Republic Of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HoUSEBILLNo.        8242
Intnduced b
resentatives Doris E. Mani
AN ACT
GRANTING FREE ASSESSMENT FEE FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
(SHS) UNDER THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL TRAINING-VOCATIONAL-
LIVELIHOOD TRACK, AND OTHER SHS TRACKS REQUIRING
CERTIFICATIONS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Republic Act 10533 or the Enhanced Bas/.c Educaf7.on Act Of 2073 increased
the number of years in the basic education from  10 years to  12 years to make the
Philippines at par with the global education standards. The additional two years in the
Basic Education is the Senior High School (SHS) Currioulum, where the students can
choose among four tracks -(1 ) Academic;  (2) Technical-Vocational  and  Livelihood
(l`/L);   (3)  Sports;   and   (4)  Arts  &  Design  -  to  better  prepare  them  for  either
entrepreneurship, college education, or employment.  Further, the TVL Track has five
strands:   Agri-Fishery   Arts;   Home   Economics;   Industrial   Arts;   Information   and
Communications Technology (ICT); and TTVL Maritime.
The specific offerings under each of the TVL strands uses TESDA's Training
Regulations (TR) that qualifies lvL strand students for assessments in corresponding
Certificates of Competency (COC) and  National Certifications (NC). These NCs are
enhances securing career opportunities in agrioulture,  electronics, and trade.  Such
certifications are also needed when applying for employment abroad.


To  implement  the  TVL  program,  the  Department  of  Educatjon`   issued  a
regulation on  a Joint  Delivery Voucher Program for Senior Hish  School  Technical
Vocational and Livelihood Specializations (JDVP-TVL), which is designed to optimize
TVL leaning by allowing SHS students enrolled in public schools to avail of vouchers
and take their TVL specializations in eligible partner institutions from either private or
non-DepEd public SHSs, as well as l`/ls, offering their desired specializations.  The
JDVP-l\/L voucher covers the training costs for 320 hours per learner in any one or
combination of one to four specializations, to include tuition and other expenses (e.g.,
leaming materials, consumables for the workshop, operational and miscellaneous) for
the TVL training needed to complete the applicable specializations for Grade 12.
Under the current JDVP-TVL voucher program,   the assessment fee to attain
COCs and NCs is not included. As pointed out by a Philippine Institute of Development
Studies2 study, "there is a clamor to subsidizing the fees for taking the NC exams for
TVL  graduates,  partioulariy  for  students  from  poorer  households.  The  NCs  are
expected to boost SHS graduates'  probability of being hired.  If they are not able to
take certification assessments for one reason or the other, then it deprives them of the
chance of getting certified."    Moreover, the study added that the government should
"explore the possibility of supporting students who are required to take the exam by
their  employers  but  cannot  afford  the  exam  fees  in  taking  NC  exams.  Maybe  an
amount can be set aside from existing fund and a mechanism be put in place."
This bill seeks to squarely address the issue of including the assessment fee
as part of the government subsidy program for the SHS curriculum, to include all tracks
that require COCs and NCs, to better achieve the SHS objective of employability of
students after finishing the program.  With this paramount consideration on hand, the
passage of this bill is thus earnestly sought.
giv.
REP. DORIS E. MANIQUIZ
1 DelyEd Order No. 40, s. 2021, Guidelines on the lrnpleTnentaton Of tr\e Joint Delivery voucher Program for
`SBnior Htsh School Tedinical:Vocatonall^relihood Specializatons For School Year 2021 -2022
2 Brillantes, K., Oueta Jr., A., FrancisoorAbrigo,K., Capones, E. and Jovellarros, J. (2019). Status Of Senior High
School lmplemenfation: A Process Evaluation. Discussion Paper Serfes No. 2019-13


Republic Of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO.
8242
Introduced by Representatives Doris E. Maniquiz
AN ACT
GRANTING FREE ASSESSMENT FEE FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
{SHS) UNDER THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL TRAINING-VOCATIONAL-LIVELIHOOD
TRACK. AND OTHER SHS TRACKS REQUIRING CERTIFICATIONS[ AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
1                   SECTION  1.  Sfrorf  77`ffe.  -This Act shall  be  known  as the  HFree  Certification
2        Assessment Fee for senior High school TVL and other tracks".
3
4                  SEC. 2. Dec/arafi.on ofpo/i.cy. -It is the declared policy of the state to promote full
5        employment,  equality of employment opportunities, a rising standard of living, and an
6        improved quality of life for all, complementary to the policy of the state to promote and
7         make quality education accessible to all Filipino citizens, especially the youth.  Towards
8        this  end,  the  State  shall  encourage  the  certification  of  Senior  High  School  (SHS)
9        students  under the technical-vocational  and  livelihood  (TVL) track,  and  other tracks
1o        requiring national certifications, through the granting of free assessment fee for such
11         certifications, for their immediate employability.
12


1                 SEC. 3. Free National certification Assessment Fee for SHS students under the
2      7l/i, andolher Tracks. -All senior High school (SHS) students under the l\/L, and other
3      tracks   that   require   national   certifications,   are   granted   free   assessment   fee   for
4      certjfications  of  competency  or  national   certifications  conducted   by  the  Technical
5      Education  and   Skills  Development  Authority  (TESDA).   Prov7.ded,   That  the  amount
6      required to implement the free national certification assessment fees program shall be
7      determined by the Department of Education (DepEd) based on the projected number of
8      enrollees  for  the  TVL,  and  other  tracks  that  require  national  certifications,  for  each
9      academic year,  which  shall  be  a factor  in  computing the  annual  proposed  budget of
10      DepEd.  This  shall  in  turn serve as the  baseline during the  preparation Of the annual
11      National  Expenditure  Program  (NEP)  by the  Department of Budget and  Management
12       (DBM)-
13
14                  SEC.  4.   Appropn-afrons. -The  Secretary  of  Education  shall  include  in  the
15      Department's  program  the  operationalization  of the free  assessment fees for TESDA
16      national  certifications,  the  initial funding  of which  shall  be charged  against the current
17      appropriations  of  the  DepEd.  Thereafter,  the  amount  necessary  for  the  continued
18      implementation of this program shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
19      Act.
20
21                  S;EC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). -WENin rinerty (90) days FTom
22      the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, in coordination with the TESDA, shall promulgate
23      the necessary rules and  regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.  Prow.ded,
24      That the non-promulgation of the rules and regulations provided under this section shall
25      not prevent the immediate implementation of this Act upon eifectivity.
26
27                   SEC.  6.  Separab/.//.fy C/ause.  -lf any provision  of this Act  is declared  invalid  or
28      unconstitutional, the other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue
29      tobe infullforceand effect.
30


1                  SEC.  7.  Repea/i.ng  C/aLise.  -  AIl  laws,  decrees.  executive  orders,  letters  of
2      instructions, proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with this
3      Act shall be deemed notified, amended, or repealed accordingly.
4
5                  SEC.  8.  Effectr`vfty c/ause. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
6      complete publication in the official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,