Senator Raffy Tulfo has filed a bill seeking to establish a separate quasi-judicial body dedicated to resolving labor disputes involving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Tulfo, who chairs the Senate committee on migrant workers, filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 1480, which proposes the creation of the Migrant Workers Relations Commission (MWRC). While acknowledging the NLRC as a 'well-established and vital organization,' he noted that its broad mandate has resulted in a heavy caseload. 'Reports indicate that this large volume of cases has caused considerable delays, adversely affecting OFWs in their pursuit of justice,' he added. Under SB 1480, the proposed MWRC would have exclusive jurisdiction over all cases involving land-based and sea-based Filipino migrant workers, regardless of whether they are covered by collective bargaining agreements. The commission would be attached to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for policy coordination and would consist of three divisions, each composed of three commissioners. Every division would be led by a presiding commissioner from the public sector, alongside one commissioner nominated by migrant workers and another nominated by private recruitment and manning agencies. He said the measure aims to speed up the resolution of OFW complaints. According to Tulfo, a dedicated body would help OFWs 'avoid the prolonged procedures commonly associated with the NLRC (National Labor Relations Commission) in their quest for justice.' The NLRC, a quasi-judicial agency under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), currently hears labor and management disputes involving both local and overseas workers. 'The NLRC processes over 30,000 cases each year, making OFW cases especially susceptible to delays and backlogs,' Tulfo wrote in the bill's explanatory note.
