Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
QUEZON CITY

20" Congress
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 4541

Introduced by: REP. MARK CHOLO L. VIOLAGO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 9 or Article 3 of The 1987 Philippine Constitution states that: “The State shall
promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of
the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social
services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life
for all.”

The State recognizes the need to prepare the youth in choosing the career tracks that
they intend to pursue and to aid in matching senior high school students with career
opportunities after graduation

The historic passage of the law providing for universal access to quality tertiary
education marked a major milestone in our effort to expand educational access and opportunity
for all Filipinos. But while we have opened doors of our colleges and universities, beyond
graduation remains uncertain for many

Every year, thousands of young Filipinos graduate but struggle to find employment that
matches their training, At the same time, employers report difficulty in hiring with right skills.
This persistent jobs-skills mismatch undermines our in education and denies our youth
opportunities they deserve

The Education-to-Employment Pathways Act of 2025 takes the next step in the fight
for sure jobs for all. It envisions a future where every learner walks a clear, supported pathway
from education into decent, meaningful work.

Our goal is to connect students with potential employers and provide them with the
tools they need to succeed in the job market.

To realize this vision, the bill proposes six key components:


I. Job Placement Offices (JPOs) will be established in all public senior high schools, state
universities and colleges (SUCS), and local universities and colleges (LUCs). These offices
will provide students with career guidance, job matching support, employer linkages, soft skills
training, and entrepreneurship options.

The bill also mandates the use of a learner outcomes tracking platform, enabling schools to
monitor employment, job alignment, and income levels, ensuring accountability and
responsiveness to labor market realities,

2. The bill establishes a Tripartite National Industry-Academe Council (NIAC) to bring
together the government, education, and indusby sectors to monitor labor market trends,
recommend policy reforms, and support alignment between curricula and workforce needs.

3. Local Industry-Academe Councils (LIACs) shall be created in every province and
highly urbanized city to guide local educational institutions based on labor market intelligence,
assist in employer and support the work of Job Placement Ofices,

4. The bill mandates labor market-responsive curriculum development, empowering
SUCs and LUCS to revise their course offerings based on data and recommendations from JPOs
and LIACs, Similarly, DepEd is tasked with enhancing the senior high school curriculum to
deliver job-ready graduates through stronger work immersion, job simulation, and soft skills
training.

5. Acomprehensive and integrated Philippine Labor Market Information System
(PhilLMIS) will be established within the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to
serve as the government's central platform for labor market intelligence, occupational
forecasting, skills mapping, and policy guidance. PhilL MIS will power decision-making across
education, workforce development, and economic planning.

6. Finally, the bill reinforces the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) as the
national reference for classifying qualifications and formalizes the Philippine Skills
Framework (PSF) as the tool for defining job-specific competencies. These frameworks will
the backbone for curriculum alignment, certification, job matching, and skills recognition. The
POF and PSF will be digiblly integrated and mainbined in close collaboration with industry,
and their adoption will be promoted nationwide.

Taken together, this bill ensures that education serves as a concrete pathway to work, dignity,
and economic mobility.

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

LO I. VIDLAGO
Represghtative, 3" District Sf Bulacan

/


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
QUEZON CITY

20th Congress
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4541

Introduced by: REP. MARK CHOLO I. VIOLAGO

AN ACT ESTABLISHING JOB PLACEMENT OFFICES IN ALL PUBLIC SENIOR
HIGH SCHOOLS, STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, AND LOCAL
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, AND CREATING A NATIONAL INDUSTRY
ACADEME COUNCIL AND LOCAL INDUSTRY-ACADEME COUNCILS TO
ADDRESS JOB-SKILLS MISMATCH AND PROMOTE DECENT EMPLOYMENT,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

TITLET
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

Section 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "School-to-Employment
Program (STEP) Act."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — Itis the policy of the State to promote full, productive,
and decent employment for all Filipinos, especially the youth. The State shall strengthen
institutional mechanisms that align education and training with labor market needs, address
jobs-skills mismatch, and facilitate smooth school-to-work transitions through multi-sectoral
collaboration among the government, industry, and the academe

TITLE
JOB PLACEMENT OFFICES IN SCHOOLS

Sec. 3, Establishment of School-Based Job Placement Offices. - All public senior
high schools, state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local universities and colleges (LUCs)
shall establish and maintain a Job Placement Office (JPO) to provide employment facilitation,
career guidance, and industry linkage services to student and graduates

Sec. 4. Composition. — Each JPO shall be provided with the necessary career services
staff to effectively carry out its mandate. The number and composition of staff shall be based
on:

a) The student population of the school,


b) The diversity of tracks or programs offered, and
c) The scale of employer and institutional partnerships maintained.

Provided, that schools with large enrollments or complex placement needs may
establish a Job Placement and Career Services Unit, headed by the JPO, and composed of
designated guidance counselors, administrative support staff, and industry liaison officers,
subject to available funding and guidelines of DepEd and CHED

Each region shall have a JPO Regional Coordinator, designated by the Department of
Education Regional Offices, to oversee the coordination, monitoring, and development of JPOs
within the region.

Sec. 5. Core Functions of the Job Placement Office. — JPOs shall serve as
institutional hubs for career planning, labor market information dissemination, and linkages to
internship, apprenticeship, entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities. Each JPO shall
perform the following functions:

a) Facilitate career guidance and job placement services;

b) Forge linkages with industry partners to develop intemships, apprenticeship
programs, and employment pipelines;

c) Coordinate with the Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs), the Department
of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA), and other relevant agencies on employment facilitation and program
alignment;

d) Collaborate with Sector Skills Councils and industry boards to align training
programs with labor market needs;

e) Coordinate certification and assessment for trainees and graduates aligned with
industry standards;

f) Conduct labor market information dissemination and career coaching to guide
students and reduce job search costs;

g) Track and report post-graduation outcomes for institutional and policy feedback;

h) Maintain and update a database of employer partners, opportunities, and graduate
outcomes;

i) Participate in planning and labor assessment led by the Local Industry Academe
Council (LIAC);

j) Submit regular reports to the LIAC, DOLE, and relevant agencies.

Sec. 6. Area-Based Labor Market Reviews. — Each JPO shall facilitate an annual
review of local labor market demand, in coordination with DOLE, PESOs, and regional
industry bodies. This process shall

a) Identify high-demand jobs by province or region;

b) Map these to existing academic and technical tracks offered by the institution;

¢) Recommend curriculum or program enhancement to improve graduate employability
and relevance.


Sec. 7. Employer Partnership Repository. — Each JPO shall maintain access to a
shared repository of vetted employer partners, coordinated with the Schools Division Office,
‘TESDA, and local PESOs. The repository shall

a) Document defined job roles, OJT protocols, and hiring qualifications,

b) Include employer feedback on graduate readiness and skills alignment;

c) Enable rural or under-resourced schools to connect with broader employment
networks.

Sec. 8, Embedded Soft Skills Training Modules. — JPOs shall implement
standardized employability or soft skills training as part of the pre-placement process

This training shall:

a) Cover workplace competencies including communication, teamwork, problem-
solving, and time management,

b) Be informed by employer feedback and local labor market reviews,

c) Be delivered through self-paced digital modules, in-class sessions, or blended
learning, based on institutional capacity.

Sec. 9.Digital Career Advisory and Guidance Tools. —JPOs shall adopt digital or
ALenabled career advisory platforms to support students in career planning, job search, and
skills development. These tools will complement in-person services provided by Career
‘Advocates and help bridge gaps in schools with limited career counseling capacity.

Sec. 10. Optional Youth Entrepreneurship Track. — JPOs may implement an
entrepreneurship boot camp program for students interested in self-employment or
microenterprise after graduation. The program shall

a) Be co-delivered with LGUs, NGOs, or accredited private partners;

b) Include training in business ideation, budgeting, market analysis, and cooperative
development;

) Facilitate referrals to MSME support services, funding programs, and incubator
networks.

Sec. 11. Learner Outcomes Tracking Platform. — Each JPO shall maintain a digital
platform for tracking learner outcomes, to be managed by the Career Advocate or designated
staff. The platform shall

a) Track graduate employment status, time to placement, income levels, and field-of-
study alignment;

b) Generate automated tracer studies and analytics for reporting to DepEd, CHED, and
relevant agencies;

) Support curriculum refinement by identifying patterns of success and mismatch.


TITLE 0
LABOR MARKET-ALIGNED CURRICULUM AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 12. Senior High Schoo/ Curriculum Responsiveness. - The Department of
Education (DepEd) shall strengthen the labor market responsiveness of the senior high school
curriculum by developing and implementing a job-ready curriculum that emphasizes work
immersion and practical skills training.

To ensure that senior high school graduates are better prepared for employment, DepEd,
in coordination with the National Industry-Academe Council (NIAC) and relevant Local
Industry-Academe Councils (LIACs), shall:

a) Regularly review and enhance senior high school tracks and specializations based on
labor market trends and graduate employability outcomes, with inputs from Job Placement
Offices (JPOs) and local employer networks,

b) Increase the duration, relevance, and quality of work immersion programs by
expanding partnerships with industry and ensuring alignment with in-demand job roles;

c) Provide school-based job simulation opportunities in cases where external immersion
placements are limited or infeasible, especially in rural or under resourced areas; and

d) Integrate foundational employability skills and digital literacy across all tracks,
informed by feedback from employers and labor market assessment

Sec. 13. Higher Education Program Responsiveness. -SUCs, LUCs, and private
HEIS shall review and have the authority to adjust their course and program offerings based
on current and emerging labor market trends and opportunities, in order to address jobs-skills
mismatch and enhance the employability of graduates.

SUCs and LUCs may consider:

a) Phasing in or expanding programs aligned with high-demand occupations and
priority industry sectors in the local or national labor market;

b) Phasing out or restructuring programs with consistently low graduate employability
or relevance;

) Integrating employability and digital skills into existing curricula based on employer
feedback and labor market signals

Provided, That any adjustments shall be based on regular labor market assessments and
outcome tracking data generated by the Job Placement Offices (JPOs), in coordination with the
Local Industry-Academe Council (LIAC). These assessment shall include analyses of graduate
employment outcomes, skills demand, and employer feedback.

TITLE IV
NATIONAL INDUSTRY-ACADEME COUNCIL

Sec. 14, Creation of the National Industry-Academe Council (NIAC). — The
National Industry-Academe Council (NIAC) is hereby institutionalized to serve as the national


coordinating body for industry-academe linkage, education-employment alignment, and
workforce development,

Sec. 15. Composition of fie NIAC. — The NIAC shall be made up of representatives
from the government, academe, and industry, as follows:

a) Government representatives shall include a Commissioner of the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED); a Deputy Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA); an Undersecretary of the Department of Education
(DepEd); an Undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); an
Undersecretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), an Undersecretary of
the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); a Commissioner of the Civil Service Commission
(CSC); and a Commissioner of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

b) Representatives of the academe shall be composed of the presidents of the
federations of public and private HEls, public and private TVIs, and accreditation bodies of
higher and technical-vocational educational institutions, which shall include the following:
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges; Association of Local Colleges and
Universities; Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations; Technical Vocational
Schools and Associations of the Philippines; National Network of Quality Assurance Agencies;
and the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines.

©) Representatives of the industry sector shall be composed of the president of tie
following business and industry federations: Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines; Employers Confederation of the Philippines,
Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Incorporated;
Information 15 Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines; Philippine
Business for Education; Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Business for
Social Progress; and the People Management Association of the Philippines.

The NIAC shall be headed by DepEd Undersecretary as Chairperson, and the
Commissioner of CHED and Deputy Director-General of the TESDA shall be the Co-
Chairpersons. The members of the Council, except for the ex officio members, shall receive
per diem for every meeting attended in accordance with existing rules and regulations. The
Council shall be attached to the DepEd for administrative and budgetary purposes.

The DepEd shall provide a secretariat to tie NIAC to be manned by the organic
personnel of the DepEd and may be augmented by the employees from the member agencies
of the Council through detail or secondment.

Sec. 16. Powers and Functions of the NIAC. — The NIAC shall exercise the
following powers and functions

a) Monitor labor market trends and the incidence of unemployment, underemployment,
and jobs-skills mismatch;
b) Formulate national policies and plans to improve labor market alignment;


c) Conduct reviews of curricula, training programs, and educational standards vis-a-vis
labor market needs;

d) Benchmark student competencies and qualifications against national and
international frameworks (e.g., PQF, ASEAN QRF),

) Maintain an inventory of job specifications and skill requirements across industries;

f) Recommend policy measures to the President, Congress, and national government
agencies;

g) Coordinate with agencies for data, expertise, and technical inputs;

h) Hold regular quarterly meetings; and

i) Perform such other functions as may be necessary.

TITLE V
LOCAL INDUSTRY-ACADEME COUNCILS

Sec. 17, Establishment of Local Industry-Academe Councils (LIACs). —A Local
Industry-Academe Council (LIAC) shall be established in every province and highly urbanized
city (HUC) in the country. The LIAC shall serve as the local counterpart of Mne NIAC and
shail be responsible for aligning education and training programs with the labor market needs
of tie locality,

Sec. 18. Composition of the LIACs. — Each LIAC shall be composed of the following
representatives within the province or HUC

a) Government:
i, Schools Division Superintendent of the Department of Education (DepEd)
ii, Regional or Field Officer of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
iii, Provincial or City Director of the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA)
iv. Provincial or City Director of the Department of Labor and Employment
(DOLE)
vy. Provincial or City Director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DT!)
vi, A representative of the Provincial Governor or City Mayor

b) Academe
vii. Representatives from State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local
Universities and Colleges (LUCs) within the province or HUC
viii. Representatives from private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and
Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs)

) Industry
ix. Representatives from local chambers of commerce and business 12

associations
x. Key employers in priority or emerging sectors within the province or HUC

d) Labor and Civil Society


xi, Representatives from local labor groups, workers’ associations, and youth or
community-based organizations

The LIAC may invite additional resource persons, including representatives from
public 18 employment service offices (PESOs), relevant NGOs, and sectoral skills councils, as
necessary.

Each LIAC shall be chaired by the DepEd Schools Division Superintendent. The DepEd
Schools Division shall provide Secretariat support to the LIAC

The LIAC shall meet at least once every quarter and may form technical working groups
(TWGs) as needed,

Sec. 19. Powers and Functions of the LIACs. - The LIAC shall exercise the following
powers and functions:

a) Localize and implement NIAC policies and workforce strategies;

b) Monitor local labor market trends and forecast skills demand;

©) Align curricula and training programs with local labor market needs;

4) Facilitate partnerships among industry, academe, and government,

e) Recommend policy and program adjustments to national agencies and the NIAC;
Support enterprise-based training, faculty immersion, and __ research
collaboration;

g) Provide coordination and guidance to institutional JPOs, including in career
guidance, labor market alignment, and employer linkages;

1h) Submit regular reports to the NIAC on regional developments and challenges; and
i) Perform other tasks as may be necessary to achieve the objectives of this Act.

Sec. 20. Organization of the LIACs. — Each LIAC shall be chaired by the DepEd
Regional Director. A Vice Chair shall be elected from among the non-government members.
The DepEd Regional Office shall provide Secretariat support to serve as the LIAC Secretariat.

The LIAC shall meet at least once every quarter and may form technical working groups
(TWGs) as needed

TITLE VI
LABOR MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND DATA SYSTEMS

Sec. 21. Establishment of the Philippine Labor Market Information System
(PhiLMIS). —There is hereby established a comprehensive and integrated Philippine Labor
Market Information System (PhilLMIS) to be housed within the DOLE in close coordination
witl the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), DepEd, CHED, TESDA, DTI, and other relevant
agencies and stakeholders.

Sec. 22. Objectives. — PhilLMIS shall serve as the central labor market intelligence
platform of the government and shall have the following objectives:


a) Collect, analyze, and disseminate real-time and forward-looking labor market data,
including supply-demand trends, skills gaps, wage levels, employment projections, and
emerging industries;

) Identify critical skills shortages and surpluses across sectors and geographic areas,

c) Provide actionable insights for curriculum design, program offerings, and training
alignment in education institutions and training centers,

d) Support career guidance and job matching services for jobseekers, including students
and graduates;

€) Inform government workforce development policies, education planning, and
investment promotion strategies,

£) Empower employers and enterprises with reliable labor data to support 13 hiring,
reskilling, and training decisions.

Sec. 23, Data Sources. — PhilLMIS shall integrate data from, but not limited to, the
following sources

a) Government Agencies

iPSA (eg,, Labor Force Survey, census, business and industry statistics)

ii, DOLE (e.g, PESO data, job vacancy registries, displacement reports)

iii, TESDA (e.g., TVET enrollments, assessments, certification results)

iv, CHED and DepEd (e.g., enrollment and graduation data by course and track)
v. DTI and Board of Investments (e.g., industry performance data, investment
pledges)

b) Private Sector:

i. Online job problems and employment platforms

ii, Industry associations and employer surveys

iii, Skills councils and private recruitment firms, with due consideration of data privacy

c) International Sources
Regional and global labor market outlooks, benchmarks, and skills frameworks

Sec. 24. Key Functions. — PhilLMIS shall perform the following functions:

a) Develop and enforce common data standards and protocols to ensure interoperability
and accuracy across data sources,

b) Conduct periodic skills gap analyses and occupational forecasting to anticipate future
workforce needs;

c) Establish a public-facing digital portal offering accessible labor market information,
career guidance tools, and training program directories,

) Commission and publish targeted research on critical labor issues, including informal
employment, green jobs, and automation;

e) Operate an early warning system to flag potential job disruptions or mass layoffs by
sector or region,


Section 25, Governance and Collaboration — A Labor Market Intelligence Council
shall be established, co-chaired by DOLE and NEDA, with members from PSA, DepEd,
CHED, TESDA, DTI, employer organizations, labor unions, and academic institutions.

This Council shall:

a) Provide strategic direction and oversight to PhilLMIS;

b) Validate data frameworks and tools in consultation with stakeholders;

c) Ensure alignment with the Philippine Qualifications Framework and national
development plans

Sec. 26. Capacity Building —DOLE and partner agencies shall allocate resources and
undertake capacity-building activities to strengthen labor market data analytics and forecasting
capabilities across all implementing units.

Sec. 27. Data Privacy and Security~- All data collection, processing, and sharing
under PhilLMIS shall comply with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA No. 10173) and other
applicable laws, with appropriate safeguards for personal and sensitive information,

vu
NATIONAL FRAMEWORKS FOR SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Sec. 28. Reinforcement and Promotion of the Philippine Qualifications
Framework (PQF). —The Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF), as established by
Executive Order No. 83, s. 2012, is hereby reinforced as the national system for classifying
qualifications according to defined levels based on knowledge, skills, and values.

a) All educational and training institutions, including those supervised by the DepEd,
CHED, and TESDA, shall ensure that their programs and curricula are aligned with the relevant
POF levels and descriptors, and that learning outcomes are clearly defined in accordance with
these standards.

b) The PQF National Coordinating Council (PQF-NCC) shall be strengthened with
enhanced mandates and resources to actively promote, monitor, and ensure consistent
implementation of the PQF across all sectors and institutions

) Mechanisms for the Recognition of Prior Leaming (RPL) and recognition of non-
formal and informal learning shall be standardized and streamlined across all PQF levels,
allowing individuals to earn formal qualifications based on verified skills, competencies, and
experience

Sec. 29, Establishment and Institutionalization of the Philippine Skills Framework
(PSF). —The Philippine Skills Framework (PSF) is hereby established and institutionalized as
a complementary national reference tool outlining the specific technical, transversal, and
behavioral competencies required across various industries and occupations


a) The PSF shall be developed, maintained, and regularly updated by TESDA, in close
collaboration with DOLE, DTI, CHED, DepEd, industry associations, and professional

regulatory boards.
b) The PSF shall serve the following purposes
i Curriculum Development - Guide the design and revision of curricula and
training programs in DepEd, CHED, TESDA, and other training institutions based on
industry needs;
ii, Skills Assessment and Certification - Provide the basis for competency

based assessment, credentialing, and national certifications;

iii. Career Guidance - Inform students and jobseekers about qualifications and
competencies required for various career pathways;

iv. Job Matching - Improve the accuracy of employment matching by linking job
roles with verified skills,

v. Talent Development - Enable employers to identify workforce skill gaps and design
appropriate training programs;

vi International Benchmarking - Facilitate the alignment and mutual recognition
of skills and qualifications with international partners.

Sec. 30. Digital Integration and Interopera — The PQF and PSF shall be
digitally integrated to allow for seamless navigation between qualifications and their
corresponding skills sets. A centralized digital platform shall be developed and maintained to:

a) Host up-to-date information on the PQF and PSF,
b) Provide access to training providers, certified assessment centers, and competency
standards, and

c) Serve as a registry of certified individuals and qualifications.

This platform shall be interoperable with the Philippine Labor Market Information
System (Phill. MIS) to support real-time skills tracking and planning.

Sec. 31. Industry-Led Development off the PSF. —Industry Sector Skills Councils
(SSCs) shall be formally established under TESDA and empowered to lead the development
and periodic updating of the PSF for their respective sectors.

The development of the PSF shall be evidence-based and data-driven, utilizing labor
market intelligence from PhilLMIS, national employment projections, and consultations with
employers, workers, educators, and other stakeholders.

Sec. 32. Promotion and Awareness— A sustained national campaign shall be
launched to promote widespread awareness and adoption of the PQF and PSF among learners,
educators, guidance counselors, employers, government agencies, and the general public.
DepEd, CHED, TESDA, and DOLE shall develop coordinated strategies for integration into
school guidance programs, job placement services, and public employment services

Sec. 33, International/ Recognition of Philippine Qualifications and Skills. —The
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in coordination with DOLE, CHED, and TESDA, shall


pursue bilateral and multilateral agreement to support the international recognition of
Philippine qualifications and skills frameworks, particularly in countries with significant
overseas Filipino worker (OFW) populations. These agreements shall be designed to

a) Strengthen labor mobility and protect Filipino workers abroad;
b) Ensure mutual recognition of skills and certifications;
©) Align local qualifications with international benchmarks and standards,

TITLE Vill
FINAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 34. Appropriations. —The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. Agencies and institutions may also
mobilize public-private partnerships and donor support to enhance JPO, NIAC and LIAC
functions.

Sec. 35. Implementing Rules and Regulations. —Within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, in coordination with CHED, DOLE, TESDA, DTI, and
DILG, shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations (IRR)

Sec, 36. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 37. Repealing Clause — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules
and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended
accordingly.

Sec. 38. Effectivity — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,