QUEZON CITY — House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrat Mendoza voiced his support for the proposed Bangsamoro Labor and Employment Code and urged the Bangsamoro Parliament to immediately pass the bill during a public hearing held here recently.
“I urged the Bangsamoro Transition Authority-Parliament to immediately pass this more progressive Bangsamoro Labor and Employment Code for a more progressive, just, and decent Bangsamoro,” said Mendoza, emphasizing the importance of BTA Bill No. 59, or BLEC, in championing the rights of Bangsamoro workers and establishing a progressive labor framework.
Mendoza, also the Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP) President, stressed that the code's passage will affirm Bangsamoro's promise for sustainable and inclusive jobs, justice, and equity, ensuring workers have a seat at the table and access to decent work.
The Bangsamoro Organic Law mandates the Bangsamoro government to guarantee fundamental workers' rights, including self-organization, collective bargaining, negotiations, and the right to strike, aligning with the Constitution and the Labor Code of the Philippines.
He commended the BLEC for addressing the struggle for security of tenure by properly defining and prohibiting labor-only contracting, aiming to balance workers' rights and promote fair labor practices.
With all these salient features, Mendoza said that the TUCP believes and feels that the BLEC is rightfully balancing workers' rights to properly ensure that labor relations will be a race to the top rather than a race to the bottom.
Member of Parliament and former Labor Minister Romeo Sema, the main author of the proposed BLEC, highlights the urgency of passing the bill to address the labor justice vacuum and fulfill the unique needs of Bangsamoro workers.
He explained why the proposed BLEC should be passed by Parliament, adding that the absence of a Department of Labor and Employment and a National Labor Relations Commission in the region leaves Bangsamoro people with no recourse when their labor rights are violated.
He reiterated the specific needs of Bangsamoro workers that are currently overlooked by the Philippine Labor Code. These include provisions for prayer spaces, prayer breaks, pilgrimage leave, Friday congressional prayer, work hours during Ramadhan, and recognition of Muslim holidays.
“It could also become the model for countries with a Muslim population, as this code integrates the cultural practices, uniqueness, values, and beliefs of the same faith,” said MP Sema.
The eight-book BLEC covers pre-employment; employment standards and productivity; cultural rights and practices of Muslim and non-Muslim workers; social welfare and protection; employment relations; postemployment; Bangsamoro labor justice administration; and transitory and final provisions.
Atty. Rebecca Chato, a legal consultant of the International Labor Organization, noted that the BLEC reinforces anti-child labor policies by setting the minimum employment age at 18, compared to the national standard of 15 under Republic Act 9231.
This provision, she said, ensures Bangsamoro children can complete the compulsory basic education curriculum mandated by the K–12 Law.
COLE Chair Atty. John Anthony Lim said that the proposed code seeks to ensure fair labor practices, encourage economic development, and uphold social justice for all workers and employers in the region.
Despite a previous attempt in 2021, which underwent consultations and hearings but remained pending until the adjournment of the session, MP Sema remains hopeful for success in the second parliament.
He has refiled the proposed measure in 2022, urging fellow Bangsamoro lawmakers to prioritize and vote on this essential measure for the Bangsamoro labor force. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)
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