FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
THIRD =GULAR SESSION 
) 
Introduced by Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr 
EXPLANATORY NOTE, 
Discrimination is the act in which a person or a race is being distinguished from another 
and is responded differently. To put it differently, discrimination is giving unfair treatment on 
basis of prejudice on a person, race or ethnicity and gender. 
Discrimination is an issue that is not new. It has been going on for centuries and across 
many countries. It can happen anywhere and anytime. Anyone can be discriminated against by 
some person having a biased judgment. An example would be a woman being discriminated 
against because of her gender or her status in life. This act of discrimination entails that a 
superior race or person is implying inferiority onto another entity. 
With the issue of discrimination happening, some people are losing opportunities for 
employment. Some people are being favored or preferred on basis of the bias of the employers, 
whereas the people being differentiated are not being given due recognition on the merits that 
they accomplished. Some of the people being discriminated against are ethnic tribes, women, and 
ex-convicts. 
Ex-convicts or persons convicted of crimes and later released, faced few employment 
opportunities because of their past misdeeds. They are being discriminated sometimes because of 
the fear of the employer’s safety. But not all of the time these released persons present danger to 
the community and the employer. Some of these persons were innocent and unjustly imprisoned. 
Their unfortunate luck of not having money to defend their innocence resulted in months and 
years in prison. And with them having served their sentence, they now face discrimination in 
their society. 
With the lack of employment opportunities for these persons that are reformed, this bill 
seeks to aid such people in finding employment and not being prejudiced upon. In order to aid 
such people facing problems in employment and aid their impoverished families, a mandate in 
the Constitution promotes “equality of employment opportunities for all.” Let us, as the 
representatives of the people, enact this bill for the betterment of the people. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
REGULAR SESSION 
) 
Introduced by Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr 
AN ACT 
TO PROHIBIT EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION 
BASED ON PREVIOUS CRIMINAL RECORD 
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 “Employment Non- 
discrimination against Former Criminal Offenders.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of PoZzV. - It is a declared State policy to ensure equal work 
opportunities. Pursuant to this policy, it shall prohibit discrimination committed by an employer 
against an employee on the basis of latter’s previous criminal record. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term: 
(A) “Employer” includes any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an 
employer in relation to an employee and shall include the Government and its branches, 
subdivisions, and instrumentalities, all government-owned and controlled corporations, as well 
as non-profit private institutions, or organizations; 
(B) “Employee” includes any individual employed by an employer; 
(C) “Former Criminal Offenders or Ex-Convicts’’ means any individual having served a 
sentence for any criminal offense by a court and released accordingly; 
(D) “Employment agency” means any person regularly undertaking with or without 
compensation to procure employees for an employer or to procure for employees as 
opportunities to work for an employer and includes an agent of such a person; 
(E) “Employment” or “employment opportunities” includes job application procedures, 
hiring, advancement, discharge, compensation, job training or of dealing with employment 
concerning terms and conditions of employment; 
(F) “Person” includes one or more individuals the Government and all its branches, 
subdivision and instrumentalities, all government-owned and controlled corporations and 
institutions, as well as non-profit private institutions, or organizations, labor unions, partnerships, 
associations, corporations, legal representatives, mutual companies, joint-stock companies, 
trusts, unincorporated organizations, trustees, or receivers 
(G) “Covered entity” means an employer, employment agency, labor organization, or 
joint management committee; 


SECTION 4. Prohibited Practices. - It shall be an unlawhl employment practice: 
(1) To fail or rehse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate 
against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or 
privileged of employment because of the individual’s previous criminal offenses. 
(2) To limit or segregate, or classify his or her eihployees or applicants for employment 
in any way which would deprive or tend to deprive any individual’of employment 
opportunities or otherwise adversely affect hidher status as an employee, because of 
such individual’s prior criminal offenses. 
(A)For an employer - 
SECTION 5. Scope. - This Act shall apply to all persons convicted of criminal offenses 
and discharged and any kind of employment such individual wishes to undertake. 
This Act will make certain that the Department of Social Welfare and Development will 
administer non-discrimination programs to ensure the community of the importance of 
individuals in the growth of the community. Such programs will include community discussions 
that will aim to teach the community on non-discrimination against their fellowmen. 
This Act will also incIude in its promulgation, a psychological test that will be available 
for employers requesting assessment of potential employees. Such individual psychological 
assessment will be administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and a 
partner agency to assure the community and the employer of the safe integration and 
performance of the individual being hired. 
SECTION 6. Retaliation and Coercion Prohibited. - 
(A) Retaliation. - A Covered entity shall not discriminate against an individual because 
such individual made a charge, assisted, testified, or participated in any means in an 
investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this Act. 
(B) Coercion. - A person shall not coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any 
individuals in the exercise or enjoyment of any right granted or protected under this Act. 
SECTION 7. Other Remedies. - This Act shall not invalidate or limit the rights, 
remedies, or procedures available to an individual claiming discrimination prohibited under any 
other law, rule or regulation. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,