EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. B. No. 1612
DATE
TiME¥
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS 
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (TESDA) TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT 
CENTER IN THE CITY OF ISABELA, PROVINCE OF BASILAN, TO BE KNOWN 
AS THE ISABELA CITY, BASILAN TESDA TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT 
CENTER, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Our Constitution, under Article XIV, Section declares that "the State shall protect 
and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take 
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.
Isabela City or the Isabela de Basilan is not part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous 
Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) instead piaced under the Zamboanga Peninsula. 
At present, there is a TESDA Provincial Training Center (PTC)-Basilan that caters to 
residents in the Basiian, Sulu, Tawi-tawi (BASULTA) area. It is located in Isabela City, 
however, with the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the TESDA PTC-Basilan 
has been placed under the management of the TESDA-BARMM. Hence, TESDA- 
BARMM now has limitation in providing skilis training to residents of Isabela City.
To address the abovementioned concern, this biil seeks to establish the 
Technical Education and Skiils Development Authority technical-vocational education 
and training center in Isabela City, Province of Basilan to be known as Isabela City 
TESDA Training and Assessment Center. In addition, this initiative would increase 
training centers and enhance the quality of workforce in the Region and its neighboring 
provinces.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
IMEE R. MARCOS


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. B. No. 1612
DATE
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS 
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (TESDA) TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT 
CENTER IN THE CITY OF ISABELA, PROVINCE OF BASILAN, TO BE KNOWN 
AS THE ISABELA CITY, BASILAN TESDA TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT 
CENTER, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the ''Isabela City, BasHan
2 
TESDA Training and Assessment Center Act."
3 
Sec. 2. Establishment. - There is hereby established a Technical Education and
4 
Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Training and Assessment Center in the City of
5 
Isabela, Province of Basilan, under the supervision of the TESDA, to be known as the
6 
Isabela City, Basilan TESDA Training and Assessment Center. It shall be established
7 
in a highly accessible location in Isabela City, Province of Basilan, pursuant to the
8 
purposes of this Act and to the agreement of the TESDA and the concerned local
9 
government units (LGUs).
10 
Sec. 3. General Mandate. - The Isabela City, Basilan TESDA Training and
11 
Assessment Center, hereinafter referred to as the Center, shall primarily provide
12 
technical-vocational education and training (TVET) programs to students, local
13 
residents from low-income families, and out-of-school youths, including persons with
14 
disabilities and indigenous peoples, in the City of Isabela and the neighboring localities
15 
in the Province of Basilan, to help them become productive, self-reliant and globally
16 
competitive labor assets.
17 
The Center shall provide effective employment interventions through training
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programs on relevant skills trade competencies, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship
19 
activities needed to deliver the effective employment interventions that will help
20 
hasten the development of the host area and adjacent localities in the Province of
21 
Basilan into human resource and productivity hubs.
22 
The Center shall serve as TESDA-accredited Assessment Center for acquired
23 
competencies in TVET programs in the City of Isabela and adjacent localities in the
1


1 
Province of Basilan. It shall also provide teachers' training and curriculum design
2 
assistance to the secondary schools offering the technical-vocational livelihood (TVL)
3 
track under the K to 12 Program.
4 
Sec. 4. Training Programs. - The Center shall offer short-term certificate
5 
courses and modular trainings in preferred technical-vocational skills and trades
6 
specialization. To this end, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),
7 
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology
8 
(DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local
9 
Government (DILG), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), business-
10 
industry partners, and other relevant agencies and instrumentalities, both local and
11 
international, shall provide the necessary assistance to enable the Center to develop
12 
skilled manpower to achieve a robust and Inclusive economy in the host area and in
13 
the adjacent localities.
14 
The Center may establish research and technology hubs, technology
15 
development farms, satellite or extension trainjng centers, and promote mobile
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training programs to strengthen linkages among the industry partners, the academe,
17 
and the Center geared towards the acquisition of practical livelihood, employable skills,
18 
gainful employment, and entrepreneurship in priority areas in the City of Isabela and
19 
neighboring localities in the Province of Basilan.
20 
The Center shall offer the following TVET programs with competencies
21 
assessment leading to National Certification Levels I-III:
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(a) Skills training in industrial technology and hard trades such as metal and
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steelwork, machine fabrication and operation, heavy equipment operation
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automotive mechanical assembly, refrigeration and air conditioning, electronics,
25 
and operation of power tools and equipment for both medium skills grade and
26 
industrial purposes;
27 
(b) Agriculture and aquaculture-related trainings and skills development in such
28 
areas as farming technology, fishing operations technology, backyard farming
29 
and home- based aquaculture and propagation innovations, mechanized
30 
farming, fishing tools and equipment operation, agribusiness, agri-aqua trade
31 
technology and innovations, and relevant farmers and fisherfolk's trainings for
32 
Increased productivity and entrepreneurship;
33 
(c) Livelihood skills development courses for preferred skills employment and small-
34 
scale entrepreneurship, including practical skills education in arts and crafts,
35 
workmanship and design, high-speed sewing, dressmaking and tailoring,
36 
horticulture, livestock raising and breeding, food processing technology, home
37 
technology, culinary arts and commercial cooking, cosmetology, and health and
38 
wellness training;
39 
(d) Basic business literacy training in financial management, marketing, practical
40 
accountancy, bookkeeping, office procedures, business processes and
41 
application procedures including registration, licensing, documentation,
42 
business patent and intellectual property regulation, business financing and
43 
investment opportunities sourcing, import-export accreditation, online home-
44 
based business operation, and use of social media business marketing;


1 
(e) Technical-vocational occupation and trades skills such as carpentry, masonry,
2 
plumbing, weiding, practical electricity and installation, automotive servicing,
3 
electronics servicing, personal computer servicing, and such other relevant
4 
practical skills courses;
5 
(f) Computer literacy and information technology-reiated skills, digital web design,
6 
animation, photoshop/oniine photography, computer design, and advertising;
7 
technology,
8 
(g) Social communication skills and language proficiency courses in Engiish and
9 
other languages for business process outsourcing employment and overseas
10 
job placement;
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(h) Seminars on personality development, career counseling, job placement, and
12 
work ethic and values; and
13 
(i) Other preferred skills and trades training that may be needed by the peopie of
14 
the City of Isabela and the adjacent localities of the Province of Basilan to
15 
enhance their capacities for practical livelihood, gainful employment, and
16 
entrepreneurial activities.
17 
Sec. 5. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. - The provisions of this Act
18 
notwithstanding, the Center shail become operationai oniy upon the determination
19 
and certification by the TESDA, through the issuance of a formal recommendation and
20 
certificate of compliance, that the Center has satisfactorily complied with the minimum
21 
standards of quaiity prescribed by the TESDA governing the foilowing: a) standard
22 
procedures and guidelines for the establishment and operation of a Center; b)
23 
operational sustainability of the Center, in terms of licensed faculty-trainers and
24 
personnel, equipment, training and laboratory facilities, instructional materials, and
25 
other standard requirements of a Center; c) sustainable funding source and allocation
26 
of the budgetary requirement; d) full alignment of the training programs offered with
27 
the minimum standards of competency-based quality technical-vocational skills
28 
technology and the needs of the host area and adjacent communities served within
29 
the context of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Integration and the
30 
Philippine Qualifications Framework for TVET; and e) compliance with such other
31 
TESDA conditionalities and standards, as may be necessary and applicable in
32 
establishing a Center.
33 
Sec. 6. Administration. - The Center shall be headed by a Technical-Vocational
34 
Administrator who shall be under the supervision of the TESDA, render full-time
35 
service, and be responsible for its administration and operation.
36 
The Technical-Vocational Administrator shall be appointed by the TESDA
37 
Director General in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Civil Service
38 
Commission and the qualification requirements for such office. The Technlcal-
39 
Vocational Administrator shall enter into agreements with locally-based private and
40 
public counterpart agencies or instrumentalities and persons for such assistance as
41 
may be necessary to effectively implement this Act, subject to the approval of the
42 
TESDA Director General.
43 
Sec. 7. Appropriations. - The Director General of the TESDA shall Include in
44 
the Authority's program the operation of the Center, the funding of which shall be


1 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. The LGUS concerned, in
2 
consultation with the TESDA, shall set aside from local revenue an amount deemed
3 
appropriate as annual counterpart fund to support the operation any available of the
4 
Center herein established.
5 
Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days after
6 
the approval of this Act, the TESDA shall, in coordination with the DOLE, DTI, DOST,
7 
DA, the Department of Budget and Management, DILG, NEDA, the concerned LGUS,
8 
and such other relevant agencies and industry-business partners of the host locality,
9 
prepare and issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation
10 
of this Act.
11 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this act is declared
12 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall
13 
remain in force and effect.
14 
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or
15 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
16 
repealed or amended accordingly.
17 
Sec. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
18 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,