Rural Employment Assistance Program Act of 2025

tig dsio.! TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 25 JUL -7 110:08 SENATE S. No. 177 Introduced by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" T. Go PROVIDING FOR RURAL EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE Article II, Section 19 and Article XII, Section 1 highlight the constitutional mandate to promote inclusive economic growth by addressing unemployment and underdevelopment, particularly in rural areas, where many Filipinos still live in poverty and lack access to decent work. Strengthening rural employment directly supports national goals of equity, productivity, and poverty alleviation. According to a recent report by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the national unemployment rate increased to 4.1% in April 2025, translating to over 2 million jobless Filipinos. Many of these individuals reside in rural communities where access to stable employment remains limited due to a lack of industries, infrastructure, and investment. There is a decline in the promotion of inclusive growth due to concentrated development in cities leaving rural regions behind. Providing jobs in the countryside promotes equitable growth and reduces the urban-rural development gap. This situation underscores the urgency of bringing livelihood programs, agricultural support, and rural enterprise development to these areas to curb migration to urban

centers, promote inclusive growth, and ensure that rural populations are not left behind in the country's economic recovery efforts. Given these circumstances, the proposed bill aims to offer temporary employment to eligible members of poor households in rural areas who are willing to engage in unskilled manual labor for a specified period. Local Social Welfare and Development Officers will be responsible for assessing all interested poor, disadvantaged, or displaced individuals, including seasonal workers who express a desire to participate in the program. This situation highlights the urgent need for the passage of the Rural Employment Assistance Bill, which seeks to establish well-paid, sustainable employment programs in rural areas. Through this measure, the government can promote inclusive growth, ease the strain on urban centers, and uplift disadvantaged communities across the country. In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is highly recommended. SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO

NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session JUL -7 ND:08 SENATE S. No. 1'77 Introduced by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" T. Go PROVIDING FOR RURAL EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Rural Employment

2 Assistance Program Act of 2025."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a declared policy of the State to promote a

4 just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social 6 services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality 7 of life for all. Towards this end, the State shall provide Filipinos with opportunities for 8 just and sufficient means of livelihood. The State shall likewise initiate meaningful employment assistance programs to qualified individuals of poor, disadvantaged or displaced households in rural areas duly identified by the appropriate national agencies.

Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

(a) Displaced worker refers to a worker in the formal and informal sectors who became unemployed, underemployed, or have lost livelihood as a result of closure of establishment, economic crisis, retrenchment, termination, natural disaster or calamities;

(b) Poor refers to individuals and families whose income fall below the poverty threshold as defined by the government and/or cannot afford in a sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs of food, health, education, housing and other essential amenities of life, or those who have been identified as poor by the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR); (c) Qualified individual refers to willing and able Filipino citizens who are at least fifteen (15) years of age: Provided, That, individuals between the ages fifteen (15) and eighteen (18) may only qualify by first obtaining consent from their parent/s and/or legal guardian, and can only be employed in non-hazardous work environments in accordance with the Labor Code; (d) Rural area refers to any barangay with at least fifty percent (50%) land devoted to agriculture, timberland, forest and/or pasture land as determined by the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of the concerned local government unit (LGU); and (e) Seasonal worker refers to a worker who performs work or service that is only for a specific period of time or season of the year.

Sec. 4. Rural Employment Assistance Program. - There is hereby created a

Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), which shall provide temporary employment to qualified individuals who are poor, disadvantaged, displaced or seasonal workers willing to work for a minimum of ten (10) days, but not more than ninety (90) days in a calendar year wherein the minimum and maximum period of engagement can cover a single activity or multiple activities spread out over the course of a calendar year. Individuals employed under the REAP are not subject to the terms and conditions of regular employment, and as such, shall not be deemed to have employer-employee relationship with the DOLE, or any agency or institution who utilizes their services with respect to the program.

Sec. 5. Qualifications for Availment of Employment Assistance. - The Local

2 Social Welfare and Development Officers (LSWDOs), in close coordination with DOLE 3 and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD), shall conduct an assessment and survey of all poor, disadvantaged or displaced individuals who signify 5 interest in undertaking work under the REAP. The assessment shall also take into 6 consideration the inherent knowledge, skills, capacities, and capabilities of potential 7 qualified participants so as to properly determine the type and nature of projects that 8 are most suited to them and their respective communities. The DOLE shall facilitate basic knowledge and skills orientation, including 10 briefings on minimum public health standards and protocols in relation to the COVID- 19 pandemic, and capacity-building trainings and seminars as deemed necessary towards project development for qualified participants. The LGUs and program partners concerned may make available for use any tools and equipment necessary for project development to the qualified individuals.

Sec. 6. Types of Works and Activities under the Program. - Employment

activities for this purpose shall be designed to mobilize eligible individuals, families, and communities to finish a project within a given time period. These projects may include, but are not limited to the following: (a) Development, rebuilding or rehabilitation of agri-based livelihood assets damaged, destroyed, or lost due to natural disasters, such as desilting of irrigation canals, development of paddy dikes, and rehabilitation of water impounding dams; (b) Development or rehabilitation of common service facilities, which are being shared and used by poor families as production or consolidation centers like post-harvest facilities, public markets, display centers, and fish ports; (c) Development or rehabilitation of physical assets to open up access to areas necessary to transport rural products, such as construction of farm-to-market roads and bridges;

(d) Protection of natural and productive assets through mitigation and disaster risk reduction measures, such as mangrove planting and rehabilitation, tree planting, seedling preparation, re-forestation and similar activities; (e) Social community projects such as repair, maintenance, or improvement of common public facilities and infrastructure such as schools and health centers, debris clearing, declogging of canals, debris segregation and materials recovery, stockpiling and clearing, disinfection and sanitation of shared facilities and public spaces; and (f) Remote or online work projects such as digitization of records and collation of inquiries submitted to government agencies: Provided, That the DSWD, in coordination with the program partner, shall provide the tools and equipment necessary for remote or online work projects. The DOLE shall provide an updated list of projects that may be undertaken as well as the projects not covered under this Act. This list shall be readily made available to potentially qualified individuals who have expressed their desire to participate in the REAP.

Sec. 7. Rate of Assistance. - Every position qualified under this Program shall

be entitled to receive compensation for each day of work at the prevailing minimum wage set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) concerned. LUs may also provide for additional allowances to the beneficiaries in order to cover for other expenses such as transportation and food.

Sec. 8. Micro-insurance Benefits. - Qualified individuals are granted the option

to access micro-insurance as a form of social security in the event of accidental death or dismemberment, medical reimbursement, and bereavement assistance at a socialized cost by mandating the DOLE to provide liaison services necessary to enable qualified individuals access to these social serviced. LGUs may also provide additional allowance to participants to cover insurance costs.

Sec. 9. Appropriations. - Initial funding for the implementation of this Act shall

29 be charged against the current year's appropriations of the DOLE. Thereafter, the

1 amount of necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual 2 General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from

the approval of this Act, the DOLE, in consultation with relevant agencies, shall issue 5 the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 11. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is

subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive

orders, presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

Sec. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,