Camille Villar seeks stronger protection of BPO workers
At A Glance
- The neophyte senator underscored the need to pass the bill following reports that Cebu-based BPO workers were forced by their employers to work even though a magnitude 6.9 earthquake has just hit the province.
Senator Camille Villar has filed a bill seeking stronger protection for business process outsourcing (BPO) workers.
Villar filed Senate Bill No. 1401 or the “BPO Workers’ Welfare and Protection Act” which seeks to institutionalize comprehensive safeguards for employees in the outsourcing sector.
The neophyte senator underscored the need to pass the bill following reports that Cebu-based BPO workers were forced by their employers to work even though a magnitude 6.9 earthquake has just hit the province.
Cebu-based BPO workers decried the unsafe return-to-work policies, harassment, and threats of job loss for prioritizing their safety as they were forced to report back to work shortly after the quake.
“No worker should ever have to choose between their safety and their job. The welfare of our BPO employees must always come first,” Villar said.
She said the bill directs the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to establish and strictly enforce Occupational Health and Safety Standards (OHSS) for BPO work, aligned with International Labor Organization (ILO) recommendations.
The lawmaker said these standards must be reviewed annually and applied in all establishments, with compliance subject to regular inspections.
“BPO workers are at the frontline of our global service industry. Protecting their welfare means protecting the dignity of Filipino labor and ensuring shared prosperity,” she stressed.
Furthermore, the bill compels each company to craft its own Workplace Occupational Health and Safety (WOHS) policy, consistent with national standards but adaptable to local conditions.
Under the measure, employers must review these policies annually with input from a designated Workplace Occupational Health and Safety Officer (WOHSO), Enforcement Officers, and other authorized representatives, ensuring that safeguards evolve with emerging risks and workplace realities.
The bill also forbids the imposition of excessive company bonds and fees on employees who leave before a set period. It also explicitly protects them from discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, or any other status recognized under human rights standards.