An Act to Establish in the Department of Labor a Bureau to be Known as Women and Minors Bureau

REPUBLIC ACT No. 2714

An Act to Establish in the Department of Labor a Bureau to be Known as Women and Minors Bureau

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1. There is hereby created in the Department of Labor a bureau to be known as the Women and Minors Bureau. It shall be under the executive authority of a director, preferably a woman, who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments and shall receive the salary provided for under WAPCO salary range fifty-eight. The Director shall be a person who has had previous training and experience in technical and administrative fields related to labor laws affecting women and minors.

For the purposes of this Act, a "child" is any unmarried person below eighteen years of age.

Section 2. The Bureau shall have the following powers and duties:

Section 3. The following divisions shall be established in the Women and Minors Bureau: a research and survey division; a standards division; an informational, service and publication division; and a field services and inspection division.

Section 4. Subject to the Civil Service Law and regulations, the Director shall employ technical staff and such other employees as may be necessary to perform the duties and exercise the functions of the Bureau.

Section 5. For the purpose of inspecting and of conducting investigations and research studies, the Director of the Women and Minors Bureau or her authorized representatives shall have the power to enter any place of employment, during office hours where women and children are employed, to require the production of such lists, birth certificates, educational certificates, medical certificates, special work permits and other pertinent books and records, to question any employee therein and to make such investigations of any fact, matter or condition as may be necessary to carry out her powers and duties as specified in this law.

Section 6. The sum of fifty thousand pesos is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to carry out the provisions of this Act.

Section 7. The Women and Minors Division of the Bureau of Labor Standards is hereby abolished, and its functions transferred to the Women and Minors Bureau, together with the records, equipment, unexpended appropriation of that Division, all the personnel therein and such other personnel as the Secretary of Labor may direct: Provided, That no official or employee in the Women and Minors Division shall be laid off nor the salary and/or rank reduced.

Section 8. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 18, 1960.