The House Committee on Labor and Employment held a meeting last 24 February 2020 at the Speaker De Venecia Hall, South Wing Annex, House of Representatives, Quezon City. The agenda of the meeting included the deliberation of House Bill No. 5338, or an “Act Requiring Industries Engaged in the Exploitation of Natural Resources to Give Preferential Employment to Local Residents, Amending for the Purpose the Labor Code of the Philippines”, authored by 8th District Representative of Cavite Abraham “Bambol” N. Tolentino.
Resource persons for the deliberations consisted of representatives from the employers’ sector, such as the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP), People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), the Federation of the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII), and Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines (CeMAP). COMP and CeMAP expressed no objections to the passage of the bill citing that they are already practicing in their industries the preferential regard for local manpower, goods and services. PMAP and FFCCCII also supported the passage of the bill, but both had specific comments to enrich the provisions in the bill.
ECOP lauded the intent of the bill inasmuch as it seeks to give local residents preferential treatment in terms of gaining. However, it sought clarification on how the bill would be implemented and is also worried that the enactment of the law may violate the doctrine of management prerogative that gives employers freedom to regulate all aspects of employment. Nevertheless, ECOP also expressed that the comments from the other industry associations will be noted and be considered in the formulation of the official position paper.