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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
'OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Second Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 3 of R.A. No. 7796, otherwise known as the TESDA Law states: 
SEC. 3. Statement of Goals and Objectives. - It is the goal and objective of 
this Act to: 
Promote and strengthen the quality of technical education and skills 
development programs to attain international competitiveness; 
x x x  
Recognize and encourage the complementary roles of public and private 
institutions in technical education and skills development and training 
systems; 
x x x  
In the continuous globalization of the economy, the Philippines has become a major 
player in the international labor market. This has been evident the incessant flow of manpower to 
other countries and the strong local outsourcing industry. As such, there is an increasing demand 
to certify the capabilities of our workers in order to assist overseas employers and outsourcing 
companies in investing on our manpower. Many of these skill certifications are done by the 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). However, there are several 
others which are maintained by private organizations to cover the skills that they need particular 
to their industry. 
In order to develop further their reliability in terms of skill certification, TESDA should 
establish a continuing program that would allow them to look into the best practices of private 
entities and organizations. The result of this study would lead to possible development of more 
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certification programs by TESDA, or the recognition of TESDA of the reliability of certain 
programs in measuring and certifying certain other skills. In effect, we will be able to consolidate 
and rank the certification programs in terms of their reliability and recognition by the labor 
market. By doing so, we will be able to assist our workers by pointing out the industries in which 
certain skills are in demand and the certification program that would allow the industries to 
recognize such skills. As a country, it will allow qs to be better players in the international labor 
market. 
This bill seeks to mandate TESDA to undertake a continuing study on the skill 
certification programs across the country. 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
Second Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIF’PINES 
) 
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SENATE 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
TO EVALUATE CERTAZN SKILLS CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION I. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Skills Standard Certification 
Evaluation Act of 2008.” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. -The purposes of this Act are- 
A. to periodically evaluate skills certification programs that certify various employee 
skills and to determine which skills certifications are most desired by employers and 
employees; and 
B. to make information, and materials if possible, about skills certification programs 
available to eligible entities providing job training. 
SECTION 3. DeJinition. -The purpose of this Act the term - 
A. SKILLS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM means an industry-led or industry- 
created program that- 
1. is in existence as of the time that the evaluation under Section 3 is 
conducted; 
2. delineates a skill set necessary for a career in a certain industry; 
3. does not culminate in an associate or baccalaureate degree; and 
4. is not portable or widely or nationally recognized. 
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SECTION 4. Evaluation. - Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall- 
A. conduct an evaluation of skills certification programs; 
B. determine best practices models for skills certification programs; or 
C. rank the skills certification programs available in an industry, based on the evaluation 
criteria described in Section 4; and 
D. make recommendations on- 
1, the merits of a unified national approach to programs of skills certification, as 
compared to multiple regional and local skills certification programs; and 
2. ways to streamline, if possible, duplicative and similar skills certification 
programs into a singIe, widely recognized certification. 
SECTION 5. Criteriafor Evaluation. - The evaluation of the skills certification programs 
conducted under Section 3 shall include the following criteria: 
A. Overall usefulness of the skills certification program for workers and employers. 
B. The demand from industry for workers with the skills provided and certified through 
the skills certification program. 
C. Industry involvement in the development of the skill standards included in the skills 
certification program. 
D. Industry recognition of the certification awarded under the skills certification 
program. 
E. The success o f  the skills certification program, based on criteria including- 
1. how many individuals have successfully completed the skills certification 
program; 
2. how many of such individuals are employed in a field utilizing the skills 
provided and certified through the skills certification program; and 
3. the length of time that such individuals have been so employed. 
F. The level of recognition of the skills certification program as of the time of the 
evaluation, including an assessment of- 
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1. how widespread the skills certification program is used; 
2. the number of entities, including employment agencies and institutions of 
higher education, that have used the skills certification program; 
3. the number of foreign countries, if any, in which the certification is 
recognized; and 
4. whether the skills provided and certified through the skills certification 
program are reasonably useful. 
G. Cooperative creation in the development of the skills certification program, such as 
whether the standards of the skills certification program were created in consultation 
with relevant partners, including business, labor, and community organizations, and 
whether such partners still support and use the standards 
H. The ease of sharing the skills certification program, including how portable the 
materials are, how versatile the materials are, and whether the certification programs 
requires the educator to have access to specific or extensive materials or equipment 
not usually found in a classroom. 
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SECTION 6. Outreach and Information Campaign. - Not later than 60 days after the 
evaluation described in Section 3 has been completed, TESDA shall- 
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on the Internet; and 
A. post the results of the evaluation, the ranking of skills certification programs or the 
best practices of such programs, and the recommendations, as described in Section 3, 
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1. technical colleges; 
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2. community organizations; and 
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industry. 
B. make the information described in Paragraph A available in print form to Congress 
and to interested parties, including- 
3. other groups providing worker training, in partnership and cooperation with 
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SECTION 7. Appropriations. -The amount necessary for the initial implementation of 
this Act shall be charged against the appropriations of TESDA under the current General 
Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for its full implementation shall 
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act as a distinct and separate item. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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