ALBAY 3rd District Representative Raymond Adrian Salceda has filed House Bill No. 3877 seeking to broaden labor education in the country through amendments to Republic Act No. 11551, or the “Labor Education Act.”
The bill introduces labor education in Senior High School (SHS), ensuring that 18-year-old graduates who are already legally employable enter the workforce with a solid grasp of their rights and responsibilities.
“Ngayon po kasi ang Labor Education nasa college ginagawa. Too late na po ‘yan at 18 na po ang mga gumagraduate sa Senior High School,” Salceda said. “By then, many are already working without even the most basic knowledge of labor rights, safety standards, or grievance mechanisms.”
Beyond schools, the measure also seeks to strengthen institutions that provide continuing education for workers, including labor unions. “Isa pa pong gusto kong suportahan, yung mga institusyon na nagbibigay ng workers education sa mga nagtatrabaho na. Kabilang dyan ang mga labor union,” Salceda added.
The bill expands labor education beyond classrooms by mandating partnerships with the Department of Labor and Employment, the University of the Philippines Law Center, accredited labor unions, professional groups, and employers. It further requires the Department of Labor and Employment to establish a Labor Education Resource Hub and to integrate labor education into government employment programs such as SPES and TUPAD.
Salceda’s push is also aligned with the efforts of an emerging “Labor Bloc” in Congress, a group of legislators committed to advancing pro-worker reforms.
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