AN ACT TO PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF ASSISTANCE AND INCENTIVES TO FAMILIES OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO IN TIMES OF NEED AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

AN ACT EXEMPTING MONEY TRANSFERS TO THE PHILIPPINES OF OVERSEAS FOREIGN WORKERS FROM THE IMPOSITION OF DOCUMENTARY STAMP TAX, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 181 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8424, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 'TAX REFORM ACT OF 1997,' AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL HOSPITAL FOR OVERSEAS CONTRACT WORKERS (OCWS) AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE ROLE OF PHILIPPINE LABOUR ATTACHES IN NETWORKING WITH INDUSTRIES ABROAD AND MONITORING AND REPORTING THE SKILLS NEEDS OF THESE INDUSTRIES TO ENHANCE THE COUNTRY'S DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS)

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON STRANDED OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA CONSIDERING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR MIGRANT WORKERS

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEES ON FOREIGN RELATIONS; AND LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE TRAGIC DEATH OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKER IRMA AVILA EDLOY

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE RECENTLY ADOPTED SCHEME OF REQUIRING FILIPINO APPLICANTS FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE STATE OF KUWAIT TO UNDERGO MEDICAL EXAMINATION CONDUCTED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH WINSTON Q8 CERTIFICATIONS SOLUTIONS, INC. (WINSTON Q8) AS PRE-REQUISITE FOR THE GRANT OF WORK VISA BY THE EMBASSY OF THE STATE OF KUWAIT IN THE PHILIPPINES, WHICH NOT ONLY EXPOSES OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS TO ARBITRARY AND EXORBITANT EXPENSES BUT ALSO CONTRAVENES THE PROVISIONS OF THE MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 1995, AS AMENDED

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, INTO THE STATE OF THE OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) CONTRIBUTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS IN THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM THROUGH PHILHEALTH, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEES ON LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT, AND ON FOREIGN RELATIONS TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, TO ASSESS THE IMPACT TO THE COUNTRY'S BILATERAL RELATIONS AND TO THE OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) OF THE DIPLOMATIC ROW BETWEEN QATAR AND ITS NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE WORKING CONDITIONS OF OUR DOMESTIC HELPERS WORKING ABROAD WITH THE END VIEW OF ESTABLISHING OR STRENGTHENING THE POLICIES AND MECHANISMS FOR PROTECTING THEIR RIGHTS, SAFETY, AND WELL-BEING

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, INTO THE NEWLY-LAUNCHED IDENTIFICATION CARD OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFW ID) WITH THE END VIEW OF ESTABLISHING MORE TRANSPARENT GUIDELINES FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION

A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEES ON LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES AND FOREIGN RELATIONS, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, TO CONDUCT AN EXHAUSTIVE INQUIRY AND INVESTIGATION REGARDING THE UNTOWARD DEATHS OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) AND A RE-EXAMINATION OF THE GOVERNMENT’S LABOR AND FOREIGN POLICIES AND PROGRAMS IN LIGHT OF THE CONTINUED ABUSES, EXPLOITATION, AND DEATHS OF OUR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) SINCE THE DEATH OF FLOR CONTEMPLACION ON MARCH 17, 1995

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEES TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE TOTAL BAN OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) DEPLOYMENT TO KUWAIT IN THE LIGHT OF THE TRAGIC FATE OF SLAIN FILIPINA OFW JOANNA DEMAFELIS IN KUWAIT

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES AND OTHER APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEES TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE INCREASING INCIDENCE OF ABUSE OF OFWS

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT’S DEPLOYMENT BAN TO KUWAIT, INCLUDING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE REPATRIATED OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THOSE WHOSE PLACEMENT HAS BEEN DEFERRED IN THE WAKE OF SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF DEATH OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS IN THE SAID ARAB COUNTRY

RESOLUTION URGING THE SENATE COMMITTEES ON LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT; AND FOREIGN RELATIONS TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, INTO THE RECENT DEATHS OF JOANNA DANIELA DEMAFELIS AND JOSIE LLOREN, AS WELL AS SIMILAR MALTREATMENTS AND DEATHS OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) THROUGH THE YEARS, WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF FORMULATING EFFECTIVE MEASURES AND POLICIES TO PROACTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY ASSIST AND PROTECT OUR MIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER DEPLOYMENT

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT TO CONDUCT A RE-EXAMINATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, OF THE GOVERNMENT’S MIGRATION POLICIES IN THE WAKE OF CONTINUED ABUSES AND EXPLOITATION SUFFERED BY OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS), WITH AN END-IN-VIEW OF PROMOTING THE WELFARE OF EVERY FILIPINO MIGRANT WORKER, OUR MODERN DAY HEROES

RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE DEPLOYMENT OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO HOUSEHOLD SERVICE WORKERS TO COUNTRIES THAT DO NOT AFFORD MIGRANTS THE SAME RIGHTS AND WORK CONDITIONS AS THEIR NATIONALS AND ALLOW WITHHOLDING OF PHILIPPINE PASSPORT BE TOTALLY BANNED

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEES ON LABOR AND FINANCE, TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE UTILIZATION OF THE PHP 1.4 BILLION WORTH OF FUNDS IN THE 2018 GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DISTRESSED OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) WHO ARE SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN RETURNING TO THE COUNTRY, ON WHETHER THESE AMOUNTS WERE UTILIZED EFFECTIVELY AND REACHED THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, AND TO INCLUDE THESE INFORMATION IN THE DELIBERATIONS IN THE NATIONAL EXPENDITURE PROGRAM (NEP) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE/S TO CONDUCT A RE-EXAMINATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ANENT THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS WITH THE INTENTION OF FORMULATING FOCUSED MEANINGFUL AND VIABLE MECHANISMS INCLUDING FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM TO ASSIST MIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE USE OF THEIR EARNINGS

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEES ON FOREIGN RELATIONS AND ON YOUTH, WOMEN AND FAMILY RELATIONS TO LOOK INTO THE ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT OF SELECTED EMBASSY OFFICIALS AND STAFF POSTED IN THE MIDDLE EAST ON THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF DISTRESSED OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS CURRENTLY BEING SHELTERED INSIDE EMBASSY PREMISES, WITH THE END IN VIEW OF STRENGTHENING CURRENT MECHANISMS IN THE REPATRIATION OF BELEAGUERED MIGRANT WORKERS

RESOLUTION URGING PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III TO DECLARE THE YEAR 2013 AS THE YEAR OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR COURAGE, DETERMINATION AND SELF-SACRIFICE FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR FAMILIES AND OF THE NATION AT LARGE

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, THE STATE OF THE EMERGENCY REPATRIATION FUND UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION, CONTROL AND SUPERVISION OF THE OVERSEAS WORKERS WELFARE ADMINISTRATION (OWWA), TO EVALUATE ITS UTILIZATION AND DISBURSEMENT, AND ASSESS ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN ADDRESSING THE PROMPT NEEDS OF DISTRESSED OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) WORLDWIDE

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE ALLEGED CONTINUED ILLEGAL DEPLOYMENT OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS TO IRAQ AND OTHER WAR-TORN COUNTRIES DESPITE A COMPLETE BAN IMPOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE DEPLORABLE SITUATION OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS IN SAUDI ARABIA WHO ARE FORCED TO SELL THEIR BLOOD FOR DAILY SUBSISTENCE AND EARN EXTRA INCOME TO SEND REMITTANCES TO THEIR FAMILIES

“RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, IN CONNECTION WITH THE ALLEGED SEX-FOR-FLIGHT SCHEME OR THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF OFWS IN THE MIDDLE EAST BY PHILIPPINE EMBASSY OFFICIALS IN EXCHANGE FOR REPATRIATION

RESOLUTION URGING PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III TO DECLARE THE YEAR 2013 AS THE YEAR OF THE OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR COURAGE, DETERMINATION AND SELF-SACRIFICE FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR FAMILIES AND OF THE NATION AT LARGE

RESOLUTION ON STRENGTHENING THE PROTECTION OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS, ELIMINATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACITIVITIES IN AND OUT THE COUNTRY, AND CURBING GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THESE ACTIVITIES TAKING INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION THE PHILIPPINES RANKING 98TH OUT OF AMONG 162 COUNTRIES ON THE PREVALENCE OF MODERN-DAY SLAVERY BASED ON THE GLOBAL SLAVERY INDEX AS REPORTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ANTI-SLAVERY ORGANIZATION WALK FREE FOUNDATION

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF THE PHILIPPINE SENATE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF THE NEW LABOR POLICY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA (KSA) ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) TO THE SAID COUNTRY WITH THE END IN VIEW OF ENACTING REMEDIAL MEASURES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF THIS NEW LABOR POLICY ON THE ESTIMATED 1.5 MILLION OFWS WORKING IN THE KSA

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, THE ALLEGED MONOPOLY OF GAMCA PHILS ON MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS OF OFWS BOUND FOR GULF COUNTRIES SUCH AS KUWAIT, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, BAHRAIN, OMAN AND U.E.A. IN VIOLATION OF R.A. 10022 AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINO ACT OF 1995

RESOLUTION URGING THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA), THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT (DOLE), THE OVERSEAS WORKERS WELFARE ADMINISTRATION (OWWA) AND OTHER LABOR RELATED AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT, TO EXERCISE THE DOCTRINE OF PARENS PATRIAE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE GUARDIAN OF THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE, IN PURSUING THE FILING OF CRIMINAL, CIVIL AND OTHER APPROPRIATE CHARGES AGAINST THE PRINCIPAL EMPLOYER, THE LOCAL PHILIPPINE AGENT AND SUCH OTHER PERSONALITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INHUMANE TREATMENT INFLICTED UPON OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKER PAHIMA ALAGASI PALACASI WHO APPARENTLY SUFFERED SECOND DEGREE BURNS WHEN HER EMPLOYER'S MOTHER DOUSED BOILING WATER ON HER

RESOLUTION INVESTIGATING IN AID OF LEGISLATION THE SLOW RESPONSE OF PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO SPECIFIC PROBLEMS AND ISSUES OF OUR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) AND CALLING ON THE PHILIPPINE OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER RELEVANT AGENCIES TO IMMEDIATELY ACT, TO INVESTIGATE AND FILE APPROPRIATE CASES AGAINST RECRUITMENT AGENCIES THAT VICTIMIZE OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) BY CHARGING ILLEGAL AND EXORBITANT PLACEMENT AND OTHER FEES AND BY CAPTURING THEIR AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE (ATM) CARDS AS MEANS TO EXACT PAYMENT THEREOF

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE REPORTED DEATH OF A FILIPINO ENGINEER IN SAUDI ARABIA WHO ALLEGEDLY DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT BUT HIS REMAINS WERE REPATRIATED IN A TWO-FOOT COFFIN, SIGNIFYING THAT HIS BODY WAS MUTILATED

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE GOVERNMENT'S ALLEGED FAILURE TO PROTECT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE DECENT AND PROPER ACCOMMODATION TO OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) WHO WERE RECENTLY REPATRIATED FROM LIBYA

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, TO LOOK INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 1995, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10022, WITH THE END IN VIEW OF STRENGTHENING THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES OF OUR RELEVANT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR THE PROTECTION AND REPATRIATION OF OUR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, TO LOOK INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 1995, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10022, PARTICULAR TO THE REINTEGRATION OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS WITH A VIEW TO STRENGTHENING THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES OF THE NATIONAL REINTEGRATION CENTER FOR OFWS AND OTHER RELEVANT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR THE EFFICIENT RETRAINING AND LASTING REINTEGRATION OF OUR RETURNING OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE REPORT THAT MASSIVE DISPLACEMENT OF LOCAL AND FOREIGN WORKERS ARE EXPECTED BY 2015

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEES TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE MANDATORY QUARANTINE OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWS) RETURNING FROM EBOLA-STRICKEN COUNTRIES