I, 
I_ 
n 
.. 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
”04 JUL -7 P I  29 
First Regular Session 
) 
S. B. No. 
Introduced by Senator Pangilinan 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The International Rice Research Institute (“IRRI”) was established on 9 
December 1959 through a Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) entered into by 
and between the government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ford 
and Rockefeller Foundations. Pursuant to the terms of the MOA, IRRI was 
incorporated and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission such 
that it was then subject to civil, administrative, even crlminal liabilities and to 
every other form of legal process. At the very start, there was never any intent 
to bestow to IRRl immunity from suit. 
However, on 19 April 1979, then President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed 
into law Presidential Decree No. 
1620 granting the IRRI the status, 
prerogatives, privileges, and immunities of an international organization. The 
sole restriction under the said law i s  when the director general of the said 
institute or his duly authorized representative expressly waives such immunity 
from suit. 
This i s  blatantly anomalous considering that P.D. 1620 i s  not a treaty 
between two or more sovereign states that could vest international legal 
personality upon IRRI. The Philippines belatedly signing what purports to be an 
“agreement” with donor countries dated 19 May 195, which has not been 
ratified by the Senate, confirms this fact. Said “agreement” even provides that 
any grant of immunity to IRR should be considered with and should conform to 
the apphcable and existing Laws of the signatory state 
P.D 1620 notwithstanding, it must be stressed that Article Xlll of the 
1987 Constitution, more particuiarly Section 3, guarantees full protection to 
labor covering the rights of all workers to self- organization, collective 
bargaining and negotiation as well as peaceful concerted activities, including 
the right to strike in accordance with law. Likewise, there are guarantees for a 
just and living wage, the right to security of tenure, to humane conditions of 
work, and to participate in decision- making process affecting their rights and 
benefits. 
However, 
in 
two 
cases 
entitled 
“INTERNATIONAL 
CATHOLIC 
IMMIGRATION COMMISSION vs. HON.PURA CALLEJA, et. al.” (G.R. No. 85750, 
September 28, 1990) and “KAPISANAN NG MGA MANGGAGAWA AT TAC SA 
SECRETARY OF LABOR, et. al.” (G.R. No. 89331, September 28, 1990), the 
Supreme Court ruled at the union of IRRl could not file an action for 
certification election with the Department of Labor and Employment. 
IRRl - ORAGNIZED ASSOCIATION IN LINE INDUSTRIES AND AGRICULTURE vs. 
Said Supreme Court decision effectively bars any legitimate workers’ 
organization existing with IRRl to exercise the relevant rights guaranteed by 
our Constitution and our laws for our own workers. 


The Republic of the Philippines, as a member of the United Nations, is 
mandated to honor and comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
which, in Article 23, Item 4, deciares that - “Everyone has the right to form 
and join trade unions for the protection of his interest.” 
Likewise, the Republic of the Philippines has ratified the folkowing 
International Labor Organization Conventions: the Freedom of Association and 
Protection of the Right to Organize Convention of 1948, ratified by the 
Philippine Government on 29 December 1953; the Right to Organize and 
Collective Bargaining Convention of 1949, ratified by our government on 29 
December 1953; Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention of 
1953; the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention of 1958, 
ratified by our government on 17 November 1960. 
Under these ILO conventions, our government i s  duty- bound to honor, 
respect and protect the right of workers. Furthermore, Presidential Decree No. 
1620 contravenes the Universal Declaration of human Rights provision on socio- 
economic rights which, by virtue of the 1987 Constitution, have been 
incorporated as part of the law of the land. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill i s  earnestly 
sought. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
’w JUL -7 
P I  :28 
First Regular Session 
1 
i 
4 5  
Introduced by Senator Pangilinan 
AN ACT PROTECTING THE RIGHTS TO LABOR OF THE WORKERS OF THE 
INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (IRRI) AS ENSHRINED BY THE 
1987 CONSTITUTION AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE 3 OF 
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1620 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representative of the Philippines 
n Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Article 3 of Presidential Decree No. 1620 i s  hereby amended 
to read as follows: 
“The Institute shall enjoy immunity from any penal and administrative 
proceeding, except insofar as that immunity has been expressly waived by the 
Director - General of the Institute or his duly authorized representatives. “THIS 
IMMUNITY SHALL NOT APPLY WITH RESPECT TO THE RIGHTS OF LABOR.” 
SECTION 2. All laws, decrees, rules and regulations or pars thereof 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon i t s  publication in at least 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,