SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
'15 JUN-9 P2:19 
SENATE 
S. No. 
2837 
[{ECEIVED BY:-e-
(In sUbstitution of S. B. No. 2248, taking into consideration H. No. 5306) 
Prepared by the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources 
Development with Senator Sonny Angara as author thereof 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING THE OPERATIONS OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS 
COMMISSION, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE ARTICLES 219 AND 221 OF 
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Article 219 of Presidential Decree No. 442 as amended, 
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otherwise known as the Labor Code of the Philippines, is hereby further amended to 
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read as follows: 
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"Article 219. National Labor Relations Commission. -
There 
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shall be a National Labor Relations Commission which shall be 
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attached to the Department of Labor and Employment solely for 
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program and policy coordination, composed of a Chairman and twenty-
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three (23) members. 
10 
x 
x 
x 
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"The Commission and its eight (8) divisions shall be assisted by 
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the Commission Attorneys in its appellate and adjudicatory functions 
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whose term shall be coterminous with the Commissioners with whom 
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they are assigned. The Commission Attorneys shall be members. of the 
.. , 
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Philippine Bar with at least one (1) year experience or exposure .in the 
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field of labor-management relations. They shall receive annual salaries 
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and shall be entitled to the same allowances and benefits as those 
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falling under Salary Grade twenty-six (26). There shall be as many 
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Commission Attorneys as may be necessary for the effective and 
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efficient operation of the Commission but in no case more than [three 
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(3)] FIVE (5) assigned to the Office of the Chairman and each 
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Commissioner. 
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["No Labor Arbiter shall be assigned to perform the functions of the 
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Commission Attorney nor detailed to the office of any Commissioner."] 
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SECTION 2. Article 221 of the Labor Code is hereby amended to read 
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as follows: 
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"Article 221. Appointment and Qualifications. - The Chairman 
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and other Commissioners shall be members of the Philippine Bar and 
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must have been engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines for at 
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least fifteen (15) years, with at least five (5) years experience or 
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exposure in the field of labor-management relations, and shall 
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preferably be residents of the region where they shall hold office. The 
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Labor Arbiters shall likewise be members of the Philippine Bar and 
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must have been engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines for at 
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least ten (10) years, with at least five (5) years experience or exposure 
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in the field of labor relations. 
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26 
x 
x 
x 
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"The Chairman, the Division Presiding Commissioners and 
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other Commissioners shall all be appointed by the President. 
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Appointment to any vacancy in a specific division shall come only from 
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the predecessor. The Labor Arbiters shall also be appointed by the 
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President, upon the recommendation of the Commission en banc [to a 
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specific arbitration branch preferably in the region where they are 
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residents], and shall be subject to Civil Service Law, rules and 
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1 
regulations [:Provided, That the Labor Arbiters who are presently 
2 
holding office in the region where they are residents shall be 
3 
deemed appointed thereat]. 
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"The Chairman of the Commission shall appoint the staff and 
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employees of the Commission and its regional branches as the needs 
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of the service may require, subject to the Civil Service Law, rules and 
8 
regulations, and upgrade their current salaries, benefits and other 
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emoluments in accordance with law." 
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SECTION 3. Renumbering. -
For purposes of uniformity, the numerical 
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designation of Title II (National Labor Relations Commission), Chapter I, Book Five 
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of Presidential Decree No. 442, as Article 219 in Section 1, and Article 221 in 
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Section 2 of this Act, as well as the remaining provisions of the said Title II, Chapter 
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I, Book Five, shall be renumbered in accordance with Republic Act No.1 0151. 
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SECTION 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
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unconstitutidnal, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other 
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provisions hereof. 
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SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, 
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otherwise known as the Labor Code of the Philippines, and all other laws, decrees, 
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orders, issuances, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the 
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provisions of this act are hereby repealed, amended or m'odified accordingly."; 
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SECTION 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazelle or at least two (2) newspapers of national 
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circulation, 
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Approved, 
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