Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘Twentieth Congress
First Regular Session
House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Gerardo “Gerryboy” J. Espina, Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The bill seeks toestablish the TESDA Skills, Training and Accreditation Center
in the municipality of Kawayan, Province of Biliran, to be known as the Kawayan, Biliran
TESDA Training and Assessment Center Act.

The establishment of an accessible, high-quality and efficient technical education and
skills development center shall be beneficial not only to the new high school graduates but
also to college graduates and to ordinary citizens.

The Lone District of Biliran is composed of eight (8) municipalities, namely: Almeria,
Biliran, Cabucgayan, Caibiran, Culaba, Kawayan, Maripipi, and Naval. The only existing TESDA
Training Center in the province is located in the Municipality of Cabucgayan, which is very far
from the capital town of Naval that serves as the center of trade and commerce of the Province.
Furthermore, itis ironic that the provincial office of TESDA is located in Barangay Atipolo, Naval
and Biliran while the training center is located in Cabucgayan. The learners find it very difficult
to travel to a far-flung area away from the main island. Not only does it cost them more expenses,
but also the time alone is already onerous for them.

This bill, which aims to equip the citizens with basic practical knowledge and technical
expertise, 8geared towards a society that is self-reliant, productive, and more importantly,
employable. The necessity for the creation of a TESDA in Kawayan, Biliran shall serve the three
(3) municipalities composed of the Island Municipality of Maripipi, Kawayan, and Culaba, as
well as other neighboring Municipalities and provinces, since the existing TESDA Accreditation
Centers located in the Municipality of Cabucgayan cannot cater to the whole province of
Biliran.

In view of the foregoing, approvalof this bill is earnestly sought.

HON. GERARDO “G! Y” J. ESPINA, JR.
Rey ati
Lone District, Biliran


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.____ 897

Introduced by Representative Gerardo “Gerryboy” J. Espina, Jr.

ANACT
ESTABLISHING A TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY (TESDA) TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER IN THE
MUNICIPALITY OF KAWAYAN, PROVINCE OF BILIRAN, TO BE KNOWN AS THE
KAWAYAN, BILIRAN TESDA TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in
the Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Kawayan, Biliran
TESDA Training and Assessment Center Act”.

SEC. 2. Establishment. - There is hereby established a Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Training and Assessment Center in the
Municipality of Kawayan, Province of Biliran, under the supervision of the TESDA, to be
known as the Kawayan, Biliran TESDA Training and Assessment Center. It shall be
established in a highly accessible location in the Municipality of Kawayan, Province of
Biliran, pursuant to the purposes of this Act and to the mutual agreement between the
TESDA and the concerned local government units (LGUs).

SEC. 3. General Mandate. - The Kawayan, Biliran TESDA Training and
Assessment Center, hereinafter received to as the Center, shall primarily provide
technical-vocational education and training (TVET) programs to students and
local residents from low-income families and out-of-school youths, including
persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples, in the Municipality of
Kawayan and the neighboring localities in the Province of Biliran, to help them
become productive, self-reliant and globally competitive labor assets.

The Center shall offer training programs on relevant skills trade
competencies, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship activities needed to deliver
the effective employment interventions that will hasten the development of the
host area and adjacent localities in the Province of Biliran into human resource


and productivity hubs.

The Center shall serve as TESDA-accredited Assessment Center for
acquired competencies in TVET programs in the Municipality of Kawayan and
adjacent localities in the Province of Biliran. It shall also provide teachers’
training and curriculum design assistance to the secondary schools offering the
technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) track under the K to 12 Program in
coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the TESDA.

SEC. 4. Training Program. - The Center shall offer short-term certificate
courses and modular trainings in preferred technical-vocational skills and trades
specialization. To this end, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology
(DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA),
business-industry partners, and other relevant agencies and instrumentalities,
both local and international, shall provide the necessary assistance to enable the
Center to develop skilled manpower to achieve a robust inclusive economy in
the host area and its adjacent localities.

The Center may establish research and technology hubs, technology
development farms, satellite or extension training centers, and promote mobile
training programs to strengthen linkages among the industry partners, the
academe, and the Center geared towards the acquisition of practical livelihood,
employable skills, gainful employment, and entrepreneurship in priority areas
in the Municipality of Kawayan and neighboring localities in the Province of
Biliran.

The Center shall offer the following TVET programs with competencies
assessment leading to National Certification Levels I-III:

(a) Skills training in industrial technology and hard trades such as metal
and steelwork, machine fabrication and operation, heavy equipment
operation, automotive mechanic, refrigeration and air conditioning,
electronics, and operation of power tools and equipment for both
medium skills grade and industrial purposes;

(b) Agriculture and aquaculture-related training and skills development in
such areas as farming technology, fishing operations technology,
backyard farming and home-based aquaculture and propagation
innovations, mechanized farm, fishing tools and equipment operation,
agribusiness, agri-aqua trade technology and innovations, and relevant
farmers and fisherfolks’ trainings for increased productivity and
entrepreneurship;

(c) Livelihood skills development courses for preferred skills employment
and small-scale entrepreneurship, including practical skills education

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in arts and crafts, workmanship and design, high-speed sewing,
dressmaking and tailoring, horticulture, livestock raising and breeding,
food processing technology, home technology, culinary arts and
commercial cooking, cosmetology, and health and wellness training;

(d) Basic business literacy training in financial management, marketing,
practical accountancy, bookkeeping, office procedures, business
processes and application procedures including registration, licensing,
documentation, business patent and intellectual property regulation,
business financing and investment opportunities sourcing, import-
export accreditation, online home-based business operation, and use of
social media business marketing;

(e) Technical-vocational occupation and trades skills such as carpentry,
masonry, plumbing, welding, practical electricity and installation,
automotive servicing, electronic servicing, personal computer (PC)
serving, and such other relevant practical skills courses;

(f) Computer literacy and information technology (IT)-related skills,
digital technology, web design, animation, photoshop/online
photography, computer design, and advertising;

(g)Social communication skills and language proficiency courses in
English and other languages for business process outsourcing
employment and overseas job placement;

(h)Seminars on personality development, career counseling, job
placement, and work ethic and values; and

(i) Other preferred skills and trades training that may be needed by the
people of the Municipality of Kawayan and of the adjacent localities of
the Province of Biliran to enhance their capacities for practical
livelihood, gainful employment, and entrepreneurial activities.

SEC. 5. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. - The provisions of this

Act notwithstanding, the Center shall become operational only upon the
determination and certification by the TESDA, through the issuance of a formal
recommendation and certificate of compliance, that the Center has satisfactorily
complied with the minimum requirements for quality standards prescribed by
the TESDA governing the following competency assessment; (a) standard
procedures and guidelines (SPGs) for the establishment and operation of a
Center; (b) operational sustainability of the Center, in terms of licensed faculty-
trainers and personnel, equipment, training and laboratory facilities,
instructional materials, and other standard requirements of a Center; (c)
sustainable funding source and allocation of the budgetary requirement; (4)
assurance that the training programs offered are fully aligned with the minimum
standards or competency-based quality technical-vocational skills technology
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and the needs of the host area and adjacent communities served in the context of
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Integration and the
Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) for TVET; and e) compliance with
such other TESDA conditionalities and standards, as may be necessary and
applicable in establishing a Center.

SEC. 6. Administration. - The Center shall be headed by a Technical-
Vocational Administrator, under the supervision of the TESDA, who shall render
full-time service and be responsible for its administration and operation.

The Technical-Vocational Administrator shall be appointed by the TESDA
Director General in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Civil Service
Commission and the qualification requirements for such office.

The Technical-Vocational Administrator shall enter into agreements with
locally-based private and public counterpart agencies or instrumentalities and
persons, subject to the approval of the TESDA Director General, for such
assistance as may be necessary to effectively implement this Act.

SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The Director General of the TESDA shall include
in the Authority’s program the operation of the Center, the funding of which
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

The LGUs concerned, in consultation with the TESDA, shall set aside from
any available local revenue an amount deemed appropriate as annual
counterpart fund to support the operation of the Center herein established.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days
after the approval of this Act, the TESDA shall, in coordination with the DOLE,
DTI, DOST, DA, the Department of Budget and Management, DILG, NEDA, the
concerned LGUs, and such other relevant agencies and industry-business
partners of the host locality, prepare and issue the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 9. Separability Clause - If, for any reason, any section or provision of this
Act shall be deemed unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions thereof
shall not be affected and shall remain in force and in effect.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause - All laws, executive orders, decrees, issuances, rules
and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 6. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,