Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Hon. John Marvin “Yul Servo” C. Nieto 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Our youth today is unique, passionate and hardworking in spite of their 
social and economic status, more than ever are they driven with the ambition to 
become the best version of themselves in the future. They study hard in the hopes 
of fulfilling their dream to become whomever they want to be. Despite these 
observations, unemployment in the Philippines has continued to remain high, and 
the pressing health crisis has affected the employment status of our constituents as 
well as the rise in the unemployment rate, currently at 8.9% as of September 2021 
according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. It has been eight (8) years since 
the enactment of Republic Act No. 10533 or the “Enhanced Basic Education of 
2013”, establishing a new educational program more popularly known as the K to 
12 program and veering away from the 10 years basic education to a more 
recognized standard for students and professionals globally.  
The promise for those who graduated from the K to 12 program is an 
ensured stable job opportunity despite not having a college degree-- as such 
curriculum shall equip students from the different strands that it offers to be ready 
to be a part of the working force upon graduation, making them more equipped in 
dealing with a much higher level of learning in college; that their skill competency 
in the global job market allows them to choose a specific track to master and 
enhance their skills to make them more globally competitive. Statistics in 
employment and labor show a distinct problem in the transition from education to 
work; generating jobs are not the only qualifying variable. It is equally significant 
to address the job-skill mismatch in our country, we must be able to see the 
potential and skill set of our students at an earlier age so as to keep them in line 
when it comes to choosing a strand for senior high school.  
As young adults, graduates from any strand are expected to have already 
acquired the necessary skills to join the workforce. However, there are neither 
steps nor arrangements for a structure or system in place and readily available to 
ensure that Senior High School graduates will be able to find employment. The 
establishment of Trabaho Center in Schools Act can fill this gap and strengthen the 
relations of industries and schools in order to finally reduce the rate of 
unemployment and underemployment of graduates of the K to 12 program. This 
bill shall champion a policy that empowers the Filipino youth with gainful 
employment. 
There have been several countries with similar concepts as that of the 
Trabaho Center, thus showing that job-skills mismatch problem is not endemic to 
the Philippines. As in the case of Japan in its revised “Government Curriculum 
December 6, 2021
5:40 pm
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Guidelines for Career Guidance (1961), the United States and Canada’s Career 
Guidance with its utilization of informational network database known as the 
Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and Russia sought for career 
guidance as a solution for job-skills mismatch in their youth, unemployed and 
underemployed.  
This bill seeks to establish Trabaho Centers in every public and private 
senior high schools with services for (1) Industry Matching, (2) Career Counseling, 
and (3) Employment Facilitation. Trabaho Centers shall create and maintain 
employer contacts, job opportunities and career guidance materials to counsel 
students as well as address job-skills mismatch through feedback on teaching 
modules and working closely with TESDA.  
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
HON. JOHN MARVIN “YUL SERVO” C. NIETO 
Representative, 3rd District of Manila City 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Hon. John Marvin “Yul Servo” C. Nieto 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING JOB PLACEMENT OFFICES IN PUBLIC HIGH 
SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE CAREER SERVICES TO THE YOUTH 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Trabaho Center in 
Schools Act.”  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – it is the policy of the State to promote full 
employment and equality of employment opportunities for all, and to afford full 
protection to the youth entering the labor force. In line with the reforms in the 
education sector, the State recognizes the need to prepare the youth in choosing the 
career tracks that they intend to pursue and to aid in matching senior high school 
students with career opportunities after graduation.  
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For the purpose of this Act, the following 
terms shall refer to:  
(a) Career Advocacy Activities – series of activities intended to prepare students
for productive career decisions that includes but is not limited to career
assessment and coaching, trainings and job-matching.
(b) Career Development Plan – annual career development tool that outlines
the intended outcomes and the strategic management of programs/services to
collectively achieve the end goals of the Trabaho Centers.
(c) Labor Market Information (LMI) – any information concerning the size,
composition, functions, problems or opportunities of the labor market or any
part thereof, including but not limited to employment-related intentions or
aspirations of the labor market clients.
(d) National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) – system of assessing or
evaluating the potential or aptitude of each and every high school student to
guide their decisions in pursuing further education or employment.
(e) Skills Registry System (SRS) – an existing system utilized by the Department
of Labor and Employment (DOLE) containing potential applicant and
employment information.
SECTION 4. Establishment of Trabaho Center in Schools. – Job Placement 
Offices (JPOs), hereinafter referred to as “Trabaho Centers”, shall be established in 
all public high schools. Trabaho Centers shall work in coordination with the 
Provincial, City, or Municipal Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) and 
shall be supervised by Trabaho Center Coordinators in Department of Education 
(DepEd) Division Offices.  
The Trabaho Center Coordinators shall encourage partnerships among 
Educational Institutions (EIs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Industry 
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Associations and Members, and Local Government Units (LGUs) in the 
establishment and management of the Trabaho Centers. In applicable areas, 
existing JPOs in educational institutions shall continue to operate as Trabaho 
Centers subject to the provisions of this Act, including partnering with the private 
sector or NGOs for an online platform. The Trabaho Centers shall be responsible 
for preparing the youth in choosing career tracks fit for the talents, skills and 
preferences and in matching these to the needs of the current and future labor 
market.  
 
SECTION 5. Trabaho Center Career Advocates. – All Trabaho Centers shall 
have at least one (1) Trabaho Center Career Advocate with the following 
functions:  
(a) Keep an up-to-date database of job vacancies from employers to facilitate 
the exchange of labor market information services specific to Senior High 
School, both for local and overseas employment;  
(b) Provide job linkages and networks to employers in coordination with the 
provincial, city or municipal PESOs; 
(c) Develop and administer testing and evaluation instruments for effective job 
selection, training and coaching specific to young jobseekers currently 
enrolled in educational institutions. Provided, that examinations are 
administered by qualified professionals;  
(d) Organize or coordinate career enhancement trainings or seminars for young 
job seekers, as well as those who would like to pursue further education, 
livelihood or self-employment programs;  
(e) Provide career advocacy and coaching, mass motivation and values 
development activities integrated in career programs specifically designed 
for Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum students;  
(f) Connect and partner with concerned NGOs to expand opportunities in 
improving the quality of employment facilitation programs offered in their 
school; 
(g) Lead the teachers within their school in the administration of the annual 
National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) and assist the students in 
understanding how to use their test results as guide in choosing their career 
tracks;  
(h) Prepare and submit to the Trabaho Center Coordinator a school specific 
annual career development plan and budget, including other regular funding 
sources and budgetary support; and,  
(i) Prepare and submit a quarterly progress report on students assisted and 
coached to the Trabaho Center Coordinator.  
 
SECTION 6. Trabaho Center in Division Offices. – Each DepEd Division Office 
shall appoint a Trabaho Center Coordinator who shall:  
(a) Coordinate with the LGU, PESO, and the Local School Board (LSB), and 
the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in the creation of the annual key 
career planning tool for their division, taking into consideration track 
preferences of students in their respective divisions and the industry most 
relevant to their area;  
(b) Monitoring the planning, implementation and evaluation of career 
facilitation programs and materials of Trabaho Centers in Schools;  
(c) Convene Career Advocates from the different Trabaho Centers under their 
respective divisions for the creation of modules or guides contextualized to 
cover their local industry;  


(d) Share best practices among divisions and other Trabaho Centers in the 
country in a modality that would be most efficient to the institution; 
(e) Train Career Advocates in the administration of testing and evaluation 
instruments for effective job selection, counseling, career guidance, mass 
motivation and values development activities to be implemented for the 
career programs.  
(f) Utilize the DOLE’s Skills Registry System (SRS) to manage the records of 
transactions in relation to career facilitation and relay information to 
Trabaho Centers in Schools;  
(g) Consolidate necessary information technology structures and systems to 
improve the collection, processing, analysis, report development and 
dissemination of youth career preferences and existing labor market 
information; and, 
(h) Provide linkages to training providers needed by the schools in relation to 
local industry.   
 
SECTION 7. Qualifications of Trabaho Center Career Advocates. – 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 27 of Republic Act No. 9258, otherwise 
known as the “Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004”, career and employment 
advocates, who are not registered and licensed guidance counselors, shall be 
allowed to conduct career advocacy activities for students of the school where they 
are currently employed: Provided, that they undergo training programs related to 
career advocacy. Career advocates employed shall hold a non-teaching position 
and shall focus on activities for youth employability programs in coordination with 
the DOLE and other relevant agencies and partner institutions, both public and 
private.  
  
SECTION 8. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Technical Vocational 
Institutions (TVIs). – Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Technical 
Vocational Institutions (TVIs) are encouraged to establish Trabaho Centers in their 
schools to prepare their students in choosing career tracks fit for their acquired 
talents, skills and preferences and in matching these to the needs of the current and 
future labor market, in accordance with the provisions of this Act.  
 
SECTION 9. Information Dissemination. – The Philippine Information Agency 
in coordination with the DepEd, DOLE and the DILG, shall ensure proper and 
adequate information dissemination of the contents and benefits of this Act to 
pertinent entities in all provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays.   
 
SECTION 10. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to implement the 
provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of 
the DepEd. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its continued 
implemention shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.   
 
SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, in coordination with the Department of 
Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Interior and Local Government 
(DILG), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Trade and 
Industry (DTI) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority 
(TESDA) and other relevant agencies shall formulate the necessary rules and 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.   
 


SECTION 12. Separability Clause. – If any of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of other 
provisions hereof.   
 
SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive order, and rules 
and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.  
 
SECTION 14. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the 
date of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation.   
 
  
 
Approved,