By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
A senator is proposing the inclusion of labor education in the curriculum of all public and private higher education institutions to increase awareness on workers' rights and labor policies.
Senator Joel Villanueva (Senator Joel Villanueva Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Senator Joel Villanueva recently filed Senate Bill No. 1218, which seeks to integrate labor education in a subject taught in college so that future workers would get relevant career guidance information, knowledge about the labor market, and most specially, background on workers’ rights.
In filing the measure, he lamented that many Filipinos are still vulnerable to the issues that hound the labor sector, such as unemployment and underemployment and problems concerning fair
wages, job security, safe workplaces, social protection, and right to organization.
He noted that accessibility and availability of quality job opportunities in the country remains a problem, prompting Filipinos to look for employment overseas despite exposure to a wide range of health and social risks.
Those who were employed locally are likewise challenged by employment issues, like abusive job contracting, and the failure of employers to comply with general labor standards, he added.
"Unfortunately, Filipinos’ knowledge of
their labor rights and access to legal aid or assistance remain inadequate, forcing
some of them to compromise in the incidence of labor rights violations," Villanueva, who chairs the Senate labor committee, said in his bill.
"In light of these problems, it is clear that the government has to strive to make
every Filipino worker aware of his or her rights," he added.
Villanueva said the bill adopts the Department of Labor and Employment's (DOLE) Labor Education for
Graduating Students (LEGS) seminar series, wherein basic labor laws were discussed in various universities, and distribute employment guides or handbooks to jobseekers.
Under his proposal, all public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country shall be mandated to integrate labor education in the general education subject "The Contemporary World," which covers globalization and its impact on individuals, communities and nations, challenges and responses.
The said subject may be taken at any year level, and may be taught in English or Filipino.
The labor education should cover topics including labor rights and workers’ welfare, as contained in labor laws and regulations; role and contribution of labor to the national economy; basic income taxation; minimum labor standards on wage, overtime pay, night shift differential,
holiday pay, leaves, among other topics related to labor and employment.
HEIs could hold a Labor Empowerment and Career Guidance conference which shall be attended by all graduating students.
In case the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) amends the list of general education courses, labor education should still be integrated. HEIs are not barred from offering labor education as an elective
subject, the bill said.