TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 996
€?ffirp of !!i ft- -lit.-.-1.
25 AUG-6 A 9:55
Rl:ChlVtOBv
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
ENSURING THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF 
BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING (BPO) WORKERS AND OTHER 
SIMILARLY SITUATED PROFESSIONALS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article XIII, Section 3 of the 1987 Constitution provides that, "The State shall 
afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and 
promote full employment and equal employment opportunities for all. It shall 
guarantee the rights of all workers to self-organization, collective bargaining and 
negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including the right to strike in 
accordance with law. They shall be entitled to security of tenure, humane conditions 
of work, and a living wage. They shall also participate in policy and decision-making 
processes affecting their rights and benefits as may be provided by law."
The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is one of the industries that provided 
substantial employment opportunities to our people. When the COVID-19 pandemic 
disrupted the economic activities of our people, the BPO industry remained steadfast, 
even generating a 1.4% increase in revenue in 2020 and hired 1.8% more employees 
during the same year according to the data from the IT and Business Process 
Association of the Philippines (IBPAP).
As of 2024, "(T)the Philippine Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry 
remains a global leader, driven by the exceptional English proficiency of its workforce.


The sector, valued at $38.7 billion, employs approximately 1.3 million people, 
solidifying the Philippines' position as a premier outsourcing destination."1
However, the work-related challenges faced by BPO workers remain. Unfair 
workload assignments, poor work environment, stressful nature of the job, and 
graveyard shifts are among their common complaints. These conditions result to low 
employee morale, frequent absenteeism, and high attrition rate.
Republic Act No. 11058 or "An Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational 
Safety and Health Standards and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof" was 
enacted on August 17, 2018 to protect workers against injury, sickness or death 
through safe and healthful working conditions. This law applies to all workers in all 
industries in the country, except in public sector. While this law is instrumental in 
protecting the welfare of BPO workers, their distinct work schedule and conditions 
demand for an industry-specific occupational and health standards.
The Business Process Outsourcing - Industry Tripartite Council (BPO-ITC) of 
the National Capital Region adopted the "Voluntary Code of Good Practices in the BPO- 
ITC Industry" on September 8, 2016 to provide basic information on labor relations 
and labor standards, and more importantly, to ensure occupational safety and health. 
The enactment of a law for this purpose will undoubtedly be beneficial to all 
stakeholders.
The "BPO Workers Health and Safety Act" seeks to address these issues by 
ensuring a safe and healthy work environment for employees through the formulation 
of higher standards of occupational health and safety for the BPO industry. In relation 
to this, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is mandated to establish 
the Occupational Health and Safety Standards and Regulations for BPO workers which 
is in line with the recommendations of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
1 The $38.7 Billion BPO Industry: Filipino workers' English skills crucial to success
2


In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly 
requested.
L
JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No. 996
t:. '■ ^ 'i
'" F 
■ 
of ?i)f
25 AUG-6 A 9:55
RtCtlVirO B\,
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
ENSURING THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF 
BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING (BPO) WORKERS AND OTHER 
SIMILARLY SITUATED PROFESSIONALS
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 known and cited as the "BPO Workers
2 
Health and Safety Acf.
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared policy of the State to secure
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the health, safety and welfare of the BPO or call center workers and others similarly
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employed. The State must ensure safe and healthy work environment for call center
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employees that protects them from injury and illness and that is adapted to their
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physiological and psychological needs. The State shall formulate and mandate
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progressively higher standards of occupational health and safety to account for
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changes in technology and work practices. All call centers operation in the country
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must adhere to the foilowing principles of health and safety protection for the mutual
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benefit of the empioyees and employers:
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a) The importance of health and safety requires that employees, other persons
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at work and members of the public be given the highest level of protection
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against risks to their health and safety that is reasonably practicable in the
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circumstances.
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b) Persons who control or manage matters that give rise or may give rise to
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risks to health or safety are responsible for eliminating or reducing those
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risks so far as reasonably practicable.


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c) Employers have a duty to secure the health, safety and welfare of 
employees and third persons working at or near their workplace. This 
general duty requires employers to actively prevent risks arising out of their 
business activities and extends to protecting both employees and 
independent contractors.
d) Employers and self-employed persons should be proactive, and take all 
reasonably practicable measures, to ensure health and safety at workplace 
and in the conduct of undertakings.
e) Employers and employees should exchange information and ideas about 
risks to health and safety and measures that can be taken to eliminate or 
reduce those risks.
f) Employees are entitled, and should be encouraged, to be represented In 
relation to health and safety issues.
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall 
be understood as follows:
a) Agencies shall mean government agencies mandated to monitor, 
administer, promote, and ensure health and safety regulations and 
standards. These agencies are the Department of Labor and Employment, 
Bureau of Working Conditions, Employees Compensation Commission and 
Occupational Safety and Health Center;
b) Approved shall mean acceptable to the Secretary in writing after proper 
examination showing compliance with prescribed Standards;
c) Authorized Representative shall mean and include chartered cities, 
municipalities, employees or officials of other government agencies 
empowered by the Secretary of Labor and Employment to enforce the 
provisions of the Standards;
d) Bureau shd\\ mean the Bureau of Working Conditions;
e) Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is defined as the delegation of service- 
type business processes to a third-party service provider. It is generally 
divided into the following sectors: contact centers, back office services, data 
transcription, animation, software development, engineering development


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and game development. Most BPO companies engage in shift work to 
complete their 24-hour work cycle;
f) Call Center also known as contact center, refers to a central customer 
service operation where agents - customer care specialists or customer 
service representatives - handle business-related telephone calls and other 
U-related non-voice activities in behaif of a client;
g) Code shall mean the Labor Code of the Philippines promuigated by virtue of 
Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended;
h) DepartmentshaW mean the Department of Labor and Employment;
i) Director s\\aW mean the Director of the Bureau of Working Conditions;
j) Employee shaW mean any person hired, permitted or suffered to work by an 
employer;
k) Employer includes any person or enterprise acting directly or indirectly in 
the interest of an employer, in relation to an employee, and shall include 
government-owned or controlled corporations and institutions, as well as 
non-profit private institutions or organizations. Indirect employers or 
contractors shall be considered "employers" in this Act;
l) Enforcement Officer shail mean the industrial safety engineer, the labor 
regulation officer, or any duiy authorized representatives of the Secretary 
to enforce these standards;
m) Health shail connote a sound state of the body and mind of the worker, 
which enables him to perform his job normally, in a state of well-being;
n) Occupational ////less means any illness caused by environmental factors, the 
exposure to which is characterized or peculiar to a particular process, trade 
of occupation and to which an employee or worker is not ordinarily 
subjected to or exposed outside of or away from such employment;
o) Registered Interested Party shaW mean any duly registered non-stock non­
profit organization advocating occupational health and safety (OHS);
p) Safe or Safety shaW refer to the physical or environmental conditions of work 
or employment, which substantially comply with the provisions of the 
Standards;
q) Secretary shaW mean the Secretary of Labor and Employment;


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r) Shift Work shall mean the employment practice designed to make use of
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the 24 hours of the clock. Employees are given schedules which correspond
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to a 24-hour work cycle. The term shift work includes both long-term night
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shifts and work schedules in which employees change or rotate shifts;
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s) Standards shall mean the Occupational Safety and Health Standards and
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regulations;
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t) Work Accident shaW mean an unplanned or unexpected occurrence that may
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or may not result in personal injury, property damage, work stoppage or
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interference or any combination thereof, which arises out of and in the
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course of employment;
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u) Work Injury shaW mean any tiny injury or occupational illness suffered by a
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person, which arises out of or in the course of his employment;
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v) Workpiace means the office premises or work site, where the workers are
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habitually employed and shall include the office or place where the workers,
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who have no fixed or definite work site, regularly report for assignment in
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the course of their employment; and
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w) Workpiace Occupationai Heaith and Safety Representative as defined in
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Section 7 of this Act.
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Sec. 4. Occupationai Heaith and Safety Standards and Reguiations for BPO
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Workers. - Pursuant to its mandate, the Department of Labor and Employment is
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tasked to establish Occupational Health and Safety Standards for BPO work.
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The Standards shall adhere to the prevailing standards of health and safety for
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BPO work and other similar employment. It is imperative that the minimum provisions
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in the Standards meet the International Labor Organization's recommendations.
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Further provisions which the Agencies and the concerned parties deem appropriate
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for the protection of the workers in the local setting should be included. The Standards
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should be reviewed annually by the agencies, workplace OHS representatives and
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registered interested parties.
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Sec. 5. The Nature of BPO Night-Shift Work. - Establishments engaged in shift
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work to complete their 24-hour work cycle expose their employees to health and
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security risks, thus night-shift work is considered hazardous in this Act. The erratic


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schedule, repetitive work, and artificial daytime environment which the employees are 
subjected to cause undue physical and psychological stress on BPO workers.
Sec. 6. Compliance of the Standards. -The Standards shall be strictly enforced 
in all establishments operating in the country. Compliance to the provisions of the 
Standards shall be mandatory.
Sec. 7. Guidelines for the implementation of Standards. -The agencies and the 
workplace OHS representatives shall regularly monitor the implementation of the 
Standards.
a) The Department through its enforcement officers shall administer and 
enforce the provisions of the Standards.
b) Every employer shall give to the Secretary or his duly authorized 
representative access to its premises and records for the purpose of 
determining compliance with the provisions of the Standards.
c) Every establishment or place of employment shall be inspected at least once 
a year to determine compliance with the provisions of the Standards. Special 
inspection visits however, may be authorized by the Regional Labor Office 
or as authorized under Rule 1980 of the Labor Code, to investigate 
accidents, occupational illnesses or dangerous occurrences, especially those 
resulting in permanent total disability or death, to conduct surveys of 
working conditions requested by the Bureau for the purpose of evaluating 
and assessing environment contaminants and physical conditions or to 
conduct investigations, inspections or follow-up inspections upon request of 
an employer, worker or a labor union of the establishment.
d) The enforcement officer shall determine reasonable periods of compliance 
with recommendations depending on the gravity of the hazards needing 
corrections or the period needed to come into compliance with the order.
e) In case the establishment fails to comply with the Standards to the imminent 
danger of the workers, the enforcement officer can immediately suspend 
operations in order to prevent injuries, pending compliance by the 
establishment.
f) The workplace occupational health and safety committee shall have 
monitoring rights and can also recommend and declare suspension of


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operations in the event that the safety and welfare of workers are deemed 
compromised as stated in Section 7, B, of the Act.
Sec. 8. Workplace Occupational Health and Safety Officer. - An OHS 
representation is to be elected for the purposes of consultation and monitoring of the 
Standards if at least one of the persons employed by the employer requests the 
election of the representative. The employees may elect more than one (1) OHS 
representative upon approval by the Department.
a) Election of workplace OHS representative.
(1) A workplace OHS representative is to be elected by the workers.
(2) A person is -
(a) Only eligible to be elected as a workplace representative if he or she 
is an empioyee; and
(b) Not eligible to be elected as a health and safety representative if he 
or she is disqualified under section 56 from acting as a health and 
safety representative.
(3) All employees are entitled to vote in an election.
(4) The employees and the employers may determine how an election is to 
be conducted but, if they do not reach agreement within a reasonable 
time, any employee may ask the Department to arrange for an 
enforcement officer to-
(a) Conduct the election; or
(b) If the inspector considers it appropriate, appoint another person to 
conduct the election.
(5) An election must be conducted in accordance with the procedures (if 
any) prescribed by the regulations.
(6) If the number of candidates for election as a health and safety 
representative equals the number of vacancies, the election need not be 
conducted and each candidate is to be taken to have been elected as a 
health and safety representative for the designated work group.
b) Functions of workplace OHS representative. An OHS committee or an OHS 
representative has the following functions:


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(1) To keep under review the measures taken to ensure the health, safety 
and welfare of persons at the place of work,
(2) To investigate any matter that may be a risk to health and safety at the 
place of work,
(3) To attempt to resolve the matter but, if unable to do so, to request an 
investigation by an inspector for that purpose, and
(4) Such other functions as are prescribed by the regulations
The workplace OHS representative may file a petition for a time off pay to the 
enforcement officer. The time off may be for attending courses as required by 
appropriate agencies and for conducting investigations on matters relating to his 
duties as a workplace OHS representative. The enforcement officer shall determine 
the amount of time off commensurate to the task being performed.
c) Powers of the workplace OHS representative. A health and safety
representative may do any of the following:
(1) Inspect any part of a workplace
(a) At any time after giving reasonable notice to the employer concerned 
or its representative; and
(b) Immediately in the event of an incident or any situation involving an 
immediate risk to the health or safety of any person;
(2) Accompany an inspector during inspection of a workplace at which a 
member of the designated work group works;
(3) Require the establishment of a health and safety committee to assist in 
the monitoring if a situation is necessitated;
(4) Under extra ordinary circumstances, the representative may give notice 
to the employer and the enforcement officer for the suspension of 
workplace operation if the welfare and safety of the employees are at 
risk. The notice must be acted upon by the employer and the 
enforcement within 24 hours so as to prevent endangering the lives of 
the workers; and,
(5) Assist or submit in behalf of the injured and ill employee, or his 
beneficiaries in case of death, compensation claims to the Employees 
Compensation Commission (ECC).


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Sec. 9. Workplace Policy on Occupational Health and Safety. - Each 
establishment shall formulate their own occupational health and safety policy which 
adheres to the Standards as defined in Section 4 of this Act. Any additional safety 
measure deemed appropriate to the nature of the localized work environment may 
also be included pending approval by the Bureau. The policy must be reviewed 
annually by the employers, the workplace OHS representatives and the authorized 
representative.
All employees shall be informed of the OHS policy. Informational materials such 
as posters, brochures and similar devices shall be distributed to the employees free of 
charge.
Sec. 10. Health Program. - The company physician shall, in addition to his 
duties stated in the Labor Code, develop and implement a comprehensive occupational 
health program for the benefit of the employees of his employer.
Sec. 11. Health Insurance. - All employees are entitled to free medical 
examination upon entry and annually during his tenure of employment. The 
establishment shall provide full health insurance to the employees, the coverage of 
which shall be agreed upon by the company and its employees.
Sec. 12. Work-Related Injuries, Sickness and Death Compensation. - All 
employees and their dependents shall also be compensated for injuries, medical 
complications, illness, disability and death arising from and related to their work in 
accordance to existing laws, labor policies, guidelines or circular as the case may be. 
The Employees Compensation Commission shall promptly process any claims for/by 
injured, disabled, deceased employees or their dependents.
Sec. 13. Independent Contractors. - Articles 106 of the Labor expressly 
prohibits the "labor only" contracting. Employers engaging independent contractors to 
perform work on their behalf have a duty to minimize the health and safety risks to 
the contractor's employees. This is because they are deemed to be employees for the 
purposes of the Act; and because employers have a duty to protect third parties at or 
near their workplace. A failure to maintain a safe workplace for contractors' employees 
may constitute a contravention of the employer's general duty under the Act.
Sec. 14. Pena! Provision. -


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(a) Unless otherwise provided in any Chapter or section in the Code, any
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person or establishment who shall violate, disobey, refuse, omit or
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neglect to comply with any of the rules and regulations promulgated
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under this Act shall have a criminal liability and upon conviction shall
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be punished by imprisonment for a period no exceeding six (6) years
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and a fine not less than One hundred fifty thousand pesos
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(P150,000.00) depending upon the discretion of the court.
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(b) Any person who shall interfere with or hinder, or oppose any officer,
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agent or member of the Department or of the Bureaus and offices
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under it, in the performance of his duty as such under this Code, or
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shall tear down, mutilate, deface or alter any placard, or notice,
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affixed to the punishable upon conviction by imprisonment for an
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exceeding six (6) months and a fine not less than Fifty thousand
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pesos (P50,000.00) and not more than One hundred thousand pesos
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(P100,000.00) per day for each violation depending upon the
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discretion of the court.
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(c) In case of injury, illness or death due to violation, disobedience,
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refusal, omission or neglect to comply with the Standards and
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regulations in this Act, the employers and/or establishment shall have
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a criminal liability and shall be punished by imprisonment and
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penalties applicable under the Republic Act 3815 also known as the
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Revised Penal Code.
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Sec. 15. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
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unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall
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remain in force and effect.
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Sec. 16. Repealing Clause. -Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
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order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this
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Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 17. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
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its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,