'senuh 
(~lfl:~t (\; ttl" .~f('utllr~ 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
')4 
JAN 22 P 2 :46 
SENATE 
s.No.207S 
RECEIVED H\,:~'~~ 
0'-, 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Various entities across the c~untry have generated skills cer.tification programs 
based on local and regional needs. At the same time, some national groups have engaged 
in similar efforts. 
As workers and employers search for a meaningful way to categorize skills, 
information about existing skills certification programs and certifications can be limited, 
and may lead to the development of new, quplicative certifications. As these skill 
certification programs may take less time than technical or vocational degrees, the 
programs provide important recognition for both employers and employees. 
Nationally available, recognized standards for skills certification allow employers 
. 
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and employees the greatest possible flexibility by making the certification portable and 
meaningful. These standards benefit both incumbent, highly skilled workers and those 
workers with less specialized skills or' just starting in the workforce. Widely recognized 
standards for skills certification provide regions, communities, and cities the option and 
ability to quantify and categorize their workforce in a meaningful way. There is a well-
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documented 'skills gap' in many industries, including manufacturing, that makes it 
difficult for employers to find workers. 
The purpose for this law is to periodically evaluate skills certification programs 
that certify various employee skills and to determine which skills certifications are most 
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desired by employers and employees; and to make information, and materials if possible, 
about skills certification programs available to eligible entities providing job training. 
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i>t'I111tl' 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
. (~th;r t)f tti"·)Ji)rubf~ 
• 
Third Regular Session 
'14 
JAN 22 P 2 :46 
SENATE 
S. NO. 2076 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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IMPOSING A COMPULSORY EVALUATION OF SKILLS CERTIFICATION 
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PROGRAMS 
Be it enacted in the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in the 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as "Skills Standard Certification 
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Evaluation Act of 2013". 
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SECTION 2. Evaluation of Skills Standard Certification process. -
The 
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Secretary of Labor and Employment, Secretary of Education, Director General of 
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Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, in consultation with each other 
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through an inter-agency committee, shall: 
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A. 
Conduct an evaluation of skills certification programs; 
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B. 
1. Determine best practices models for skills certification programs; or 
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2. Rank the skills certification programs available in an industry, based on the 
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evaluation criteria described in Section 3; and make recommendation on the 
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following issues: 
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i. the merits of a unified 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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ii. ways to streamline, if possible, duplicative and similar skills 
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certification into a single, widely recognized certification. 
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SECTION 3. Criteria for Evaluation. ;- The evaluation of the skills certification 
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programs conducted under Section 2 (A) shall include the following criteria: 
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A. 
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B. 
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C. 
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D. 
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E. 
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F. 
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G. 
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Overall usefulness of the skills certification programs for workers and 
employers; 
The demand from industry for workers with the skills provided and certified 
through the skills certification program; 
Industry involvement in the development of the skills standards included in the 
skills certification program; 
Industry recognition of the certification awarded under the skills certification • 
program; 
The success of the skills certification program, based on criteria including: 
1. 
The number of individuals who have successfully completed 
the skills certification program; 
2. 
The number of such individuals who are ~mployed 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. 
The level of recognition of the skills certification program as of the the time of 
the evaluation, including an assessment of: 
1. 
How widespread the skills certification program is used; 
2. 
The number of entities, including institutions of higher 
education, that have, used the skills certificatio~ program; 
3. 
Whether the skills provided and certified through the skills 
certification program are reasonably useful. 
Cooperative creation in the development of the skills certification program, such 
as whether the standards of the skills certification program were created in 
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H. 
consultation with relevant partners, including business, labor, and community 
organizations, and whether such partners still support and use the standards. 
The ease of sharing the skills certification program, including how portable the 
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materials are, how versatile the materials are, and whether the certification 
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programs requires the educator to have access to specific or extensive materials 
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or equipment not usually found in a classroom. 
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SECTION 4. Information Dissemination. - The inter-agency committee shall post the 
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results of the evaluation, the ranking of skills certification programs or the best practices 
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of such programs, and the recommendations, as described in Section 2, on the Internet; 
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and make the information available in print form to Congress and to interested parties, 
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including technical colleges, community. organizations, and other groups providing 
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worker training, in partnership and cooperation with industry. 
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SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or 
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parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or 
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amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. -
If any part of this Act is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the other parts or provisions thereof not affected shall remain valid and 
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effective. 
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SECTION 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall t*e effect fifteen (IS) days after its publication 
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in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
/dpm 
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