NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
||?:|| Senate
's^r.^/<0ffi£p oC ti}? ^f'r:retiirj
23 MAY-3 PI 34
SENATE
s. No. 2122
RECEIVED 8V
Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE WASTE WORKERS' HEALTH AND WELFARE PROGRAM, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Like any other worker, waste workers have an indispensable contribution in the 
society as they help maintaining our place clean.
Waste workers provide an essential part in the waste management system. 
They sustain cleanliness in public spaces, thus, help prevent the spread of 
communicable diseases and maintain the aesthetics of the place. Unfortunately, these 
waste workers are often exposed to dirt and at the same time, to diseases
To help them, this bill seeks to mandate the Department of Labor and 
Employment to establish and administer the Waste Worker's Health and Welfare 
Program. This will provide health coverage and benefits, occupational safety training, 
personal protective equipment to the waste workers, educational assistance to waste 
workers and their dependents, and financial assistance.
Therefore, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
MARK A. VILLAR


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S. No.
SENATE
2122
Senate
of tt? i^-cretarp
23 HAY-3 PI ••34
RHCEiVED B^i.
Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE WASTE WORKERS' HEALTH AND WELFARE PROGRAM, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Waste Workers' Health
2 
and Welfare Act of 2023."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote the health,
4 
safety, and welfare of waste workers in the Philippines through the establishment of
5 
a comprehensive program that provides benefits, education, and training, and ensures
6 
access to proper equipment and facilities, in recognition of the critical role they play
7 
in maintaining the country's cleanliness and sustainability.
8 
Sec. 3. Definition of Waste Worker- For the purpose of this Act, "Waste worker"
9 
refers to any person engaged in the collection, transportation, processing, and
10 
disposal of solid waste, and includes, but is not limited to, garbage collectors, waste
11 
pickers, recyclers, and landfill and dumpsite workers.
12 
Sec. 4. Waste Workers'Health and Welfare Program. - The Department of Labor
13 
and Employment (DOLE) shall establish and administer the Waste Workers' Health
14 
and Welfare Program, designed to safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of
15 
waste workers in the Philippines, which shall include the following components:
16 
a) Registration and Monitoring System - A system for the registration of waste
17 
workers, necessary for them to be covered under this Program.


1 
b) Health Coverage and Benefits - A package of healthcare benefits, including
2 
free annual check-ups, vaccinations, and hospitalization assistance, in
3 
partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
4 
c) Occupational Safety Training - The provision of regular training programs on
5 
methods, techniques, and the proper use of personal protective equipment to
6 
minimize the risks associated with waste handling.
7 
d) Personal Protective Equipment - The mandatory provision to waste workers
8 
of suitable and adequate personal protective equipment free of charge by their
9 
employers or agencies.
10 
e) Educational Assistance - The facilitation of access to educational assistance
11 
programs and scholarship grants for waste workers and their dependents.
12 
f) Financial Assistance - The institution of a loan program under the auspices
13 
of the Department, in collaboration with qualified financial institutions, to
14 
provide waste workers with low-interest loans for housing, emergency
15 
situations, or the establishment of sustainable livelihood businesses.
16 
Sec. 4. Funding. - The necessary funding for the implementation of the Waste
17 
Workers' Health and Welfare Program shall be allocated from the annual General
18 
Appropriations Act (GAA). The DOLE may also accept and utilize grants, donations,
19 
contributions, or other forms of assistance, subject to existing laws, rules, and
20 
regulations.
21 
Sec. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOLE, in consultation with
22 
relevant stakeholders and other government agencies, shall promulgate and publish
23 
the necessary implementing rules and regulations for the effective implementation of
24 
this Act within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this law.
25 
Sec. 6. Separability Clause. - Any portion or provisions of this Act that may be
26 
declared unconstitutional or invalid and shall not have the effect of nullifying other
27 
portions or provisions hereof as long as such remaining portions or provisions can still
28 
subsist and be given effect in their entirety.
29 
Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
30 
memoranda, circulars, and other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent
31 
with the Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


1 
Sec. 8. Effectivity Clause. -This Act shall be take effect fifteen (15) days after
2 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,