our public servants.

In order to prevent these cases from happening again, this representation proposes
to address this by amending Republic Act No. 8042 to include an additional provision
stating that officials or employees of the Department of Labor and Employment, the
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, or the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration, or the Department of Foreign Affairs, or other government agencies
involved that are stationed abroad and proven to be committing the abuses against
migrant workers in their custody to be criminally prosecuted in the Philippines. The
acts to be penalized, such as child abuse, exploitation, trafficking, sexual
harassment and rape, or violence against women, are listed in the proposed bill.

The approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

LUIS RAY! “Lu IF. VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 8218

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
ENHANCING PROTECTION FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS IN THE
CUSTODY OF GOVERNMENT OFFICERS/EMPLOYEES, AMENDING FOR THIS
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT 8042

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

SECTION 1. Section 8 of Republic Act 8042 is hereby amended to include a Section
8-A as follows:

SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES. - It shall be unlawful for
any official or employee of the Department of Labor and Employment, the Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration, or the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration, or the Department of Foreign Affairs, or other government agencies
involved in the implementation of this Act, or their relatives within the fourth civil
degree or consanguinity or affinity, to engage, directly or indirectly, in the business of
recruiting migrant workers as defined in this Act. The penalties shall be imposed
upon them.

SEC. 8-A. OFFICIALS OR EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND
EMPLOYMENT, THE PHILIPPINE OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT ADMINISTRATION,
OR THE OVERSEAS WORKERS WELFARE ADMINISTRATION, OR THE
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES


INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT THAT ARE STATIONED
ABROAD COMMITTING THE FOLLOWING VIOLATIONS OF SPECIAL LAW
AGAINST MIGRANT WORKERS IN THEIR CUSTODY SHALL BE CRIMINALLY
PROSECUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES:

(A)REPUBLIC ACT 7610 OR SPECIAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN
AGAINST CHILD ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION ACT

(B) REPUBLIC ACT 9262 OR ANTI-VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR
CHILDREN ACT

(C)REPUBLIC ACT 9208 OR THE ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS ACT OF
2003

(D)REPUBLIC ACT 9710 OR THE MAGNA CARTA FOR WOMEN

(E) REPUBLIC ACT 7877 OR THE ANTI-SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT OR 1995

(F) REPUBLIC ACT 8353 OR THE ANTI-RAPE LAW OF 1997

SECTION 2. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect in fifteen (15) days after
publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation in
the Philippines.

Approved,