Senate bill seeks to penalize discriminatory acts vs IPs
Published Jul 14, 2023 05:48 am
Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has filed a measure making discriminatory acts in the hiring and dismissal of indigenous people (IPs) from work unlawful.
Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada (Senate PRIB Photo)
“To exclude any person from any employment opportunities because of his religion or ethnic origin is unacceptable,” Estrada said in filing Senate Bill No. 1026. “Hindi dapat maging batayan sa pagbibigay o pamamasukan sa trabaho ang pagkakabilang sa pangkat ng mga katutubo o pagkakaroon ng ethnic origin (Belonging to the indigenous group or having ethnic origin should not be a basis of employment),” the senator said. Under the bill, it shall be illegal for a labor union or federation to exclude or expel from its membership any person based on his religion or ethnic origin, unless religion or ethnic origin would affect the operation of the business or enterprise. Employers will also be required to respect the employee’s right to actively participate in religious or ethnic activities, Estrada said. In order to guarantee equal employment opportunities for them, Estrada’s bill also proposes to give preference to members of IP cultural communities in areas where they are predominant. In areas where indigenous cultural communities predominate, the bill proposes to have at least 10 percent of the rank-and-file positions in government service be reserved for their employment, provided that their appointment is in accordance with civil service laws. Estrada also said the bill aims to address the poverty and inequalities being experienced by indigenous groups. In a 2020 study, the International Labor Organization (ILO) noted that indigenous people are nearly three times as likely to be living in extreme poverty as their non-indigenous counterparts. “As such, it shall be unlawful for an employer to refuse to hire or discriminate against them on matters concerning salary, work conditions, and promotion or use it as justification in their firing,” he said. Violators of the proposed law will face as much as P500,000 or a jail term of up to six years. “The benefits and safeguards embodied in this bill are some of the necessary mechanisms to enforce and guarantee the realization of the rights of indigenous people, taking into consideration their customs, traditions, and values,” the lawmaker reiterated.
Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada (Senate PRIB Photo)
“To exclude any person from any employment opportunities because of his religion or ethnic origin is unacceptable,” Estrada said in filing Senate Bill No. 1026. “Hindi dapat maging batayan sa pagbibigay o pamamasukan sa trabaho ang pagkakabilang sa pangkat ng mga katutubo o pagkakaroon ng ethnic origin (Belonging to the indigenous group or having ethnic origin should not be a basis of employment),” the senator said. Under the bill, it shall be illegal for a labor union or federation to exclude or expel from its membership any person based on his religion or ethnic origin, unless religion or ethnic origin would affect the operation of the business or enterprise. Employers will also be required to respect the employee’s right to actively participate in religious or ethnic activities, Estrada said. In order to guarantee equal employment opportunities for them, Estrada’s bill also proposes to give preference to members of IP cultural communities in areas where they are predominant. In areas where indigenous cultural communities predominate, the bill proposes to have at least 10 percent of the rank-and-file positions in government service be reserved for their employment, provided that their appointment is in accordance with civil service laws. Estrada also said the bill aims to address the poverty and inequalities being experienced by indigenous groups. In a 2020 study, the International Labor Organization (ILO) noted that indigenous people are nearly three times as likely to be living in extreme poverty as their non-indigenous counterparts. “As such, it shall be unlawful for an employer to refuse to hire or discriminate against them on matters concerning salary, work conditions, and promotion or use it as justification in their firing,” he said. Violators of the proposed law will face as much as P500,000 or a jail term of up to six years. “The benefits and safeguards embodied in this bill are some of the necessary mechanisms to enforce and guarantee the realization of the rights of indigenous people, taking into consideration their customs, traditions, and values,” the lawmaker reiterated.