EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No.
lily’;'''
u! ll!f €o.-a(tnrp
'19 JllL -1 All 39
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto
Rll.-
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Explanatory Note
One out of every five Filipinos is considered poor. As reported by the Philippine 
Statistics Authority, the poverty incidence among Filipino individuals in the first semester of 
2018 was estimated at 21 percent'. Our current population is roughly 110 million, this means that 
over 20 million Filipinos live in poverty.
Poverty is more than the lack of income and resources to ensure a sustainable livelihood. 
Its manifestations include hunger and malnutrition, limited access to education and other basic 
services, social discrimination and exclusion as well as the lack of participation in decision­
making". High poverty incidence spells a host of other problems, thus, poverty reduction results 
in solutions for a number of other problems as well.
The reduction of poverty is at the heart of the development agenda both nationally and 
globally. This is reflected in the Philippine Development Plan, and the worldwide commitment 
toward the Sustainable Development Goals. On the part of the current administration we have 
the Ambisyon 2040, which envisions a Philippines in 2040 where no Filipino is poor, no Filipino 
is ever hungry and Filipino families live in comfortable homes with the desired amenities and 
secure tenure3; and the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 which aims to reduce poverty to 
13 to 15 percent by 2022.
In the ADB’s report on Poverty in the Philippines, one of the identified main causes of 
poverty in the country is recurrent shocks and exposure to risks such as economic crisis, 
conflicts, natural disasters, and "environmental poverty." The subsequent loss of employment is 
the most common outcome resulting from these causes. In turn the loss of employment and loss 
of income pushes those already at risk into poverty, and the poor more deeply mired in poverty.
The Poverty Assessment4 report by the World Bank recommends managing disaster risks 
and protecting the vulnerable as a policy direction. The government has several programs in line 
with this. The DOLE has the Adjustment Measures Program(AMP) and the Tulong 
Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD). These programs 
provide for the temporary employment of the people in afflicted areas or situations. The most 
notable ones to date are the AMPs done by the government in response to the K to 12 Integration 
and the Boracay and Mining closures.
Proportion of Poor Filipinos rogislcrcd at 21.0 percent in the Fii^t Semester of 20IS, https://psa.gov.pli/povei1y-press-releuses/niii/l3X4l I 
Sustainable Development Goals, www.un.org 
Ambisyon Natin 2040. www.neda.gov.ph
Making growth work for the poor : A Poverty Assessment for the Philippines, https://www.worldbank.org


This bill aims to institutionalize these emergency employment programs into the National 
Employment Assistance Progiam. With the institutionalization ot these programs there would be 
no need to eonvene special task forces that would formulate and implement the government’s 
plan of action for similar incidents as the mechanisms and flinding for these programs are 
already in place. Hence government action would be swift and more efficient.
Due to the geographic location of the Philippines, our country has a high risk of 
experiencing natural disasters. An average of 20 typhoons make landfall in the Philippines every 
year. At least 60 percent of the country’s total land area is exposed to multiple hazards, and 74 
percent of the population is vulnerable to their impact5. The institutionalization of a national 
emergency employment program would mitigate the negative impacts of these disastrous events 
as well as contribute to the poverty reduction efforts of the government.
In light of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
MFO
5 Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, https://www.grdrr.org/cn/pliilippincs
Note: This version ot the bill is essentially the Committee Report Version reported out by the Committee on Social Justice, 
Welfare and Rural Development in the I7'h Congress, which was authored and sponsored by Senator Leila M. Dc Lima, and 
including some proposed additions to the measure by this representation.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 
4  6
Senate
-S’di-T ul tiK i&ccirtnrp
'19 
JUL -1 
All '39
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THI<:REE0R
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be kno\\n as the “National 
Employment Assistance Program Act”.
Sec. 2. D eclaration o f Policy. -  It is a declared policy of the State to promote a 
just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the 
nation and free the people from poveity through policies that provide adequate social 
ser\ices, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality 
of life for all. Tow'ards this end, the State shall provide Filipinos with opportunities for 
just and sufficient means of livelihood. The State shall likewise initiate meaningful 
employment assistance programs to qualified individuals of poor, disad\;antaged or 
displaced households duly identified by the appropriate national agencies.
Sec. 3. N ational Em ploym ent Assistance Program . -  There is hereby 
created a 
National Employment Assistance Program (NEAP), which shall provide 
temporaiy employment to qualified indiv iduals who are poor, disadvantaged/displaced 
or seasonal workers wdio volunteer to w'ork for a minimum of ten (lo) days but not more 
than (90) days in a calendar year wherein the minimum and maximum period of 
engagement can cover a single activity or multiple activities spread out over the course 
of a calendar year: Provided, that qualified individuals may include subprofessionals.
Qualified individuals are not subject to the terms and conditions of regular 
employment and as such, shall not be deemed to havre an employer-employee 
relationship with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), or any agency or 
institution who utilizes their sendees with respect to the Program.
Sec. 4. Dejinition o f Terms. - As used in this Act:
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(a) “Displaced worker” refers to a worker in the formal and informal sectors 
who became unemployed, underemployed, or have lost livelihood as a 
result of closure of establishment, economic crisis, retrenchment, 
termination, natural disaster/calamities;
(b) Poor ’ refers to individuals and families whose income fall below the 
poverty threshold as defined by the government and/or cannot afford in a 
sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs of food, health, 
education, housing and other essential amenities of life, or those who have 
been identified as poor by the National Household Targeting System for 
Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR);
(c) Qualified individual” refers to willing and able Filipino citizens who are 
at least fifteen (15) years of age. Provided, That individuals between the 
ages of fifteen (15) and eighteen (18) may only qualify by first obtaining 
consent from their parent/s and/or legal guardian, and can only be 
employed in non-hazardous work environments in accordance with the 
Labor Code; and
(d) “Seasonal worker” refers to a worker \vho performs work or seiwice that is 
only for a specific period of time or season of the year.
Sec. 5. Qualifications fo r Availment o f Em ploym ent Assistance. -
The DOLE shall take the lead in the overall implementation of the NEAP.
The DOLE and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in 
close coordination with other government agencies concerned, as well as the identified 
communities, 
may 
conduct 
a 
preliminaiy joint 
assessment 
of all 
poor, 
disadvantaged/displaced individuals, including seasonal workers who signify interest in 
undertaking work in order to determine eligibility and inclusion to the NEAP. The 
assessment shall also take into consideration the inherent knowledge, skills, capacities, 
and capabilities of potential qualified participants so as to properly determine the type 
and nature of projects that are most suited to them and their respective communities.
The DOLE shall facilitate basic knowledge and skills orientation and capacity­
building trainings and seminars as deemed necessary towards project development for 
qualified participants. The local government units (LGUs) and program partners 
concerned may make available for use any tools and equipment necessaiy for project 
development to the qualified individuals.
Sec. 6. Types o f Works and Activities under the Proyram . — Employment 
activities for this purpose shall be designed to mobilize eligible individuals, families and 
communities to finish a project within a given time period. These projects mav include, 
but are not limited, to the following:
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(a) Development, rebuilding/rehabilitation of agri-based livelihood assets 
damaged, destroyed or lost due to natural disasters, such as desilting of 
iiligation canals, development of paddy dikes, and rehabilitation of water 
impounding dams;
03) Development or rehabilitation of common semce facilities, which are being 
shaied and used by poor families as production or consolidation centers like 
post-hai’vest facilities, public markets, display centers, and fish ports;
(c) Development or rehabilitation of physical assets to open up access to areas 
necessaiy to transport rural products, such as construction of farm-to-market 
roads and bridges;
(d) Protection of natural and productive assets through mitigation and disaster 
lisk 1 eduction measures, such as mangrove planting and rehabilitation, tree 
planting, seedling preparation, re-forestation and similar activities; and
(e) Social community projects, such as repair, maintenance, and/or improvement 
of common public facilities and infrastructure such as schools and health 
centers, debris clearing, declogging of canals, debris segregation and materials 
recovery, stockpiling and clearing.
The DOLE shall provide an updated list of projects that may be undertaken as 
well as the projects not covered under this Act. This list shall be readily made available 
to potentially qualified individuals who hav'e expressed their desire to participate in the 
NEAP.
Sec. 7. R ate o f Assistance. -  Eveiy person qualified under this Program shall 
be entitled to receive compensation for each day of work at the prevailing minimum 
wage set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Producti\ity Board (RTWPB) concerned. 
LG Us may also provide for additional allowances to the beneficiaries in order to cover 
for other expenses such as transportation and food.
Sec. 8. A ppropriations. -  The Secretaiy of Labor and Employment shall 
include in the DOLE’S programs the implementation of this Act, the initial funding of 
which shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the 
DOLE. 
Thereafter, the amount necessaiy for its continued implementation shall be included in 
the annual General Appropriations Act.
In addition, the DOLE may accept donations, contributions or grants from 
foreign and local persons, institutions and governments, among others, for the 
implementation of the NEAP.
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Sec. 9. Im j)lcm enling Rules and Regulations. -  Within ninety (90) days 
after the approval of this Act, the Secretaiy of the DOLE and DSWD shall issue the 
necessaiy rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. -  Should any pro\ ision of this Act be found 
unconstitutional by a court of law, such provision shall be severed from the remainder of 
this Act, and such action shall not affect the enforceability of the remaining provisions of 
this Act.
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, letters of instruction, 
resolutions, orders or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.
Sec. 12. EJJeetivily Clause. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or any national newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
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