Labor Code needs to be updated

FOR more than three decades, the Labor Code of the Philippines, Presidential decree 442, has been the governing law between employers and workers in the private sector. Over the years, there have been changes as far the labor practices are concerned raising the need to amend the code in order in order to ensure the protection of workers and employers.

Enacted during the martial law era of then President Ferdinand Marcos, the code is composed of a preliminary title and seven books: pre-employment; human resources development program; conditions of employment; health, safety and social welfare benefits; labor relations; post employment, and; transitory and final provisions.