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Republic of the Philippines i? RECEIVED @
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES He MARTA TON
Quezon City mite:
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NOS3EE

Introduced by Representative Sherwin N. Tugna

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE QUALIFICATIONS
FRAMEWORK (PQF) AND ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL.
COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR EDUCATION

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘Among the priorities of different countries around the world include raising
skills levels, reforming education and training curriculum, and improving
qualifications. One main concern is strengthening the relationship between
education and training systems and labor markets. National Qualification
Frameworks (NQFs) are eyed as useful policy to achieve this goal. In accordance to
the International Labor Organization (ILO), the development of NQFs has been a
major international trend in reforming national education and training systems since
the late 1990s.

In 2012, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III issued Executive Order No. 83,
which established Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) to harmonize basic
education, technical-vocational education and training (TVET) and tertiary education
into a nationwide schedule of skills and competencies.

With the establishment of the PQF, students can gain a clearer picture of the
competencies they need for their job interests while employers are able to easily
identify the basic work-skills their employees must possess. Hence, the POF can
significantly reduce job-skills mismatch in the Philippines. It can also boost the
international confidence among Filipino workers by making them more competitive
and employable. Furthermore, it can promote lifelong learning.

Through adequate involvement of stakeholders, especially Congress, there
can be greater trust and credibility on the POF. The ILO indicated that achieving the
objectives of a National Qualification Framework required a range of other actions,
including appropriate laws and policies, appropriate institutions, budgetary
allocations, infrastructure development, among others.

The gargantuan tasks are ahead in reforming the education system to rise to
the challenges of the 21% century. While the K to 12 system has transformed the
country’s basic education curriculum, the PQF will harmonize and weave together

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basic education, TVET, and higher education into a unified and quality-assured
system

The passage of a Philippine Qualifications Framework (POF) Law is earnestly
sought to ensure that the qualifications needed to meet the country’s economic and
social needs are of good quality, provide flexibility and progression for learners, and
enjoy international recognition.

In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of the bill is earnestly sought.

win N. Tugna


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.USEE
Introduced by Representative Sherwin N. Tugna

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE QUALIFICATIONS
FRAMEWORK (PQF) AND ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL
COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR EDUCATION

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Qualifications
Framework (PQF) Act of 2016."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — In line with the Constitutional guarantee for
the State to promote the right of all citizens to qualify and accessible education at all
levels, the State shall establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and
integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society.

Recognizing the important role of education and training in national development, it
is hereby declared the policy of the State to institutionalize the Philippine
Qualifications Framework (PQF) to encourage lifelong learning of individuals, provide
employers specific training standards and qualifications that are aligned to industry
standards, ensure the training and educational institutions adhere to specific
standards and are accountable for achieving the same, and provide the government
with common taxonomy and typology of qualifications as bases for granting
approvals to stakeholders.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms are
hereby defined:

(A)Council refers to the Philippine Qualifications Framework National
Coordinating Council;

(B) Secretariat refers to the permanent technical secretariat organized from
the present staff complements of DepEd, TESDA, PRC, DOLE and CHED;

(C)DepEd refers to the Department of Education;


(D) TESDA refers to the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority;

(E) CHED refers to the Department of Higher Education;

(F) DOLE refers to the Department of Labor and Employment;

(N) Technical Voc

(G)PRC refers to the Professional Regulation Commission;

(H)DBM refers to the Department of Budget and Management;

(I) DTI refers to the Department of Trade and Industry;

(J) DOST refers to the Department of Science and Technology:
(K)NEDA refers to the National Economic and Development Authority;

(L) POF refers to the Philippine Qualifications Framework, a national policy

which describes the levels of educational qualifications and sets the
standards for qualification outcomes. It is a quality assured national
system for the development, recognition and award of qualifications based
on standards of knowledge, skills and values acquired in different ways
and methods by leamers and workers of a certain country;

(M)Basic Education refers to the education intended to meet basic learning

needs which lays the foundation on which subsequent learning can be
based. It encompasses early childhood, elementary and high school
education as well as alternative learning systems for out-of-school youth
and adult learners and includes education for those with special needs.
(RA No. 9155 S. 2011).

nal Education and Training refers to the education
process where it involves, in addition to general education, the study of
technologies and related sciences and the acquisition of practical skills
relating to occupations in various sectors of economic life and social life,
comprises formal (organized programs as part of the school system) and
non-formal (organized classes outside the school system) approaches
(UNESCO)

(O)Higher Education refers to the stage of formal education requiring

secondary and post-secondary education covering the programs on: (a) all
courses of study leading to bachelor’s degree; and (b) all degree courses
of study beyond bachelor's degree level.

(P) Qualification refers to a package of competencies describing a particular

function or job role existing in an economic sector, covering the work
activities required to undertake a particular job role.


(Q)Trifocalized Education and Training refers to the three levels of
Philippine Education System: basic education, technical-vocational
education and training, and higher education.

SECTION 4. Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF). — The PQF has the
following objectives:

(A) Adoption of national standards and levels for outcomes of education;

(B)Supporting the development and maintenance of pathways and
equivalencies, which provide access to qualifications and assist people to
move easily and readily between the different education and training
sectors and between these sectors and the labor market; and

(C) Alignment with international qualifications framework to support the
national and international mobility of workers through increased
recognition of the value and comparability of Philippine qualifications.

SECTION 5. Philippine Qualifications Framework-National Coordinating
Council (PQF-NCC). — In order to harmonize and promote seamless education and
training despite the trifocalized management of the Philippine education system, the
PQF National Coordinating Council (PQF-NCC) is hereby established. It shall be
composed of the following:

(1) Secretary, Department of Education (DepEd);

(2) Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE);

(3) Chairperson, Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

(4) Director General, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA); and

(5) Chairperson, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
The following are the powers and functions of the PQF-NCC:

(1) Creates technical working groups in support of the detailing and
implementation of the POF;

(2) Harmonizes the levels of qualifications with all levels of education;

(3) Aligns education standards and learning outcomes to the level descriptors
contain herein;

(3) Develops and recognizes pathways and equivalencies;
(4) Discuss and agree on the elements of the PQF including but not limited to

their principles, key features, definitions or terminologies, structure and
governance arrangements;


(5) Reviews and updates the POF;

(6) Provides information and guidelines in the implementation of the POF;
(7) Establishes a quality assurance mechanism;

(8) Maintains the national registry of qualifications;

(9) Ensures the international alignment of the PQF with the qualification
framework of other countries;

(10) Represents the country in international fora or negotiations on
Qualification agreements/arrangements;

(11)__ Provides regular feedback on the progress and accomplishments to the
Office of the president with the respect to the implementation of the POF;
and

(12) Performs such other functions that may be related to the
implementation of the POF.

SECTION 6. Establishment of Philippine Qualifications Framework-National
Coordinating Council (PQF-NCC) Working Groups. - The following working
groups are hereby established to pursue the implementation of the PQF through the
performance of the following functions:
(1) Qualification Register
(A) Establish, maintain/update the database of technical vocational education
and training (TVET) and professional qualifications aligned with the
descriptors of the POF in coordination with the pertinent offices of CHED,
DOLE, PRC and Deped;

(B) Provide regular, timely data/information to the POF Secretariat and to the
employers, trainers, trainees and other stakeholders;

(C)Perform other functions as may assigned by the POF-NCC;
(2) Quality Assurance
(A) Develop PQF quality procedures manuals;

(B) Facilitate the conduct of evaluation and compliance audits/reviews vis-a-
vis set standards;

‘ *(C)Provide recommendations to the PQF-NCC based on the results of the
evaluation;

(D)Perform other functions as may assigned by the PQF-NCC;

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(3) Pathways and Equivalencies

(A)Establish equivalency pathways and equivalency system for seamless
education transfer and/or progression between education levels
corresponding to the POF levels;

(B) Develop a National system of Credit Transfer;

(C)Facilitate the enhancement and adoption of the Ladderized education
program consistent with the POF;

(D)Perform other functions as may assigned by the PQF-NCC;
(4) information and Guidelines

(A)Formulate guidelines, circulars and policy issuances for approval by the
PQF-NCC;

(B) Develop information, education and communication (IEC) materials to
promote and advocate the POF;

(C)Perform other functions as may assigned by the PQF-NCC;
(5) International Alignment

(A) Conduct researches/studies for comparability/benchmarking of Philippine
qualifications with other countries and regional/international groupings;

(B)Coordinate with professional organizations in the pursuit of mutual
recognition arrangements/agreements;

(C)Perform other functions as may assigned by the PQF-NCC;
The PQF-NCC may create additional and/or modify existing working groups

and review their functions as deemed necessary. Each working group shall be
chaired by a member-agency as maybe designated by the PQF-NCC.

SECTION 7. Participation of the Industry Sector. Industry sector representatives
shall be consulted and tapped in the detailing and application of the PQF to ensure
alignment of educational outcomes to job requirements.

SECTION 8. Level Descriptors. - The PQF shall incorporate the Qualifications
Level Descriptors defined in terms of the following: knowledge, skills and values,
applications, and degree of independence to be determined by the PQF-NCC.

SECTION 9. Learning Standards. - DepEd, TESDA, and CHED shall make
detailed descriptors for each qualification level based on learning standards in basic
education, competency standards of training regulations, and the policies and
standards of higher education academic programs. They shall jointly implement

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national pilot programs to determine its relevance and applicability in all levels of
education. The DOLE shall provide the necessary labor market information
especially on the highly in-demand and emerging occupations as bases for the
prioritization of learning standards development.

SECTION 10. Review of Licensure Examinations. - The PRC and CHED shall
review the framework and contents of the licensure examinations of each of the
professions and align them with that of the POF.

SECTION 11. Technical Secretariat. - To ensure efficient and effective
implementation, DepEd, TESDA and CHED shall organize from their present staff
complements a permanent Technical Secretariat. The Secretariat may contract the
services of technical experts and authorities on relevant areas of concern such as
equivalencies, accreditation, curriculum development, educational measurement and
testing

The PQF-NCC shall determine the structure, composition, staff qualifications and the
location of the permanent Technical Secretariat.

SECTION 12. Identification of Priority Sectors. — As a preliminary approach to the
implementation of the POF and to ensure its more focused implementation, CHED,
TESDA and DepED, in consultation with the industry, DOLE, PRC, the Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI), the National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and other related
agencies, are directed to identify priority sectors and programs for the PQF, taking
into account labor market realities.

SECTION 13. Support from Other Government. - PRC, DOLE, DOST, NEDA,
Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and other related Agencies are
hereby mandated to extend the necessary support and provide relevant inputs
towards the effective implementation of the POF.

SECTION 14. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial
implementation of this act shall be sourced from the current budgets and
development funds of CHED, TESDA and DepEd. Thereafter, the funds necessary
for the continuous implementation of this Act in the ensuing years shall be included
in the respective annual appropriations of CHED, TESDA and DepEd in the General
Appropriations Act.

SECTION 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DepEd, CHED,
TESDA, DOLE and PRC, in consultation with relevant stakeholders in basis, higher
and technical-vocational education and training shall issue within sixty (60) days
after the effectivity of this Act, the rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of this Act.

SECTION 16. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision of this Act or any part thereof
shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions, as far as they are
separable, shall remain in force and effect.


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SECTION 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations
or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved.