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First Regular Session
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Introduced by Representatives
HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR. and MIKAELA ANGELA B, SUANSING

AN ACT i
PROVIDING FOR THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF FREE TESDA TRAININGS
FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 2017 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey shows that 3.53 million of the 39.2 million
Filipinos aged 6 to 24 years old were out-of-school youth (OSYs). In 2017, 83% of OSYs fall
between the ages of 16 to 24 years old.' The high financial cost of secondary and tertiary
education remains #s one of the main reasons why OSYs remain out of school. According to
the same survey, around half of OSYs in the Philippines belong to families whose incomes fall
within the bottom third of the total population?

However, consultative meetings with local OSYs conducted by our field leaders found that a
considerable proportion of OSYs cited a lack of personal interest in formal education, given
what they perceive to be its future benefits and its current financial and opportunity costs.
Specifically, these consultative meetings with local OSYs found that some OSYs choose not
to go to school because while it often'entails huge financial sacrifices on the part of their
families, completing existing undergraduate courses in local universities do not assure
graduates’ landing good jobs with stable incomes, given that the, jobs available in the local
labor market do not match the skills taught by existing undergraduate courses in local
universities and colleges.

On the other hand, local OSYs cited that jobs in construction, wholesale, retail, manufacturing,
transport, and employment reiated to computer services and information and communications
technology (ICT) are abundant in nearby commercial centers. While these jobs require basic
reading, writing, arithmetic and other technical and practical skills, these jobs often do not
require college degrees; instead, such jobs require those to be employed with solid, strong

| htaps://orww span gov plvanticles/1129909
2 Ibid.


technical and vocational skills training in their specific fields. However, at present, most OSYs
cannot access these lucrative jobs, since they have not received the technical and vocational
skills training necessary, and current opportunities to receive such training remain limited.

This measure seeks to institutionalize free TESDA trainings for out-of-school youth
beneficiaries. It endeavors to do so not only to prevent our indigent OSYs from falling further
into the trap of poverty, but more so to provide a gateway through which they may acquire
employment, income security, and subsequently, that they may inevitably obtain economic
security for themselves and their families. This measure pursues the expansion of access to
technical and vocational education for our out-of-school youth to provide women OSYs, who
disproportionately make up 63 percent of OSYs in 2020, with opportunities for income
generation. Furthermore, it aims to ameliorate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on
financially constrained youth who may have had to stop going to schoo! due to the economic
effects of lockdowns: according to a study by the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), the percentage of out-of-school youth in the Philippines increased
significantly during the pandemic, from 16.9% in January 2020 to 25.2% in April 2020.

The passage of this bill ensures that our out-of-school youth are granted access to work-based
learning, to entrepreneurship and livelihood opportunities relevant to the demands of the local
labor market, and ultimately, to current and future economic security for themselves and their
families.

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

HORA‘ SUANSING, JR. MIKAE! SUANSING
2™ District of Sultan Kudarat 1s sf Ecija

Shttps://opportunity org ph/wp-content/uploads/USAID-EDC-Accenture-COVID-19-Impact-OSY-
Philippines_v2021-11-08-Final-I.pdf
4 USAID 2020 Report, The Impact of COVID-19 on opportunities for Out-of- School Youth in the Philippines.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
‘Quezon City, Metre Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 3621

Introduced by Representatives
HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR. and MIKAELA ANGELA B. SUANSING

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF FREE TESDA TRAININGS.
FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Out-of-School Youth Skills
Education Act.”

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State values the dignity of every human person and
guarantees fall respect for human rights. Pursuant thereto, the State therefore recognizes the
Tight of out-of-school youth to social protection and to develop their full potential as partners
in nation-building. Towards this end, the State shall promulgate measures to give full support
to the improvement of the total well-being of the out-of-school youth by providing educational
development and employment opportunities.

Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:

(@) Out-of-Scheol Youth - refers to members of the population aged eighteen (18) to
thitty (30) years old who are currently out of school, not gainfully employed, and
have not finished college or a post-secondary course;

(©) Technical/Vecational Education - refers to the education or training process
involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related
sciences and the acquisition of practical skills relating to occupations in various
sectors of economic and social life. The term is comprised of formal (organized
programs as part of the school system), and non-formal (organized classes outside
the school system) approaches;

(©) TESDA Graduate - refers to a student or trainee who has completed the
requirement set for a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
1


(TESDA) - registered Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
course/program; and

@ Civil Society Organizations - refers to non-state, not-for-profit, community-based
volunteer organizations that perform a variety of services and humanitarian
fanctions and promote the enhancement and support of the welfare of local citizens.

Sec. 4. Institutionalization of Free Technical/Vocational Education. — The TESDA shall
provide technical and vocational education to the out-of-school youth free of charge. It shall
likewise provide materials, instruments, and tools that the out-of-school youth may need while
enrolled in a technical/vocational course, and financial support to cover transportation and
Other related costs for the duration of the training.

to in-demand jobs in the local market, as determined by the Advisory Council.

Sec. 5. Creation of an Out-of-School Youth Skills Training Advisory Council. — An Out-of-
School Youth Skills Training Advisory Council shall be created in every municipality,
component city, independent component city and highly-urbanized city in the Philippines,
comprised of:

One (1) Represeatative from TESDA Provincial/ Regional Office;
One (1) Representative from the DOLE Public Employment Service Office;

Three (3) Representatives from the local business sector;

One (1) representative from municipal local government unit;

One (1) respective from the Office of the Congressional District Representative; and
‘One (1) representative from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

Each Council shall advise the TESDA Provincial Office about the technical and vocational
courses to be offered free of charge to out-of-school youth. It will monitor yearly work
programs, in pursuance of the objectives of this Act, and will coordinate with the TESDA
Central Office to create and implement a National Comprehcasive Training Plan for Out-of-
‘School Youth.

Sec. 6. National Comprehensive Training Plan for Out-of-School Youth. — The TESDA
Central Office, in consultation with all Out-of School Youth Skills Training Advisory Councils
and all TESDA Provincial Offices, will create a yearly National Comprehensive Training Plan
for Out-of- School Youth.

‘The National Comprehensive Training Plan for Out-of-School Youth will contain demographic
indicators relating to out-of-school youth in the Philippines, in every region, every province
and every municipality in the Philippines. It will also contain details regarding in-demand jobs
in local labor markets and industries that may cater to potential workers from the out-of-school


youth sector, and policy proposals on how to prepare the current out-of-school youth sector for
these jobs.

The National Comprehensive Training Plan for Out-of-School Youth shall be used as a
reference document by the Out-of-School Youth Skills Training Advisory Councils for
advising their respective TESDA Provincial Offices about the technical and vocational courses
to be offered free of charge to out-of-school youth.

Sec. 7. Decent Work Opportunities. — The DOLE, in coordination with TESDA and the Local
Government Units, shall ensure decent work standards for out-of-school youth who have
graduated from TVET courses, including the following minimum guarantees:

a. Providing strict regulations against forced and involuntary displacement;

b. Protection of the rights and promotion of the welfare of TVET graduates regardless of
their work status, and protection against discrimination in wages, conditions of work,
and employment opportunities.

Opportunities for work shall be productive and remunerative as family living wage, security of
tenure in the workplace, and better prospects for personal development and social integration.

Sec. 8. Role of Civil Society Organizations. — Civil Society Organizations are hereby
encouraged to become partners of Government in the implementation of skills training
programs and projects for the out-of-school youth.

Sec. 9. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the effective implementation of this Act
shall be included in the budget of the concerned agencies in the annual General Appropriations
Act.

Sec. 10. Jmplementing Rules and Regulations. — The TESDA shall be the lead implementing
agency and, together with the DOLE, shall promulgate the Implementing Rules and
Regulations within sixty (60) days from the passage of this Act.

See. 11. Separability Clause. — Should any part of this Act be declared unconstitutional, the
remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provision of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

Sec. 13. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days afler its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,