Quezon City 1st district Rep. Arjo Atayde

Quezon City 1st district Rep. Arjo Atayde has moved to help preserve Filipinos' jobs amid the prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) usage by local employers. 

The actor-turned-congressman filed House Bill (HB) No.9448, or the proposed Act regulating the use of artificial intelligence and automation systems in the labor industry and for other purposes 

The bill's explanatory note acknowledged that AI has the capacity to greatly enhance productivity and efficiency, thus ushering a new era marked by increased employment opportunities. 

"In other jurisdictions, AI has already been applied in the human resources sector particularly in the following aspects: a) recruitment and hiring, b) process improvement, c) automation of administrative tasks, and d) records management," the measure read. 

"However, many feel that the same poses threats to the labor force. There is fear that the use of AI will result in displacement by substituting human workers who will lose their job," noted Atayde, husband of popular showbiz personality Maine Mendoza, in his bill. 

The bill refers to AI as the interdisciplinary domain that blends computer science with extensive datasets to facilitate problem-solving. It emcompasses subdomains like machine learning and deep learning, which are often discussed in association with AI. 

Section 5 of the bill specifies two prohibitions when it comes to local employers' use of AI. 

First, employers and recruitment entities shall be barred from using AI or automated systems as their sole or primary basis in the hiring and termination of employees. 

"Human evaluation, discretion, and judgement shall always be a significant factor or part in the hiring and termination process. Any use of AI or automated systems during the said processes shall be directly supervised and complemented by human oversight," the bill read. 

Second, the use of AI and automation technologies to replace human workers resulting in displacement, loss of security of tenure, diminution of existing salaries or benefits or unemployment is hereby prohibited "unless an equivalent alternative employment opportunity for affected human workers are made available", it further read. 

Also under Atayde's bill, employees will have the right to communicate with their employers their objection to or refusal to undergo AI-driven evaluations and may request for an alternative evaluation method. 

"Such employees shall in no way be discriminated against such refusal," stressed the measure. 

Meanwhile, Section 12 of HB No.9448 spells out the role of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). 

"The [DOLE] has the authority to oversee and compel the submission of AI governance policies to ensure compliance with existing laws, rules, and regulations, and are compliant with the ethical standards of business and the industry in consultation with relevant government agencies or offices. It shall likewise monitor and assess the compliance of employers with the provisions of thìs law," the bill read.