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SURVEILLANCE TESTS KEEP JOBS ALIVE – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva stressed the crucial role that surveillance testing plays in keeping millions of jobs alive amid another surge in cases of COVID-19. Villanueva said regular random testing in workplaces could detect sources of coronavirus and stem its transmission and risks of workers bringing the virus home. The chair of the Senate labor committee […]

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SENATE RATIFIES LABOR EDUCATION BILL – VILLANUEVA

The Senate ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the labor education bill, a measure that seeks to improve education and awareness on labor laws, according to Senator Joel Villanueva. Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee, described the development as a “golden opportunity” for both employers and workers to achieve harmony in the workplace […]

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VACCINE ROLLOUT NEEDS A FAST BREAK – VILLANUEVA

The government’s vaccination drive must go on a fast break to meet its target number of beneficiaries, and loosen movement restrictions that affect workers and hamper economic activity, according to Senator Joel Villanueva. At the current pace of administering 3,887 vaccine doses daily, the government might not fulfill the President’s promise of life returning to […]

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PROTECT WOMEN VS WORK DISCRIMINATION – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva, chairman of the Senate committee on labor, filed a bill expanding the list of prohibited acts in the Labor Code that constitute discrimination against women. “As presently worded, the Labor Code of the Philippines already prohibits certain acts of discrimination against women,” Villanueva said in the bill. “The law should adapt to […]

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REVIEW PROTOCOLS ON OFW DEPLOYMENT – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva called for a thorough review of protocols on deployment of workers, citing data from the Department of Labor and Employment which showed that the most abused OFWs are household service workers, who are mostly, if not all are women. At the resumption of the public hearings into the proposed creation of the […]

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DON’T’ FORCE WORKERS TO GET VACCINES — VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva warned against discriminating workers who opt out from vaccination programs implemented by their employers, saying instead of forcing workers to be inoculated, confidence building efforts should be carried out in the company, instead of threats of termination from employment. Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee, reacted to reports on “no vaccination, […]

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SENATE RESUMES WORK ON OFW DEPT BILL – VILLANUEVA

The Senate buckled down to work again to hammer out the “nitty-gritty” of creating a Department of Overseas Filipinos (DoFil) that won’t be just a change of agency name but one truly empowered to protect and promote the rights and the welfare of millions of migrant Filipino workers. “This is not just a re-labeling exercise […]

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VILLANUEVA ENDORSES KOUAME’S PINOY CITIZENSHIP BID

Senator Joel Villanueva endorsed at the Senate the granting of Filipino citizenship to Ateneo standout Ange Kouame, who is being eyed by Gilas Pilipinas as its naturalized player in the upcoming 2021 FIBA Regional Qualifiers. Villanueva, who played for the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers basketball team that strung together four consecutive championships in […]

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SENATE HAILS VICO SOTTO FOR ANTI-CORRUPTION FIGHT

Senator Joel Villanueva, whose early and continuing work in Congress involves the fight against corruption, asked the Senate to commend Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto for being among 12 “Anti-Corruption Champions” in the world picked by the US State Department, saying the young mayor showed there was no “gray area” in good governance. In a […]

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LABOR EDUCATION BILL GETS SENATE OK – VILLANUEVA

Senator Joel Villanueva hailed the Senate approval on third and final reading the measure that, if enacted into law, would require tertiary education institutions and tech-voc training institutes to integrate labor education subjects in their general education curriculum. “We are one step closer to an empowered workforce, one where both employer and employee are informed […]