MANILA, Philippines — A proposed measure upgrading standards of protection and assistance to migrant workers moved closer to becoming a law after it passed the committee level at the House of Representatives.

The proposed measure, which replaces House Bills 628, 699, 700, 769 and 4783, gained the nod of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs for plenary deliberations.

An article on the House of Representatives website (www.congress.gov.ph) said the bill seeks to amend Republic Act No. 8042 or "The Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995."

Under the bill, each worker deployed or processed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and any licensed recruitment/placement agency shall be covered by a compulsory employment liability insurance equivalent to three months of the worker's salary for every year of his contract.

Only reputable private insurance companies registered with the Insurance Commission (IC), duly endorsed by a recognized association of recruitment/placement agencies and in existence for at least five years shall be qualified to provide the said insurance coverage.

Employment liability insurance, to be secured at no cost to the worker, shall be answerable for money claims or damages that may be awarded or given to the worker in a judgment or settlement of his/her ca, said the report..

If the worker has paid for the premium or the cost of the insurance coverage, the licensed recruitment/placement agency shall lose its license.

All its officers and directors shall, as a consequence, be perpetually disqualified from engaging in the business of recruitment/placement of overseas workers.

The bill also calls for the addition of three members each to the present composition of the Boards of the POEA and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Each member shall come from the women, sea-based and land-based sectors respectively, to be selected and nominated openly by the general membership of the sector being represented.

POEA and OWWA shall launch a massive information campaign on the selection of nominees and provide for a system of consultation among the certified leaders or representatives of the concerned sectors, at least three times within 90 days before the boards shall be convened, for purposes of selection.

The process shall be open, democratic and transparent.

Only non-government organizations that protect and promote the rights and welfare of overseas Filipino workers duly registered with the appropriate Philippine government agency and in good standing for at least three years, shall be qualified to nominate a representative for each sector to the board.

Authors of the bill include Reps. Manuel Zamora (Compostela Valley), committee chairman Rex Gatchalian (Valenzuela City), vice chairman Arthur Pingoy (South Cotabato), Judy Syjuco (Iloilo) and Edgar Chatto (Bohol). - GMANews.TV