THE House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure which aims to include labor education in the college curriculum.
House Bill 7927, also known as the "Labor Education Act," is principally authored by 1-Pacman Party-list Representative Enrico Pineda.
The bill provides that labor education shall be integrated into the mandatory social science subjects being offered under the general education curriculum in the higher education courses.
The bill defines labor education as teachings on labor rights, worker's welfare and benefits, labor laws and regulations, the national and global labor situation, labor market concerns, labor issues, overseas work and related problems and similar topics related to labor and employment.
Under the bill, the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) will be the agency responsible to implement the provisions in the said act.
Pineda said college students should be educated of the labor laws through a compulsory subject before they become part of the labor force, saying that labor force contributes to the improvement of the economy.
“It accounts for over half of the national population placing the Philippines 13th in the world among countries with the most available pool of workers,” Pineda said.
Pineda also said that the abundance of labor in the country makes the Philippines one of the more attractive havens for investments.
Other authors of the bill are 1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Michael Odylon Romero, Paranaque Rep. Gus Tambunting and Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Ann Hofer, among others. (Keith A. Calayag/SunStar Philippines)