REPUBLIC ACT NO.

8042
Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995

An act to institute the policies of overseas employment and establish a

higher standard of protection and promotion of the welfare of migrant
workers, their families and overseas Filipinos in distress, and for other
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

Philippines in Congress assembled:

SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE. - This act shall be known and cited as the
"Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995."

SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF POLICIES--

(a) In the pursuit of an independent foreign policy and while considering

national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest and the right
to self-determination paramount in its relations with other states, the
State shall, at all times, uphold the dignity of its citizens whether in
country or overseas, in general, and Filipino migrant workers, in
particular.

(b) The State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas,
organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of
employment opportunities for all. Towards this end, the State shall
provide adequate and timely social, economic and legal services to
Filipino migrant workers.

(c) While recognizing the significant contribution of Filipino migrant

workers to the national economy through their foreign exchange
remittances, the State does not promote overseas employment as a
means to sustain economic growth and achieve national development.
The existence of the overseas employment program rests solely on the
assurance that the dignity and fundamental human rights and freedoms
of the Filipino citizens shall not, at any time, be compromised or violated.
The State, therefore, shall continuously create local employment
opportunities and promote the equitable distribution of wealth and the
benefits of development.

(d) The State affirms the fundamental equality before the law of women
and men and the significant role of women in nation-building.
Recognizing the contribution of overseas migrant women workers and
their particular vulnerabilities, the State shall apply gender sensitive
criteria in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs
affecting migrant workers and the composition of bodies tasked for the
welfare of migrant workers.

(e) Free access to the courts and quasi-judicial bodies and adequate
legal assistance shall not be denied to any persons by reason of poverty.
In this regard, it is imperative that an effective mechanism be instituted
to ensure that the rights and interest of distressed overseas Filipinos, in
general, and Filipino migrant workers, in particular, documented or
undocumented, are adequately protected and safeguarded.

(f) The right of Filipino migrant workers and all overseas Filipinos to
participate in the democratic decision-making processes of the State and
to be represented in institutions relevant to overseas employment is
recognized and guaranteed.

(g) The State recognizes that the ultimate protection to all migrant
workers is the possession of skills. Pursuant to this and as soon as
practicable, the government shall deploy and/or allow the deployment
only to skilled Filipino workers.

(h) Non-governmental organizations, duly recognized as legitimate, are

partners of the State in the protection of Filipino migrant workers and in
the promotion of their welfare, the State shall cooperate with them in a
spirit of trust and mutual respect.

(I) Government fees and other administrative costs of recruitment,

introduction, placement and assistance to migrant workers shall be
rendered free without prejudice to the provision of Section 36 hereof.

Nonetheless, the deployment of Filipino overseas workers, whether land-

based or sea-based by local service contractors and manning agencies
employing them shall be encouraged. Appropriate incentives may be
extended to them.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. - For purposes of this Act:

(a) "Migrant worker" refers to a person who is to be engaged, is engaged

or has been engaged in a renumerated activity in a state of which he or
she is not a legal resident to be used interchangeably with overseas
Filipino worker.
(b) "Gender-sensitivity" shall mean cognizance of the inequalities and
inequities prevalent in society between women and men and a
commitment to address issues with concern for the respective interests
of the sexes.

(c) "Overseas Filipinos" refers to dependents of migrant workers and

other Filipino nationals abroad who are in distress as mentioned in
Sections 24 and 26 of this Act.

I. DEPLOYMENT

SEC. 4. Deployment of Migrant Workers - The State shall deploy overseas

Filipino workers only in countries where the rights of Filipino migrant
workers are protected. The government recognizes any of the following as
guarantee on the part of the receiving country for the protection and the
rights of overseas Filipino workers:

(a) It has existing labor and social laws protecting the rights of migrant
workers;

(b) It is a signatory to multilateral conventions, declaration or resolutions

relating to the protection of migrant workers;

(c) It has concluded a bilateral agreement or arrangement with the

government protecting the rights of overseas Filipino workers; and

(d) It is taking positive, concrete measures to protect the rights of

migrant workers.

SEC. 5. TERMINATION OR BAN ON DEPLOYMENT - Notwithstanding the

provisions of Section 4 hereof, the government, in pursuit of the national
interest or when public welfare so requires, may, at any time, terminate
or impose a ban on the deployment of migrant workers.

II. ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT

Sec. 6. DEFINITIONS. - For purposes of this Act, illegal recruitment shall

mean any act of canvassing, enlisting, contracting, transporting,
utilizing, hiring, procuring workers and includes referring, contact
services, promising or advertising for employment abroad, whether for
profit or not, when undertaken by a non-license 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 such non-license 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 persons, whether a non-licensee, non-holder,
licensee or holder of authority.

(a) To charge or accept directly or indirectly any amount greater than the
specified in the schedule of allowable fees prescribed by the Secretary of
Labor and Employment, or to make a worker pay any amount greater
than that actually received by him as a loan or advance;

(b) To furnish or publish any false notice or information or document in

relation to recruitment or employment;

(c) To give any false notice, testimony, information or document or

commit any act of misrepresentation for the purpose of securing a license
or authority under the Labor Code;

(d) To induce or attempt to induce a worker already employed to quit his

employment in order to offer him another unless the transfer is designed
to liberate a worker from oppressive terms and conditions of
employment;

(e) To influence or attempt to influence any persons or entity not to

employ any worker who has not applied for employment through his
agency;

(f) To engage in the recruitment of placement of workers in jobs harmful

to public health or morality or to dignity of the Republic of the
Philippines;

(g) To obstruct or attempt to obstruct inspection by the Secretary of

Labor and Employment or by his duly authorized representative;

(h) To fail to submit reports on the status of employment, placement

vacancies, remittances of foreign exchange earnings, separations from
jobs, departures and such other matters or information as may be
required by the Secretary of Labor and Employment;

(i) To substitute or alter to the prejudice of the worker, employment

contracts approved and verified by the Department of Labor and
Employment from the time of actual signing thereof by the parties up to
and including the period of the expiration of the same without the
approval of the Department of Labor and Employment;
(j) For an officer or agent of a recruitment or placement agency to become
an officer or member of the Board of any corporation engaged in travel
agency or to be engaged directly on indirectly in the management of a
travel agency;

(k) To withhold or deny travel documents from applicant workers before

departure for monetary or financial considerations other than those
authorized under the Labor Code and its implementing rules and
regulations;

(l) Failure to actually deploy without valid reasons as determined by the

Department of Labor and Employment; and

(m) Failure to reimburse expenses incurred by the workers 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 as offense involving economic sabotage.

Illegal recruitment is deemed committed by a syndicate carried out by a

group of three (3) or more persons conspiring or confederating with one
another. It is deemed committed in large scale if committed against three
(3) or more persons individually or as a group.

The persons criminally liable for the above offenses are the principals,
accomplices and accessories. In case of juridical persons, the officers
having control, management or direction of their business shall be liable.

SEC. 7. PENALTIES -

(a) Any person found guilty of illegal recruitment shall suffer the penalty
of imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and one (1) day but not
more than twelve (12) years and a fine not less than two hundred
thousand pesos (P200,000.00) nor more than five hundred thousand
pesos (P500,000.00).

(b) The penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of not less than five
hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) nor more than one million pesos
(P1,000,000.00) shall be imposed if illegal recruitment constitutes
economic sabotage as defined herein.

Provided, however, that the maximum penalty shall be imposed if the

person illegally recruited is less than eighteen (18) years of age or
committed by a non-licensee or non-holder of authority.
SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES. - Ot shall be
unlawful for any official or employee of the Department of Labor and
Employment, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, or the
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, or the Department of Foreign
Affairs, or other government agencies involved in the implementation of
this Act, or their relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity
or affinity, to engage, directly or indirectly, in the business of recruiting
migrant workers as defined in this Act. The penalties shall be imposed
upon them.

SEC. 9. VENUE. - A criminal action arising from illegal recruitment as

defined herein shall be filed with the Regional Trial Court of the province
or city where the offense was committed or where the offended party
actually resides at the same time of the commission of the offense:
Provided, That the court where the criminal action is first filed shall
acquire jurisdiction to the exclusion of other courts. Provided, however,
That the aforestated provisions shall also apply to those criminal actions
that have already been filed in court at the time of the effectivity of this
Act.

SEC. 10. MONEY CLAIMS. - Botwithstanding any provision of law to the

contrary, the Labor Arbiters of the National Labor Relations Commission
(NLRC) shall have the priginal and exclusive jurisdiction to hear and
decide, within ninety (90) calendar days after filing of the complaint, the
claims arising out of an employer-employee relationship or by virtue of
any law or contract involving Filipino workers for overseas deployment
including claims for actual, moral, exemplary and other forms of
damages.

The liability of the principal/employer and the

recruitment/placement agency for any and all claims under this section
shall be joint and several. This provisions shall be incorporated in the
contract for overseas employment and shall be a condition precedent for
its approval. The performance bond to be filed by the
recruitment/placement agency, as provided by law, shall be answerable
for all money claims or damages that may be awarded to the workers. If
the recruitment/placement agency is a juridical being, the corporate
officers and directors and partners as the case may be, shall themselves
be jointly and solidarily liable with the corporation or partnership for the
aforesaid claims and damages.
 Such liabilities shall continue during the entire period or
duration of the employment contract and shall not be affected by any
substitution, amendment or modification made locally or in a foreign
country of the said contract.

Any compromise/amicable settlement or voluntary agreement

on money claims inclusive of damages under this section shall be paid
within four (4) months from the approval of the settlement by the
appropriate authority.

In case of termination of overseas employment without just,

valid or authorized cause as defined by law or contract, the workers shall
be entitled to the full reimbursement of his placement fee with interest of
twelve percent (12%) per annum, plus his salaries for the unexpired
portion of his employment contract or for three (3) months for every year
of the unexpired term, whichever is less.

Non-compliance with the mandatory periods for resolutions of

cases provided under this section shall subject the responsible officials to
any or all of the following penalties:

(a) The salary of any such official who fails to render his
decision or resolutions within the prescribed period shall be, or caused to
be, withheld until the said official complies therewith;

(b) Suspension for not more than ninety (90) days; or

(c) Dismissal from the service with disqualifications to hold

any appointive public office for five (5) years.

Provided, however, that the penalties herein provided shall be

without prejudice to any liability which any such official may have
incurred under other existing laws or rules and regulations as a
consequence of violating the provisions of this paragraph.

SEC. 11. MANADATORY PERIODS FOR RESOLUTION OF

ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT CASES. - The preliminary investigations of
cases under this Act shall be terminated within a period of thirty (30)
calendar days from the date of their filing. Where the preliminary
investigation is conducted by a prosecution officer and a prima facie case
is established, the corresponding information shall be filed in court
within twenty-four (24) hours from the termination of the investigation. If
the preliminary investigation is conducted by a judge and a prima facie
case is found to exist, prosecution officer within forty-eight (48) hours
from the date of receipt of the records of the case.

SEC. 12. PRESCRIPTIVE PERIODS. - Illegal recruitment cases

under this Act shall prescribe in five (5) years: Provided, however, That
illegal recruitment cases involving economic sabotage as defined herein
shall prescribe in twenty (20) years.

SEC. 13. FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE, PREFERENTIAL

ENTITLEMENT UNDER THE WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM. - A
mechanism for free legal assistance for victims of illegal recruitment shall
be established within the Department of Labor and Employment
including its regional offices. Such mechanism must include
coordination and cooperation with the Department of Justice, the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and other non-governmental
organizations and volunteer groups.

The provisions of Republic Act No. 6981 to the contrary,

notwithstanding, any person who is a victim of illegal recruitment shall
be entitled to the Witness Protection Program provided thereunder.

III. SERVICES

SEC. 14. TRAVEL ADVISORY/INFORMATION

DISSEMINATION. - To give utmost priority to the establishment of
programs and services to prevent illegal recruitment, fraud, and
exploitation or abuse of Filipino migrant workers, all embassies and
consular offices, through the Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration (POEA), shall issue travel advisories or disseminate
information on labor and employment conditions, migration realities and
other facts; and adherence of particular countries to international
standards on human and workers' rights which will adequately prepare
individuals into making informed and intelligent decisions about
overseas employment. Such advisory or information shall be published in
a newspaper of general circulation at least three (3) times in every
quarter.

SEC. 15. REPATRIATION OF WORKERS; EMERGENCY

REPATRIATION FUND. - The repatriation of the worker and the transport
of his personal belongings shall be the primary responsibility of the
agency which recruited or deployed the worker overseas. All costs
attendant to repatriation shall be borne by or charged to the agency
concerned and/or its principal. Likewise, the repatriation of remains and
transport of the personal belongings of a deceased worker and all costs
attendant thereto shall be borne by the principal and/or local agency.
However, in cases where the termination of employment is due solely to
the fault of the worker, the principal/employer or agency shall not in any
manner be responsible for the repatriation of the former and/or his
belongings.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in

coordination ith appropriate international agencies, shall undertake the
repatriation of workers in cases of war, epidemic, disasters or calamities,
natural or man-made, and other similar events without prejudice to
reimbursement by the responsible principal or agency. However, in cases
where the principal or recruitment agency cannot be identified, all costs
attendant to repatriation shall be borne by the OWWA.

For this purposes, there is hereby created and established an

emergency repatriation fund under the administration control and
supervision of the OWWA, initially to consist of one hundred million
pesos (P100,000,000.00), inclusive of outstanding balances.

SEC. 16. MANDATORY REPATRIATION OF UNDERAGE

MIGRANT WORKERS. - Upon discovery or being informed of the presence
of migrant workers whose actual ages fall below the minimum age
requirement for overseas deployment, the responsible officers in the
foreign service shall without delay repatriate said workers and advise the
Department of Foreign Affairs through the fastest means of
communication availavle of such discovery and other relevant
information.

SEC. 17. ESTABLISHMENT OF RE-PLACEMENT AND

MONITORING CENTER. - A replacement and monitoring center is hereby
created in the Department of Labor and Employment for returning
Filipino migrant workers which shall provide a mechanism for their
reintegration into the Philippine society, serve as a promotion house for
their local employment, and tap their skills and potentials for national
development.

The Department of Labor and Employment, the Overseas

Workers Welfare Administration, and the Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration shall, within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act, formulate a program that would motivate migrant
workers to plan for productive options such as entry into highly technical
jobs or undertakings, livelihood and entrepreneurial development, better
wage employment, and investment of savings.

For this purpose, the Technical Education and Skills

Development Authority (TESDA), the Technology Livelihood Resource
Center (TLRC), and other government agencies involved in training and
livelihood development shall give priority to return who had been
employed as domestic helpers and entertainers.

SEC. 18. FUNCTIONS OF THE RE-PLACEMENT AND

MONITORING CENTER. - The center shall provide the following service:

(a) Develop livelihood programs and projects for returning

Filipino migrant workers in coordination with the private sector;

(b) Coordinate with appropriate private and government

agencies the promotion, development, re-placement and the full
utilization of their potentials;

(c) Institute in cooperation with other government agencies

concerned, a computer-based information system on skilled Filipino
migrant workers which shall be accessible to all local recruitment
agencies and employers, both public and private;

(d) Provide a periodic study and assessment of job

opportunities for returning Filipino migrant workers.

SEC. 19. ESTABLISHMENT OF A MIGRANT WORKERS AND

OTHER OVERSEAS FILIPINOS RESOURCE CENTER. - Within the
premises and under the administrative jurisdiction of the Philippine
Embassy in countries where there are large concentrations of Filipino
migrant workers, there shall be establish a Migrant Workers and Other
Overseas Filipinos Resource Center with the following services:

(a) Counseling and legal services;

(b) Welfare assistance including the procurement of medical

and hospitalization services;

(c) Information, advisory and programs to promote social

integration such as post-arrival orientation, settlement and community
networking services for social integration;
 (d) Institute a scheme of registration of undocumented
workers to bring them within the purview of this Act. For this purpose,
the Center is enjoined to compel existing undocumented workers to
register with it within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act,
under pain of having his/her passport cancelled;

(e) Human resource development, such as training and skills

upgrading;

(f) Gender sensitive programs and activities to assist

particular needs of women migrant workers;

(g) Orientation program for returning workers and other

migrants; and

(h) Monitoring of daily situations, circumstances and activities

affecting migrant workers and other overseas Filipinos.

The establishment and operations of the Center shall be a

joint undertaking of the various government agencies. The Center shall
be open for twenty-four (24) hours daily, including Saturdays, Sundays
and holidays, and shall be staffed by Foreign Service personnel, service
attaches or officers who represent other organizations from the host
countries. In countries categorized as highly problematic by the
Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and
Employment and where there is a concentration of Filipino migrant
workers, the government must provide a lawyer and a social worker for
the Center. The Labor Attache shall coordinate the operation of the
Center and shall keep the Chief of Mission informed and updated on all
matters affecting it.

The Center shall have a counterpart 24-hour information and

assistance center at the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure a
continuous network and coordinative mechanism at the home office.

SEC. 20. ESTABLISHMENT OF A SHARED GOVERNMENT

INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR MIGRATION. - An inter-agency committee
composed of the Department of Foreign Affairs and its attached agency,
the Commission on Filipino Overseas, the Department of Labor and
Employment, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, The
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, The Department of Tourism,
the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Immigration, the National
Bureau of Investigation, and the National Statistics Office shall be
established to implement a shared government information system for
migration. The inter-agency committee shall initially make available to
itself the information contained in existing data bases/files. The second
phase shall involve linkaging of computer facilities in order to allow free-
flow data exchanges and sharing among concerned agencies.

The inter-agency committee shall convene to identify existing

data bases which shall be declassified and shared among member
agencies. These shared data bases shall initially include, but not limited
to, the following information:

(a) Masterlists of departing/arriving Filipinos;

(b) Inventory of pending legal cases involving Filipino migrant

workers and other Filipino nationals, including those serving prison
terms;

(c) Masterlists of departing/arriving Filipinos;

(d) Statistical profile on Filipino migrant workers/overseas

Filipinos/Tourists;

(e) Blacklisted foreigners/undesirable aliens;

(f) Basic data on legal systems, immigration policies, marriage

laws and civil and criminal codes in receiving countries particularly those
with the large numbers of Filipinos;

(g) List of labor and other human rights instruments where

receiving countries are signatories;

(h) A tracking system of past and present gender

disaggregated cases involving male and female migrant workers; and

(I) Listing of overseas posts which may render assistance to

overseas Filipinos, in general, and migrant workers, in particular.

SEC. 21. MIGRANT WORKERS LOAN GUARANTEE FUND. -

In order to further prevent unscrupulous illegal recruiters from taking
advantage of workers seeking employment abroad, the OWWA, in
coordination with government financial institutions, shall institute
financing schemes that will expand the grant of pre-departure loan and
family assistance loan. For this purpose, a Migrant Workers Loan
Guarantee Fund is hereby created and the revolving amount of one
hundred million pesos (P100,000,000.00) from the OWWA is set aside as
a guarantee fund in favor of participating government financial
institutions.

SEC. 22. RIGHTS AND ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM UNDER

INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEMS. - The
Department of Foreign Affairs is mandated to undertake the necessary
initiative such as promotions, acceptance or adherence of countries
receiving Filipino workers to multilateral convention, declaration or
resolutions pertaining to the protection of migrant workers' rights. The
Department of Foreign Affairs is also mandated to make an assessment
of rights and avenues of redress under international and regional human
rights systems that are available to Filipino migrant workers who are
victims of abuse and violation and, as far as practicable and through the
Legal Assistant for Migrant Workers Affairs created under this Act,
pursue the same on behalf of the victim if it is legally impossible to file
individual complaints. If a complaints machinery is available under
international or regional systems, the Department of Foreign Affairs shall
fully apprise the Filipino migrant workers of the existence and
effectiveness of such legal options.

IV. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

SEC. 23. ROLE OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. - The following

government agencies shall perform the following to promote the welfare
and protect the rights of migrant workers and, as far as applicable, all
overseas Filipinos:

(a) Department of Foreign Affairs. - The Department, through

its home office or foreign posts, shall take priority action its home office
or foreign posts, shall take priority action or make representation with
the foreign authority concerned to protect the rights of migrant workers
and other overseas Filipinos and extend immediate assistance including
the repatriation of distressed or beleaguered migrant workers and other
overseas Filipinos;

(b) Department of Labor and Employment - The Department

of Labor and Employment shall see to it that labor and social welfare
laws in the foreign countries are fairly applied to migrant workers and
whenever applicable, to other overseas Filipinos including the grant of
legal assistance and the referral to proper medical centers or hospitals:
 (b.1) Philippine Overseas Employment Administration -
Subject to deregulation and phase out as provided under Sections 29
and 30 herein, the Administration shall regulate private sector
participation in the recruitment and overseas placement of workers by
setting up a licensing and registration system. It shall also formulate and
implement, in coordination with appropriate entities concerned, when
necessary employment of Filipino workers taking into consideration their
welfare and the domestic manpower requirements.

(b.2) Overseas Workers Welfare Administration - The Welfare

Officer or in his absence, the coordinating officer shall provide the
Filipino migrant worker and his family all the assistance they may need
in the enforcement of contractual obligations by agencies or entities
and/or by their principals. In the performance of this functions, he shall
make representation and may call on the agencies or entities concerned
to conferences or conciliation meetings for the purpose of settling the
complaints or problems brought to his attention.

V. THE LEGAL ASSISTANT FOR MIGRANT WORKERS AFFAIRS

SEC. 24. LEGAL ASSISTANT FOR MIGRANT WORKERS

AFFAIRS. - There is hereby created the position of Legal Assistant for
Migrant Workers Affairs under the Department of Foreign Affairs who
shall be primarily responsible for the provision and overall coordination
of all legal assistance services to be provided to Filipino migrant workers
as well as overseas Filipinos in distress. He shall have the rank, salary
and privileges equal to that of an undersecretary of said Department.

The said Legal Assistant for Migrant Workers Affairs shall be

appointed by the President and must be of proven competence in the
field of law with at least ten (10) years of experience as a legal
practitioner and must not have been a candidate to an elective office in
the last local or national elections.

Among the functions and responsibilities of the aforesaid

Legal Assistant are:

(a) To issue the guidelines, procedures and criteria for the

provisions of legal assistance services to Filipino migrant workers;

(b) To establish close linkages with the Department of Labor

and Employment, the POEA, the OWWA and other government agencies
concerned, as well as with non-governmental organizations assisting
migrant workers, to ensure effective coordination and cooperation in the
provision of legal assistance to migrant workers;

(c) To tap the assistance of reputable law firms and the

Integrated Bar of the Philippines and other bar associations to
complement the government's efforts to provide legal assistance to
migrant workers;

(d) To administer the legal assistance fund for migrant

workers established under Section 25 hereof and to authorize
disbursements there from in accordance with the purposes for which the
fund was set up; and

(e) To keep and maintain the information system as provided

in Section 20.

The legal Assistant for Migrant Workers Affairs shall have

authority to hire private lawyers, domestic or foreign, in order to assist
him in the effective discharge of the above functions.

SEC. 25. LEGAL ASSISTANCE FUND - There is hereby

established a legal assistance fund for migrant workers, herein after
referred to as Legal Assistance fund, in the amount of One hundred
million pesos (P100,000,000.00) to be constituted from the following
sources:

Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) from the Contingency

Fund of the President;

Thirty million pesos (P30,000,000.00) from the Presidential

Social Fund; and

Twenty million pesos (P20,000,000.00) from the Welfare Fund

for Overseas Workers established under Letter of Instruction No. 537, as
amended by Presidential Decree Nos. 1694 and 1809.

Any balances of existing fund which have been set aside by

the government specifically as legal assistance or defense fund to help
migrant workers shall, upon effectivity of this Act, to be turned over to,
and form part of, the Fund created under this Act.

SEC. 26. USES OF THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE FUND. - The

Legal Assistance Fund created under the preceeding section shall be
used exclusively to provide legal services to migrant workers and
overseas Filipinos in distress in accordance witht the guidelines, criteria
and procedures promulgated in accordance with Section 24 (a)
hereof. The expenditures to be charged against the Fund shall include
the fees for the foreign lawyers to be hired by the Legal Assistance for
Migrant Workers Affairs to represent migrant workers facing charges
abroad, bail bonds to secure the temporary release of workers under
detention, court fees and charges and other litigation expenses.

VI. COUNTRY - TEAM APPROACH

SEC. 27. PRIORITY CONCERNS OF PHILIPPINE FOREIGN

SERVICE POSTS. - The country team approach, as enunciated under
Executive Order No. 74, series of 1993, shall be the mode under which
Philippine embassies or their personnel will operate in the protection of
the Filipino migrant workers as well as in the promotion of their welfare.
The protection of the Filipino migrant workers and the promotion of their
welfare, in particular, and the protection of the dignity and fundamental
rights and freedoms of the Filipino citizen abroad, in general, shall be the
highest priority concerns of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the
Philippine Foreign Service Posts.

SEC. 28. COUNTRY-TEAM APPROACH. - Under the country-

team approach, all officers, representatives and personnel of the
Philippine government posted abroad regardless of their mother agencies
shall, on a per country basis, act as one country-team with a mission
under the leadership of the ambassador. In this regard, the ambassador
may recommend to the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs the
recall of officers, representatives and personnel of the Philippine
government posted abroad for acts inimical to the national interest such
as, but not limited to, failure to provide the necessary services to protect
the rights of overseas Filipinos.

Upon receipt of the recommendation of the ambassador, the

Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs shall, in the case of
officers, representatives and personnel of other departments, endorse
such recommendation to the department secretary concerned for
appropriate action. Pending investigation by an appropriate body in the
Philippines, the person recommended for recall may be placed under
preventive suspension by the ambassador.
 In host countries where there are Philippine consulates, such
consulates shall also constitute part of the country-team under the
leadership of the ambassador.

In the implementation of the country-team approach, visiting

Philippine delegations shall be provided full support and information.

VII. DEREGULATION AND PHASE-OUT

SEC. 29. COMPREHENSIVE DEREGULATION PLAN ON

RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES. - Pursuant to a progressive policy of
deregulation whereby the migration of workers becomes strictly a matter
between the worker and his foreign employer, the DOLE within one (1)
year from the effectivity of this Act, is hereby mandated to formulate a
five-year comprehensive deregulation plan on recruitment activities
taking into account labor market trends, economic conditions of the
country and emergency circumstances which may affect the welfare of
migrant workers.

SEC. 30. GRADUAL PHASE-OUT OF REGULATORY

FUNCTIONS. - Within a period of five (5) years from the effectivity of this
Act, the DOLE shall phase out the regulatory functions of the POEA
pursuant to the objectives of deregulation.

VII. PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER HIGHLY-SKILLED FILIPINOS ABROAD

SEC. 31. INCENTIVES TO PROFESSIONALS AND OTHER

HIGHLY-SKILLED FILIPINOS ABROAD. - Pursuant to the objective of
encouraging professionals and other highly-skilled Filipinos abroad
especially in the field of science and technology to participate in, and
contribute to national development, the government shall provide proper
and adequate incentives and programs so as to secure their services in
priority development areas of the public and private sectors.

IX. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 32. POEA AND OWWA BOARD; ADDITIONAL

MEMBERSHIPS. - Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary,
the respective Boards of the POEA and the OWWA shall, in addition to
their present composition, have three (3) members each who shall come
from the women, sea-based and land-based sectors, respectively, to be
appointed by the President in the same manner as the other members.
 SEC. 33. REPORT TO CONGRESS. - In order to inform the
Philippine Congress on the implementation of the policy enunciated in
Section 4 hereof, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department
of Labor and Employment shall submit to the said body a semi-annual
report of Philippine foreign posts located in countries hosting Filipino
migrant workers. The report shall not be limited to the following
information:

(a) Masterlist of Filipino migrant workers, and inventory of

pending cases involving them and other Filipino nationals including
those serving prison terms;

(b) Working conditions of Filipino migrant workers;

(c) Problems encountered by the migrant workers, specifically

violations of their rights;

(d) Initiative/actions taken by the Philippine foreign posts to

address the problems of Filipino migrant workers;

(e) Changes in the laws and policies of host countries; and

(f) Status of negotiations on bilateral labor agreements between

the Philippines and the host country.

Any officer of the government who fails to report as stated in

the preceeding section shall be subjected to administrative penalty.

SEC. 34. REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS. - Pursuant to

Section 3(2), Article VI of the Constitution and in line with the objective
of empowering overseas Filipinos to participate in the policy-making
process to address Filipino migrant concerns, two (2) sectoral
representatives for migrant workers in the House of Representatives shall
be appointed by the President from the ranks of migrant workers:
Provided, that at least one (1) of the two (2) sectoral representatives shall
come from the women migrant workers sector: Provided, further, that all
nominees must have at least two (2) years experience as a migrant
worker.

SEC. 35. EXEMPTION FROM TRAVEL TAX AND AIRPORT

FEE. - All laws to the country notwithstanding, the migrant worker shall
be exempt from the payment of travel tax and airport fee upon proper
showing of proof of entitlement by the POEA.
 SEC. 36. NON-INCREASE OF FEES; ABOLITION OF
REPATRIATION BOND. - Upon approval of this Act, all fees being charged
by any government office on migrant workers shall remain at their
present levels and the repatriation bond shall be established.

SEC. 37. THE CONGRESSIONAL MIGRANT WORKERS

SCHOLARSHIP FUND. - There is hereby created a Congressional Migrant
Workers Scholarship Fund which shall benefit deserving migrant workers
and/or their immediate descendants below twenty-one (21) years of age
who intent to pursue courses or training primarily in the field of science
and technology. The initial seed fund of two hundred million pesos
(P200,000,000.00) shall be constituted from the following sources:

(a) Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) from the unexpected

Countrywide Development Fund for 1995 in equal sharing by all
members of Congress; and

(b) The remaining one hundred fifty million pesos

(P150,000,000.00) shall be funded from the proceeds of Lotto.

The Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Fund as

herein created shall be administered by the DOLE in coordination with
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). To carry out the
objectives of this section, the DOLE and the DOST shall formulate the
necessary rules and regulations.

SEC. 38. APPROPRIATION AND OTHER SOURCES OF

FUNDING. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act
shall be provided for in the General Appropriations Act of the year
following its enactment into law and thereafter.

SEC. 39. MIGRANT WORKERS DAY. - The day of signing by

the President of this Act shall be designated as the Migrant Workers Day
and shall henceforth be commemorated as such annually.

SEC. 40. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. - The

departments and agencies charged with carrying out the provisions of
this Act shall, within ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this Act,
formulate the necessary rules and regulations for its effective
implementation.
 SEC. 41. REPEATING CLAUSE. - All laws, decrees, executive
orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 42. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. - If, for any reason, any

section or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the
other sections or provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby.

SEC. 43. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. - This Act shall take effect

after fifteen (15) days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at
least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation whichever comes
earlier.