Philippine bill seeks better welfare for BPO workers
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Camarines Sur Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. recently introduced House Bill 8733, also called BPO Workers’ Welfare Protection Act, to address concerns about the working conditions of the Philippines’ Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) workforce.
Aimed at improving conditions for the nation’s 1.2 million BPO employees, the bill identifies gaps in current labor laws. It underscores the need for better information access, protection against understaffing, and additional benefits to ensure worker safety and well-being.
The bill also highlights issues BPO workers face, such as demanding performance standards, limited restroom breaks, and erratic shift changes.
Further, the legislation mandates BPO companies to uphold worker rights in line with the Labor Code and prohibits acts that undermine an individual’s dignity, including verbal or physical abuse.
It also emphasizes maintaining a balanced worker-to-client ratio to ensure quality service and calls for the regularization of BPO employees, promoting their rights to self-organization and democratic participation.
“It is no secret that the BPO is one [of] the country’s economic drivers with over 1.2 million [workers],” Villafuerte wrote in the bill’s explanatory note.
“This bill aims to institutionalize more equitable arrangements in order to provide protection to both labor and capital and help the BPO thrive,” he added.
Other lawmakers had previously voiced their support for stronger protection for BPO workers. A similar bill was previously filed by Kabataan Partylist Representative Raoul Manuel that tackles better working conditions and benefits for BPO professionals in the Philippines.
Earlier this year, Senator Risa Hontiveros urged stronger protections for BPO workers in the advent of artificial intelligence (AI).
Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos filed a resolution calling for an inquiry into using AI and its impact on the country’s job market, especially the BPO and manufacturing industries.
