COTABATO CITY (November 18) — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region has made history with the passage of its first Bangsamoro Labor and Employment Code (BLEC), a landmark law that sets fairer standards for wages, workplace safety, and workers’ rights across the region.
The Parliament approved the code on third and final reading Wednesday, with all 39 members present voting in favor. Certified urgent by Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, the measure moved swiftly, passing just a day after its approval on second reading.
Authored by a multi-sector group of MPs led by Romeo Sema, the BLEC is part of BARMM’s priority legislation. Sema said the new code reflects the region’s commitment to moral governance and provides workers with “a crucial safeguard for the future of the Bangsamoro.”
“The BLEC introduces labor reforms not yet in the national law — including the right to disconnect, Employment Transition Assistance, and stronger labor justice systems,” Sema said.
Fairer rules, culturally responsive policies
The code lays out comprehensive rules on employment standards, workplace safety, and dispute resolution, while adapting national labor policies to the cultural and socio-economic realities of the Bangsamoro.
The Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) is given expanded authority to regulate recruitment, set minimum wages, monitor safety, and resolve disputes through the new Bangsamoro Labor Conciliation and Arbitration Board (BLCAB).
More benefits for workers
The BLEC enhances protections for vulnerable workers — including PWDs, seniors, and informal workers — and expands benefits such as prayer breaks, flexible work hours during Ramadan, and up to 30 days of unpaid leave for Hajj or Umrah. It also mandates lactation stations, child-minding areas, and safeguards against gender-based harassment.
A key innovation is the “right to disconnect,” ensuring employees are not penalized for ignoring work messages after office hours.
MOLE will soon start public consultations for the IRR, paving the way for the region’s first worker-centered labor system.
