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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2721
Introduced by Representatives Bryan B. Revilla, Lani Mercado-Revilla, and Ramon 
Jolo B. Revilla III 
AN ACT 
REDEFINING THE CRIME OF ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT COMMITTED BY A 
SYNDICATE, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 
442, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AS 
AMENDED, AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 1995, AS AMENDED 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Illegal recruitment remains a serious threat to the safety and dignity of Filipino 
jobseekers, particularly those aspiring to work overseas. Recruiters operating in 
syndicates continue to exploit legal loopholes and outdated definitions in existing laws, 
making it difficult to hold all perpetrators accountable—especially when only a few 
individuals are directly identified or charged. 
This bill seeks to redefine the crime of illegal recruitment committed by a syndicate by 
lowering the required number of conspirators involved in the act. By amending the 
relevant provisions of the Labor Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 442) 
and the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act (Republic Act No. 8042), the 
measure aims to reflect the evolving and often covert nature of syndicate operations. 
This reform will strengthen enforcement efforts and improve access to justice for 
victims of recruitment scams. 
Through this measure, the government reaffirms its commitment to protecting Filipino 
workers from exploitation and abuse. Updating our laws to respond to the modern 
tactics of illegal recruiters is essential to creating a safer, fairer labor migration system. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill – which was previously approved on 
third and final reading by the House of Representatives in the 19th Congress – is 
earnestly sought.  
  REP. BRYAN B. REVILLA 
REP. LANI MERCADO-REVILLA 
Representative, AGIMAT Partylist  
 Representative, 2nd District of Cavite  
July 30, 2025
5:00 pm


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REP. RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA III 
Representative, 1st District of Cavite


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2721
Introduced by Representatives Bryan B. Revilla, Lani Mercado-Revilla, and Ramon 
Jolo B. Revilla III 
AN ACT 
REDEFINING THE CRIME OF ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT COMMITTED BY A 
SYNDICATE, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 
442, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AS 
AMENDED, AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 1995, AS AMENDED 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Article 38 of Presidential Decree No. 442, otherwise known as the “Labor 
Code of the Philippines,” as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:  
“Article 38. Illegal Recruitment. – (a) Any recruitment activities, including 
the prohibited practices enumerated under Article 34 of this Code, to be 
undertaken by non-licensees or non-holders of authority, shall be 
deemed illegal and punishable under Article 39 of this Code. The 
Department of Labor and Employment or any law enforcement officer 
may initiate complaints under this Article. 
“(b) Illegal recruitment when committed by a syndicate or in large scale 
shall be considered an offense involving economic sabotage and shall 
be penalized in accordance with Article 39 hereof. 
“Illegal recruitment is deemed committed by a syndicate if (1) carried out 
by a group of three (3) or more persons conspiring and/or confederating 
with one another in carrying out any unlawful or illegal transaction, 
enterprise or scheme defined under the first paragraph hereof[.], OR (2) 
IF THE OFFENDERS ARE NON-LICENSEES OR NON-HOLDERS OF 
AUTHORITY AND THE ACT WAS CARRIED OUT BY TWO (2) OR 
MORE PERSONS. 
Illegal recruitment is deemed committed in large scale if committed 
against three (3) or more persons individually or as group. 
[(c) The Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized 


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representatives shall have the power to cause the arrest and detention 
of such non-licensee or non-holder of authority if after investigation it is 
determined that his activities constitute a danger to national security and 
public order or will lead to further exploitation of job seekers. The 
Secretary shall order the search of the office or premises and seizure of 
documents, paraphernalia, properties and other implements used in 
illegal 
recruitment 
activities 
and 
the 
closure 
of 
companies, 
establishments and entities found to be engaged in the recruitment of 
workers for overseas employment, without having been licensed or 
authorized to do so.] 
SEC. 2. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 8042, otherwise known as the “Migrant Workers 
and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995,” as amended by R.A. 10022, is hereby further 
amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 6. Definition. – For purposes of this Act, illegal recruitment shall 
mean any act of canvassing, enlisting, contracting, transporting, utilizing, 
hiring, or procuring workers and includes referring, contract services, 
promising or advertising for employment abroad, whether for profit or 
not, when undertaken by non-licensee or non-holder of authority 
contemplated under Article 13(f) of Presidential Decree No. 442, as 
amended, otherwise known as the Labor Code of the Philippines: 
Provided, That any such non-licensee or non-holder who, in any manner, 
offers or promises for a fee employment abroad to two or more persons 
shall be deemed so engaged. It shall likewise include the following acts, 
whether committed by any person, whether a non26 licensee, non-
holder, licensee or holder of authority: 
“(a) To charge or accept directly or indirectly any amount greater than 
that specified in the schedule of allowable fees prescribed by the 
Secretary of Labor and Employment, or to make a worker pay or 
acknowledge any amount greater than that actually received by him as 
a loan or advance; 
XXX  
“(m) Failure to reimburse expenses incurred by the worker in connection 
with his documentation and processing for purposes of deployment, in 
cases where the deployment does not actually take place without the 
worker's fault[. Illegal recruitment when committed by a syndicate or in 
large scale shall be considered an offense involving economic 
sabotage]; and 
“(n) To allow a non-Filipino citizen to head or manage a licensed 
recruitment/manning agency. 
ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT WHEN COMMITTED BY A SYNDICATE OR 
IN LARGE SCALE SHALL BE CONSIDERED AN OFFENSE 
INVOLVING ECONOMIC SABOTAGE. 


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Illegal recruitment is deemed committed by a syndicate if (1) carried out 
by a group of three (3) or more persons conspiring or confederating with 
one another, OR (2) IF THE OFFENDERS ARE NON-LICENSEES OR 
NON-HOLDERS OF AUTHORITY AND THE ACT WAS CARRIED OUT 
BY TWO (2) OR MORE PERSONS. It is deemed committed in large 
scale if committed against three (3) or more persons individually or as a 
group. 
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SEC. 3. 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.  
SEC. 4. All laws, presidential decrees, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or 
parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended 
or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,