Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2087
Introduced by Representative Antonio “Tonypet” T. Albano 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution mandates the State to prioritize education and 
ensure an integrated system of learning that responds to the needs of the 
people, including technical-vocational education for adult citizens, persons 
with disabilities, and out-of-school youth (Article II, Sec. 17; Article XIV, 
Secs. 1–2). 
In pursuit of this mandate, and recognizing the growing demand for 
skilled labor and livelihood opportunities in the region, the establishment of 
a TESDA Training and Assessment Center in the Municipality of Cabagan, 
Province of Isabela remains both timely and essential. This measure aims to 
deliver accessible technical-vocational education and training (TVET) to 
residents, especially those from low-income families, farm-based youth, and 
other marginalized sectors, empowering them to acquire practical, income-
generating skills for gainful employment and enterprise development. 
Passed by the House of Representatives in the 19th Congress, this bill 
was the result of the collaborative efforts of the Committee on Higher and 
Technical Education, TESDA, and other stakeholders. The resulting version 
reflects not only expanded training offerings but also clear provisions for 
industry linkages, local development goals, and alignment with national 
standards and certification systems. 
In strengthening the region’s human capital and promoting inclusive 
growth, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
ANTONIO “TONYPET” T. ALBANO 
July 17, 2025
4:00 pm


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2087 
Introduced by Representative Antonio “Tonypet” T. Albano 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 
AUTHORITY 
TRAINING 
AND 
ASSESSMENT 
CENTER 
IN 
THE 
MUNICIPALITY 
OF 
CABAGAN, 
PROVINCE 
OF 
ISABELA 
AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Establishment of a Training and Assessment 
1 
Center in Cabagan, Isabela. – There is hereby established a training 
2 
and assessment center, under the supervision of the Technical 
3 
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), to be known 
4 
as the “Cabagan, Isabela TESDA Training and Assessment Center”. It 
5 
shall be located in a highly accessible area in the Municipality of 
6 
Cabagan, Province of Isabela, pursuant to the purposes of this Act 
7 
and the agreement between the TESDA and the concerned local 
8 
government units (LGUs). 
9 
SEC. 2. General Mandate. – The Cabagan, Isabela TESDA 
10 
Training and Assessment Center, hereinafter referred to as the 
11 
Center, shall primarily provide technical-vocational education and 
12 


 
2 
 
training (TVET) programs to students and local residents from low-
1 
income families and out-of-school, including persons with disabilities 
2 
and indigenous peoples, to help them become productive, self-reliant, 
3 
and globally competitive labor assets.  
4 
 
The Center shall provide effective employment interventions 
5 
through training programs on relevant skills in trade competencies, 
6 
craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship activities to help hasten the 
7 
development of the host area and its adjacent localities into human 
8 
resource and productivity hubs.  
9 
 
The Center shall also provide technical-vocational training for 
10 
teachers and curriculum design assistance to the secondary schools 
11 
in the province offering the technical-vocational livelihood track 
12 
under the K to 12 Program, in coordination with the Department of 
13 
Education (DepEd) and the TESDA. 
14 
 
SEC. 3. Training Programs. – The Center shall offer short-
15 
term certificate courses and trainings in preferred technical-
16 
vocational skills and trades specialization. To this end, the 
17 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade 
18 
and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), 
19 
Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of the Interior and Local 
20 
Government (DILG), National Economic and Development Authority 
21 
(NEDA), business-industry partners, and other relevant agencies and 
22 


 
3 
 
instrumentalities, both local and international, shall provide the 
1 
necessary assistance to enable the Center to develop skilled 
2 
manpower to achieve a robust and inclusive economy in the host area 
3 
and its adjacent localities. 
4 
  
The Center may establish research and technology hubs, 
5 
technology development farms, satellite or extension training centers, 
6 
promote mobile training programs, and strengthen linkages among 
7 
the industry partners, the academe, and the Center geared towards 
8 
the acquisition by residents of practical livelihood, employable skills, 
9 
gainful employment, and entrepreneurial capabilities in priority areas 
10 
in the Municipality of Cabagan and adjacent localities in the Province 
11 
of Isabela.  
12 
 
The Center shall offer the following TVET programs with 
13 
competencies assessment leading to National Certification Levels I-III: 
14 
 
(a) Skills training in industrial technology and hard trades such 
15 
as metal and steelwork, machine fabrication and operation, 
16 
heavy 
equipment 
operation, 
automotive 
mechanical 
17 
assembly, refrigeration and air conditioning, electronics, and 
18 
operation of power tools and equipment for both medium 
19 
skills grade and industrial purposes; 
20 
 


 
4 
 
(b) Agriculture and aquaculture-related trainings and skills 
1 
development in such areas as farming technology, fishing 
2 
operations technology, backyard farming and home-based 
3 
aquaculture and propagation innovations, mechanized 
4 
farming, 
fishing 
tools 
and 
equipment 
operation, 
5 
agribusiness, agri-aqua trade technology and innovations, 
6 
and relevant training seminars for farmers and fisherfolk to 
7 
encourage 
entrepreneurship 
and 
thus 
increase 
their 
8 
productivity; 
9 
 
(c) Livelihood skills development courses for preferred skills 
10 
employment and small-scale entrepreneurship, including 
11 
practical skills education in arts and crafts, workmanship 
12 
and design, high-speed sewing, dressmaking and tailoring, 
13 
horticulture, livestock raising and breeding, food processing 
14 
technology, home technology, culinary arts and commercial 
15 
cooking, cosmetology, and health and wellness training;  
16 
 
(d) Basic business literacy training in financial management 
17 
and marketing, practical accountancy, bookkeeping and 
18 
office procedures, business processes and application 
19 
procedures, 
 
including 
 
registration, 
 
licensing, 
20 
documentation,  business  patent  and intellectual property 
21 
regulation, business financing and investment opportunities 
22 


 
5 
 
sourcing, import-export accreditation, online home-based 
1 
business operation and social media business marketing; 
2 
 
(e) Technical-vocational occupation and trades skills such as 
3 
carpentry, masonry, plumbing, welding, practical electricity 
4 
and installation, automotive servicing, electronics servicing, 
5 
personal computer servicing, and such other relevant 
6 
practical skills courses;  
7 
 
(f) Computer literacy and information technology-related skills, 
8 
digital technology, web design, animation, photoshop or 
9 
online photography, computer design and advertising; 
10 
 
(g) Social communication skills and language proficiency 
11 
courses in English and other languages for business process 
12 
outsourcing employment and overseas job placement; 
13 
 
(h) Personality development, career counseling, job placement, 
14 
and work ethic and values; and 
15 
 
(i) Other preferred skills and trades training that may be 
16 
needed by the people of the Municipality of Cabagan and of 
17 
adjacent localities to enhance their capacities for practical 
18 
livelihood, 
gainful 
employment, 
and 
entrepreneurial 
19 
activities. 
20 


 
6 
 
SEC. 4. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. – The 
1 
provisions of this Act notwithstanding, the Center shall become 
2 
operational only upon the issuance by the TESDA of a formal 
3 
recommendation and certificate of compliance attesting that the 
4 
Center has satisfactorily complied with the minimum standards of 
5 
quality it has prescribed governing the following: (a) standard 
6 
procedures and guidelines for the establishment and operation of a 
7 
Center; (b) operational sustainability of the Center, in terms of 
8 
licensed faculty-trainers and personnel, equipment, training and 
9 
laboratory facilities, instructional materials, and other standard 
10 
requirements of a Center; (c) sustainable funding source and 
11 
allocation of the budgetary requirement; (d) full alignment of the 
12 
training 
programs 
offered 
with 
the 
minimum 
standards 
of 
13 
competency-based quality technical-vocational skills technology and 
14 
the needs of the host area and adjacent communities served within 
15 
the context of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations integration 
16 
and the Philippine Qualifications Framework for TVET; and (e) 
17 
compliance with such other TESDA conditionalities and standards as 
18 
may be necessary and applicable in establishing a Center. 
19 
 
SEC. 5. Administration of the Center. – The Center shall be 
20 
headed by a Technical-Vocational Administrator who shall render 
21 
full-time service and be responsible for its administration and 
22 
operation, under the supervision of the TESDA. 
23 
 


 
7 
 
The Technical-Vocational Administrator shall be appointed by 
1 
the TESDA Director General in accordance with the rules and 
2 
regulations of the Civil Service Commission and the qualification 
3 
requirements for such office.  
4 
 
The 
Technical-Vocational 
Administrator 
may 
enter 
into 
5 
agreements with locally-based private and public counterpart 
6 
agencies, instrumentalities or persons, and seek such assistance as 
7 
may be necessary to effectively implement this Act, subject to the 
8 
approval of the TESDA Director General. 
9 
 
SEC. 6. Appropriations. – The Director General of the TESDA 
10 
shall include in the Authority’s program the operation of the Center, 
11 
the funding of which shall be included in the annual General 
12 
Appropriations Act. 
13 
 
The LGUs concerned, in consultation with the TESDA, shall set 
14 
aside from any available local revenue an amount deemed 
15 
appropriate as annual counterpart fund to support the operation of 
16 
the Center herein established. 
17 
 
SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within 
18 
ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act, the TESDA shall, in 
19 
coordination with the DOLE, DTI, DOST, DA, Department of Budget 
20 
and Management, DepEd, DILG, NEDA, the concerned LGUs, and 
21 


 
8 
 
such other relevant agencies and industry-business partners of the 
1 
host locality, prepare and issue rules and regulations for the effective 
2 
implementation of this Act. 
3 
 
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any section 
4 
or provision of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, 
5 
the other sections or provisions thereof shall not be affected and shall 
6 
remain in force and in effect. 
7 
 
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, 
8 
decrees, 
instructions, 
rules 
and 
regulations 
contrary 
to 
or 
9 
inconsistent with any provision of this Act are repealed or amended 
10 
accordingly. 
11 
 
SEC. 10. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
12 
days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of 
13 
general circulation 
14 
 
Approved,