Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5. 2
House Bill No. 1275

Introduced by REP. AUGUSTO BOBOY SYJUCO, Ph. D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The attached bill seeks to establish livelihood and employment resource centers
in every municipality and city of the Philippines. The centers will provide necessary
knowledge, technology and training for the poor and unemployed populace geared
towards the production of goods and services peculiar to a particular province or region
and for employment generation for the people of the place.

Section 10, Article XIV of the Constitution declares that “The State shall give
priority to research and development, invention and innovation, and their utilization, and
to science and technology education, training and services.

The establishment of livelihood and employment resource centers in every
municipality and city will open opportunities for the people of the rural areas to acquire
knowledge and skills for livelihood that could well be integrated in the national program
for industrialization and economic development.

The center will cover the production of goods that are not ordinarily included in
industrial manufacturing. Among these aspects of production are furniture making,
woodcarving, handicraft, garments, ceramics, pottery, omamental products, hog raising,
poultry, cattle and other agri-business activities. Support for crop protection activities,
cottage and industry development and reforestation projects, are likewise necessary to
give such programs added impetus for long term success.

Since the key to raising the quality of life for all is an expanding productivity, the
establishment of livelihood and employment resource centers will complement the
struggle in the pursuit of this ideal.

Moreover, the great resources and support of the private sector have not been
tapped even though it is very effective and available. What we need are centers that
can reach out to the poor and unemployed in the countryside, where majority of
unskilled populace reside.

Under the present circumstances, the government has encouraged foreign
investment to establish industries to boost the industrialization of the country and
provide employment to the growing unemployed manpower resource. Somehow the
concentration towards industrialization has resulted in the failure of government to
address other aspects of production that will serve the needs of the people and provide
employment for the millions of unemployed or underemployed.


The livelihood and employment resource centers which shall be established
throughout the country will help solve the growing unemployment problem and help
produce goods and services that will meet local and international demands.

ae

AUGUSTO BOBOY SYJUCO, Ph. D.
2" District, Province of lloilo

Immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS:

First Regular Session

, ous
House Bil! No__1275

Introduced by REP. AUGUSTO BOBOY SYJUCO, Ph. D.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A LIVELIHOOD AND EMPLOYMENT
RESOURCE CENTER IN EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY AND
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. There shall be established, in every city and municipality, a
Livelihood and Employment Resource Center complete with facilities and equipment,
hereinafter referred to as the Center, to be organized, managed and operated by the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in coordination with the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the local government units concerned and other
government agencies.

SEC. 2. The Center shall have the following functions:

a. To provide skills training services to develop the individual skills of residents
of the municipality for employment and for small scale entrepreneurship;

b. To provide necessary knowledge, technology and training that will cover all
aspects of livelihood production such as furniture making, handicrafts,
ceramics, garments, pottery, ornamental plants, décor making wood carving
and agri-business production such as poultry, fishery, hog and cattle raising:

¢. To provide livelihood skills development to open opportunities for residents to
engage in productive undertakings and income — generating projects either
through open, sheltered or self-employment, including the development of
practical skills for backyard gardening, home-based aqua culture and
livestock raising, basic business management, _ technical-vocational
occupation, among others;

d. To provide coordination in extending government's priority support to
livelihood and employment;

e. To conduct special research relative to livelihood promotion and employment
generation, in cooperation with other agencies, whether local, national or
international, private or public, and to disseminate the results thereof; and

f. To perform such other functions as may be assigned by the Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) and the city or municipal government concerned


SEC. 3. The Center shall be the hub of production of goods for domestic
consumption and eventually for export. It shall serve as model for livelihood projects.

SEC. 4. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shall, in coordination with
the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), promulgate the necessary
tules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 5. The city or municipality concemed shall set aside twenty-five percent
(25%) out of the twenty (20%) Development Fund and make this amount available to
the Center in order to provide the seed capital to livelihood projects it promotes:
Provided, That the sum necessary to meet inadequacies in the aforementioned funding
shall be charged for the appropriation of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
under the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, the sum necessary for the
continuous operation of the centers shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act

SEC. 6. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved.