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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPREENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINEI`EENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HouseBillNo.    4996
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Introduced by Representative Gabriel H. Bordado, Jr.
EXPIANATO RY NOTE
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are hailed as the country's new-age heroes,
contributing significantly to our overall economic growth through their remittances and
their unparalleled efforts.
Numerous stories of the challenges they face are not unheard of.  But what is
perhaps lesser known is their struggle to develop new skills and pursue further studies
in order to maintain a competitive advantage in international labor markets.
This   bill,   which   had   been   filed   by   Rep.   Salvador   Belaro   during   the   17th
Congress,  seeks to  provide continuing  education,  whether in  the  nature of college,
graduate studies, or technical training, to our OFWs through the use of our embassies
and  consulates  abroad.   Likewise,   this   bill   seeks  to  provide  the  same  for  their
dependents living with them abroad.
3rd District,
AMARINES SUR


Republic of the Philippines
HousE OF REPRESENIATrvEs
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
Houseinrio.   4996
Introduced by Representative Gabriel H. Bordado, Jr.
AN ACT PROVIDING OVERSHAS FILIPINO WORKERS AND THEIR
DEPENDENTS ABROAD ACCHSS TO HIGHER EDUCATION ANI} SKILLS
TRAININGS
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 "OFW Higher Education and
Skills Training Act of 2022"
SEC.  2.   All  Philippine  embassies  and  consulates  abroad  are  hereby  mandated  to
work  with  Philippine-based  academic  degree-  granting  institutions,  preferably  with
online  class  offerings,   duly   recognized   by  the  Commission   of  Higher  Education
(CHED);   and/or   technical   education   institutions   (Tvls)   duly   recognized   by   the
Technical  Education  Skills  and  Development Authority  (TESDA)   to  make available
courses and/or program  offerings,  whether degree or short courses,  which  can  be
made available to OFWs and/or their dependents abroad, within their respective areas
of jurisdiction.
SEC.  3.  For such  purpose,  our existing  embassies and  consulates abroad  shall  be
used as venues for the provision of higher education programs, whether for college or
graduate studies, or skills training. Also, the existing personnel of said embassies and
consulates may also be tapped as instructor for the said programs.
SEC. 4.  Participating schools who send their faculty members from the Philippines to
teach in the said embassies and consulates shall receive a reasonable subsidy from
the government for said teachers' travel and lodging expenses, the amount of which
shall be decided on a case-to-case basis
SEC.   5.   The   Department   of   Foreign   Affairs   (DFA),   Department   of   Labor   and
Employment  (DOLE),  Commission  on  Higher Education  (CHED),  and the Technical
Education Skills and  Development Authority (TESDA) shall jointly formulate and  plan
the successful implementation of this Act.


SEC. 6. All laws, orders, issuances rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent
with any provision Of this Act are hereby repealed, modified Qr amended accordingly.
SEC.  7.  This Act shall take effect fifteen  (15)  days from  complete publication  in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,