«Offee of TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 25 AUG -5 P3:44 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVTO DI S. No. _ Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY INSURANCE COVERAGE AND BENEFITS FOR ALL LINE WORKERS EXPLANATORY NOTE If electricity is the lifeblood of our economy, then line workers are the backbone that ensures that economic activity is uninterrupted. Line workers however, face a number of risks to their personal safety in carrying out their duties. In 2019, occupational injuries for the electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply industries amounted to 628 out of the 40,892 reported. Of these reported injuries, 300 or 48% were reported with workdays lost. For the cause of injury, 131 or 44% fell under the PSA category of stepping on, striking against or struck by objects, excluding falling objects'. In terms of frequency rates of cases of occupational injuries with workdays lost, the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply industry ranked second with 2.42, second to the manufacturing industry. It follows that in terms of average workdays lost, the industry ranked highest with 26.39 average workdays lost. 1 Philippine Statistics Authority. (2019). 2019/2020 Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment (ISLE).
Clearly these numbers indicate the risk that line workers and similar occupations face in order to ensure reliable supply of electricity. This risk can be related to the fact that there is a large demand for workers in the Electricity, Gas, Steam, and Air Conditioning Supply industry group. According to the "2021/2022 Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment (ISLE) - Occupational Shortages and Surpluses: September 2021 to August 2022" published by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the aforementioned industry group has the second highest number of posted job vacancies at 55.9% which means that there are "unfilled job openings that are immediately available for placement and where active recruitment steps are being undertaken".? This bill seeks to mandate the provision of insurance for line workers, which refer to persons including crew, drivers, and helpers, who are directly responsible for the construction, installation, maintenance, reconstruction, and repair of overhead transmission and distribution electrical systems, including underground cables, electrical substations, and other related electrical equipment and facilities. Employers are also mandated to provide line workers with retirement and disability benefits, as well as reimbursement of actual medical expenses in the event of death, accident, sickness, disability, or injury sustained by the line worker in the line of duty. In view of the foregoing circumstances, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 2 Content | Philippine Statistics Authority | Republic of the Philippines
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session ) AUG -5 P3:45 SENATE RECEIVED BY S. No. - Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY INSURANCE COVERAGE AND BENEFITS FOR ALL LINE WORKERS Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Line Workers
2 Insurance and Benefits Act".
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the role of the electrical
4 line workers in the pursuit for sustainable economic development through the 5 continuous and reliable supply of electricity, not only in residential dwellings, but most importantly, in commercial and industrial establishments, specifically in the 7 countryside and rural areas, as envisioned by the Rural Electrification Program, and 8 the risk they encounter in the performance of their duties and responsibilities. As 9 such, it shall provide measures that recognize the contributions of line workers to 10 nation-building particularly in the transmission and distribution sectors of the power industry by ensuring that their employers are providing them insurance coverage and other benefits in addition to what is provided for regularly by existing labor laws.
Sec. 3. Definition of Line Workers. - As used in this Act, line workers shall
refer to persons including crew, drivers, and helpers, who are directly responsible for the construction, installation, maintenance, reconstruction, and repair of overhead transmission and distribution electrical systems, including underground cables, 17 electrical substations, and other related electrical equipment and facilities.
Sec. 4. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all line workers in the power industry
2 sector as defined in Section 3 hereof, including those working in private distribution utilities (PDUS), electric cooperatives (ECS), and transmission or grid operators.
Sec. 5. Mandatory Insurance Coverage. - All line workers shall be entitled to
life and accident or disability insurance benefits in accordance with the following minimum required coverage schedule: a) In the case of electric cooperatives, the insurance coverage requirement shall be calibrated according to the following classification: National Electrification Minimum Insurance Coverage Administration Classification (in Philippine Peso) Small 200,000 Medium 400,000 Large 600,000 Extra Large 800,000 Mega Large 1,000,000 b) For the transmission or grid operator, the minimum insurance coverage shall be Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00). c) For Private Distribution Utilities, the minimum insurance coverage shall be One million and five hundred thousand pesos (P1,500,000.00). The coverage shall be effective upon the commencement of their employment until their separation from the company, either by resignation, termination, or retirement. The insurance premium payments shall be shouldered entirely by the employer. Employers who are already providing insurance coverage to their line workers equal to or more than the minimum requirement as prescribed herein are no longer required to make adjustments to their insurance coverage. Otherwise, they should augment the amount of coverage to comply with this Act: Provided, That in no way shall this Act be construed to diminish or reduce any insurance coverage which the line workers are already receiving or any entitlement under existing laws, company policy, or employment contracts or collective bargaining agreements between the employer and the employees.
Sec. 6. Mandatory Benefits. - In addition to the mandated insurance
coverage, the employers of line workers shall also ensure the provision of the following mandatory benefits: a. Retirement benefits; b. Mortuary assistance; c. Disability benefits; and, d. Reimbursement of actual medical expenses in case of death, accident, sickness disability or injury sustained by the line worker in the line of duty: Provided, That when a line worker participates in power restoration and rehabilitation efforts in calamity-stricken areas or similar engagements hosted by an entity other than the employer of the line worker, such host entity shall provide the line worker with benefits similar to those provided under this Section and as may be allowed by its financial capacity to cover death, accident, sickness, disability or injury sustained by the line worker during such engagement. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in consultation with stakeholders, shall provide comprehensive list of all other benefits that line workers should be entitled to in addition to the above mandatory benefits and the same shall be incorporated in the rules and regulations to be issued to implement this Act.
Sec. 7. Disqualification from Benefits. - No benefits shall be given to any line
worker or the line worker's beneficiaries if and when the death, accident, sickness, disability, or injury happened during an unauthorized absence or abandonment of office or is caused by any of the following: a. Willful intention to injure or kill oneself; b. Notorious negligence; c. Failure to observe safety protocols or exercise reasonable care for one's own safety; and d. Commission of a crime by the line worker.
Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days upon
approval of this Act, the National Electrification Administration shall, together with the DOLE, the Energy Regulatory Commission, and in consultation with the PDUS
1 and ECs, promulgate and issue the rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations
or other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
Sec. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. Approved,