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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
'tH" •.• f tit. " .. rift, ' 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEN~17 
S.No. L.A6 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Republic Act No. 7796, or the "TESDA Law," Section 3 states: 
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AUG -8 P 2 :42 
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; ... 
Recognize and encourage the complementary roles of public and private 
institutions in teclmical education and skills development and training systems; ... 
In the continuous globalization of the economy, the Philippines has become a major 
player in the international labor market. This has been evident in 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 
certification programs by TESDA, or the recognition of TESDA of the reliability of certain 
programs in measuring and certifying 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 
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skills are in demand and the certification program that would allow the industries to recognize 
such skills. 
This bill seeks to mandate the TESDA to undertake a continuing study on the skill 
certification programs across the country.' 
• This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'1) 
AUG -8 P 2 :42 
SENJ\l:EJ! 
S. No. 
.1. ~ ':t 6 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO EVALUATE CERTAIN SKILLS CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Cong;ess assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Skills Standard Certification 
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Evaluation Act." 
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SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purposes of this Act are: 
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A. 
to periodically evaluate skills certification programs that certify various employee 
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skills and to determine which skills certifications are most desired by employers and employees; 
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and 
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B. 
to make information, and materials if possible, about skills certification programs 
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available to eligible entities providing job training. 
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SECTION 3. Definition. - For the purpose of this Act, the term "skills certification 
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program" means an industry-led or industry-created program that is in existence as of the time 
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that the evaluation under Section 3 is conducted; delineates a skill set necessary for a career in a 
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certain industry; does not culminate in an associate or baccalaureate degree; and is not portable 
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or widely or nationally recognized. 
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SECTION 4. Evaluation. - Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
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Act, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shal1-
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A. 
conduct an evaluation of skills certification programs; 
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B. 
determine best practices models for skills certification programs; or 
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C. 
rank the skills certification programs available III an industry, based on the 
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evaluation criteria described in Section 4; and 
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D. 
make recommendations on-
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I. the merits of a unified national approach to programs of skills certification, as 
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compared to multiple regional and local skills certification programs; and 
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2. ways to streamline, if possible, duplicative and similar skills certification 
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programs into a single, widely recognized certification. 
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SECTION 5. Criteria/or Evaluation. - The evaluation of the skills certification programs 
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conducted under Section 3 shall include the following criteria: 
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A. 
B. 
Overall usefulness of the skills certification program for workers and employers. 
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 
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progranl. 
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E. 
The success of 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 -
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; 
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3. the number of foreign countries, if any, 
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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. 
SECTION 6. Outreach and Information Campaign. - Not later than 60 days after the 
evaluation described in Section 3 has been completed, TESDA shall-
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, on the 
Internet; and 
B. 
make the information described 111 Paragraph A available 111 print form to 
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Congress and to interested parties, including-
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I. technical colleges; 
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2. community organizations; and 
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3. other groups providing worker training, in partnership and cooperation with 
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industry. 
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SECTION 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation of 
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this Act shall be charged against the appropriations of the TESDA under the current General 
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Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for its full implementation shall 
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be included in the annual General Appropriations Act as a distinct and separate item. 
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SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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