Senate approves labor education bill

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate approved on third and final reading a bill that would mandate all public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) to integrate labor education subjects in their general education curriculum.

With 21 affirmative votes, no negative votes and no abstentions, the chamber passed Senate Bill No. 1513 or the proposed Labor Education Act.

“At present, the regions that have the highest number of students enrolled in higher education institutions are also the regions where establishments record dismal compliance to labor laws,” said Senator Joel Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee and sponsor of the bill.

“Unfortunately, there is no clear core subject in the higher, technical, and vocational education sectors where labor education is comprehensively covered,” he lamented.

Under the bill, universities and colleges are required to integrate labor education into the general education curriculum as an elective.

It also mandates the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to include labor education in their training regulations.

The measure defines labor education as the “teaching of labor rights, workers’ welfare and benefits, core labor standards, labor laws and regulations, the national and global labor situation, labor market concerns, labor issues, overseas work and related problems, the nature of human labor, the role of labor in the self-realization of the human being, the foundations of the dignity of labor, and other topics related to labor and employment.”

“We are one step closer to an empowered workforce, one where both employer and employee are informed of their respective rights under the law,” Villanueva said.

“Sa ganitong paraan, mababawasan po natin ang mang-aabuso at maaabuso, dahil alam ng isa’t isa ang karapatan nila bilang negosyante at manggagawa,” he added.

(Through this, we can lessen the number of abusers and ones being abused because they would know their rights as employer and employee.)

Villanueva chairs the Senate committee on higher and technical and vocational education as well as the chamber’s labor panel.

According to the senator, labor rights violations are rampant in the workplace and that the said bill seeks to address this injustice.

“We need labor education in our schools to equip both workers and employers with the right labor information so that they will become better partners in attaining and maintaining harmonious labor-management relationships,” he said.

“Our curriculum should help our future workers and employers make deeper and fuller understanding of their labor rights and responsibilities. The passage of this bill on third reading is a step towards that direction,” he added.

Further, Villanueva said the bill hopes to promote a culture of compliance to the country’s existing labor laws seeking to protect both the worker and employer from abuses.

The measure also seeks to shelter workers from unfair labor practices, illegal dismissals, occupational safety and health issues in the workplace, and other violations,” the senator noted.

JPV