TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
25 JiJL 14 P2 :44
hi'
Senate Bill No.
5M
Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING AND ENHANCING THE SKILLS 
CERTIFICATE EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM OF THE CIVIL SERVICE 
COMMISSION AND THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS 
AUTHORITY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Republic Act No. 1080, or "An Act Declaring the Bar and Board Examinations as 
Civil Service Examinations," automatically grants civil service eligibility to passers of 
bar examinations and other licensure examinations administered by the Professional 
Regulation Commission (PRC). Several laws also grant appropriate civil service 
eligibility to qualified individuals.
This bill seeks to grant the same privilege to certified tech-voc graduates who 
are holders of National Certificates (NC) issued by the Technical Education and Skills 
Development Authority (TESDA) by institutionalizing and enhancing the Skills 
Certificate Equivalency Program (SCEP).
The SCEP involves the assessment and certification of the competencies of 
workers through the Philippine TVET competency assessment and certification system. 
The assessment process, composed of a demonstration, questioning and a written 
test, seeks to determine whether a tech-voc graduate or worker can perform to the 
standards expected in the workplace. A national certificate is awarded to those who 
meet the competency standards. The entire process is only carried out in accredited 
TESDA centers with the presence of the agency's accredited assessors.
Currently, the SCEP is a partnership between the TESDA and the Civil Service 
Commission (CSC). Under this, the CSC grants the appropriate civil service eligibility 
to an NC holder who may be a government skilled worker or any individual seeking


entrance into the civil service. An individual who possesses a valid NC may file an 
application for the conversion of his or her NC to a civil service eligibility at any office 
of the CSC nationwide.
An NC issued by TESDA is proof of one's expertise on a certain skill or set of 
skills. It is an assurance of the competencies of a skilled worker. Thus, this bill is 
consistent with the Constitutional policy that appointments in the civil service are made 
only according to merit and fitness.
In fact, the formulation of qualification standards follows a stringent process that 
starts from endorsement of qualifications by the industry stakeholders to the TESDA 
Board to the approval of these qualifications for the development of training 
regulations. To ensure the appropriateness and relevance of these training 
regulations, and their accompanying competency-assessment tools, TESDA conducts 
a periodic review of these training regulations. This only confirms TESDA's nationwide 
ISO 9001:2015 Certification, which is an irreversible reform that can guarantee the 
quality of TESDA's services.
Hence, with a quality-assured and globally recognized tech-voc training, 
assessment and certification systems in the Philippines, there is no doubt that the 
institutionalization and enhancement of SCEP will further strengthen the principle of 
meritocracy in the government. Like a professional license issued by the PRC, an NC 
issued by TESDA forms part of the requirements being sought by recruitment agencies 
and private companies for Filipinos seeking employment in the country and abroad.
Lastly, the measure will likewise help in addressing the number of government 
employees hired under job order or contractual arrangements, given that the lack of 
the required civil service eligibility is one of the cited reasons for the inability to 
promote civil servants in plantilla positions. As of June 2024, the government employs 
at least one-third of its almost 3 million government workers, or 939,771 workers, as 
"job order" (JO) or "contract of service" (COS) employees.1
Thus, the passage of this bill will ensure the security of tenure of qualified skills 
workers in the government, provide equal opportunities to middle skill workers to 
enter the civil service and, certainly, improve the image of tech-voc in the country.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
JOElZ VILLANUEVA
1 Civil Service Commission. Inventory of Government Human Resource - JO/COS and Career and Non-Career 
Data {as of 30 June 2024). Available at https://csc.gov.ph/downloads/statistics-and-reports/category/484-2024 
(Accessed on 10 July 2025).


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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
25 JUL 14 ??. :44
Senate Bill No.
538
Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING AND ENHANCING THE SKILLS 
CERTIFICATE EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM OF THE CIVIL SERVICE 
COMMISSION AND THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS 
AUTHORITY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Skills Certificate 
Equivalency Program Act"
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy.-The Constitution provides that appointments 
in the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness. Towards this end, 
it is hereby declared the policy of the State to institutionalize and enhance the Skills 
Certificate Equivalency Program (SCEP) of the government, and to give equal 
opportunities to certified technical-vocational education and training (TVET) graduates 
to enter the civil service, uplift the dignity of middle-skilled workers, and improve the 
image of technical and vocational education and training in the country.
SEC, 3. Skills Certificate Equivalency Program. - There shall be 
established a Skills Certificate Equivalency Program (the "Program"), which shall grant 
civil service eligibility to holders of Technical Education and Skills Development 
Authority (TESDA) National Certificates (NCs).
The Program shall involve the issuance of NCs to individuals who shall 
successfully demonstrate the required competence in specific qualifications. For this
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purpose, an NC shall be provided equivalent civil service eligibility by the Civil Service
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Commission (CSC).
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SEC. 4. Coverage. - The benefit under this Act shall apply to those currently
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working in the government or seeking entrance into the civil service for positions
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requiring eligibility thru an appropriate TESDA-issued NC.
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SEC. 5. Identification of Positions with Qualification Standards
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Requiring Eligibility through TESDA-issued National Certificates. - The CSC
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and TESDA, in consuitation with relevant stakeholders, shall identify and regulariy
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update the qualification standards requiring eligibility through an appropriate TESDA-
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issued NC, taking into account the changing requirements of the workplace and the
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needs of the different government agencies and instrumentalities in ensuring the
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delivery of efficient and effective service to the pubiic: Provided, That the NC remains
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in the roster of promulgated national qualifications of TESDA: Provided, further. That
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the grant of civil service eligibility shall be based on an unexpired NC.
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SEC. 6. Application for and Award of Eligibility. - Any holder of TESDA-
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issued NC shaii file the application for civil service eligibility at any office of the CSC.
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For this purpose, the CSC shall ensure that there are designated personnel at its field
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offices nationwide who shall be responsible for the conversion of TESDA-issued NCs
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to appropriate civil service eligibilities.
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SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the initial
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implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the current budget of the CSC.
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Thereafter, the amount shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
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SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days
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from the effectivity of this Act, the Civii Service Commission, in coordination with the
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Technical Education and Skiils Development Authority and other relevant stakeholders,
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shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation
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of this Act.
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SEC. 9. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
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unconstitutional, the remainder hereof or any provisions not affected thereby shaii
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remain in force and effect.


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SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
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executive order, letter of instruction, rule, or regulation inconsistent with the
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provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,