SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
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SENATE
S. B. No. 
1318
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Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT INSTITUTING A PHILIPPINE LABOR FORCE 
COMPETENCIES COMPETITIVENESS PROGRAM, AND 
ESTABLISHING FREE ACCESS TO TECHNICAL AND 
VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
“...Those who have less in life should have more in law."
-
 President Ramon Magsaysay
These are the words that the late President Ramon Magsaysay made 
popular during the heyday of his presidency. Indeed, the law is best used as a 
catalyst for collective change to ensure that our people have just and fair 
access to opportunities that will alleviate them from poverty.
A definitive way to use the law in order to empower our people is 
through strengthening their access to just, humane and fair opportunities to a 
liviftg wage. Article XIII, Section 3 of the Philippine Constitution clearly 
provides that the State shall “promote full employment and equality of 
employment opportunities for all.”
The proposed “Tulong-Trabaho Act of 2017” is one such proposed 
legislative measure. It has two main objectives, namely to democratize access 
to technical and vocational training and strengthen the existing programs to 
ensure gainful employment.
First, the law will guarantee that all qualified Filipinos will gain access 
to technical and vocational training programs through the Technical Education 
and Skills Development Authority through financial assistance to be allocated 
by the State. This will be achieved through establishing a Tulong-Trabaho 
Fund that will ensure financial assistance for the qualified applicants.
Second, the law will legislate the standards within which to further 
enhance the existing technical vocational education and training of these


programs. This will concretize the support system to ensure the development 
of these programs for long-term sustainability and productivity.
With this two-fold approach, the government serves as a bastion for 
empowering the ordinary Filipino to live a life of dignity, hope and integrity.
The passage of this important measure is earnestly sought.
SENATOR JjDEL VILLANUEVA


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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
*17 FEB-8 Pr-09
R E G -'.'L D B t;
SENATE
S. B. No. 
1 3 1 8
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN 
ACT 
INSTITUTING 
A 
PHILIPPINE 
LABOR 
FORCE 
COMPETENCIES 
COMPETITIVENESS 
PROGRAM, 
AND 
ESTABLISHING FREE ACCESS TO TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL 
TRAINING PROGRAMS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
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ARTICLE I -  GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 1, Short Title. - 
This Act shall be known as the “Tulong- 
Trabaho Act of 2017.”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. -  Article II, Section 9 of the 
Philippine Constitution provides that the State shall promote a just and 
dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of 
the nation, and free the people from poverty through policies that provide 
adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of 
living, and an improved quality of life for all.
Article XIV, Section 4 of the Philippine Constitution encourages non- 
formal, informal, and indigenous learning systems, as well as self­
learning, independent, and out-of-school study programs, particularly 
those that respond to community needs.


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SECTION 3. Objectives. - The objectives of this Act are as follows:
1. To strengthen the qualifications of the Filipino workforce to meet 
the challenges of the rapidly evolving workplaces and work 
structures,
2. To provide for more innovative approaches to education and 
training linked to the requirement of industry,
3. To facilitate access to quality technical education and training, and
4. To encourage the participation of industry and communities in 
competencies 
formation and 
upgrading towards a 
more 
competitive Filipino workforce.
SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. -  The following terms shall be used 
in this Act:
a) Competency - The application of knowledge, skills and attitude 
required to complete a work activity in a range of context and 
environment to the standard expected in the workplace.
b) Competency-based learning system - A system by which the 
learner is trained on the basis of demonstrated ability rather 
than on that of elapsed time.
c) Direct training expenses - Item of costs that are specifically 
traced to, or caused by the training. Items include, among 
others, consumables used in the course of the program, training 
supplies, materials, utilities, venue and equipment.
d) Employed workers - Includes all those who, during the 
reference period are fifteen (15) years old and over as of their 
last birthday and are reported either:
a. At work - those who do any work even for one hour during 
the reference period for pay or work without pay on the 
farm or business enterprise operated by a member of the 
same or related by blood, marriage or adoption, or;
b. With a job but not at work -  those who are employed or 
with a business but are not at work, be it temporarily or 
due to temporary illness/injury, vacation or other reasons.


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Likewise, persons who expect to return or to start 
operation of a farm or business enterprise within two 
weeks from the date of the enumerator’s visit, are 
considered employed.
e) Formal education -  Learning acquired from the structured 
educational programs in schools, colleges and universities
f) Informal Education - Learning acquired from regular activities 
related to work, 
home, community, 
leisure and is not 
programmed nor structured for learning purposes but can be 
measured 
in 
assessment 
based 
on 
nationally 
agreed 
competency standards.
g) Non-formal education -  Learning acquired from planned 
activities not explicitly recognized as educational program in 
terms of the traditional input measures but is intended to result 
in measurement of learning outcomes
h) Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) - the 
education or training process where it involves, in addition to 
general education, the study of technologies and related 
sciences and the acquisition of practical skills relating to 
occupations in various sectors of economic life and social life, 
comprises formal (organized programs as part of the school 
system) and non-formal (organized classes outside the school 
system) approaches.
ARTICLE II
THE TULONG-TRABAHO FUND
SECTION 5. Tulong-Trabaho Fund. -  The Technical Education and 
Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will establish the Tulong-Trabaho 
Fund as a means to provide qualified recipients with access to select 
TESDA training programs through the full payment of the selected 
programs’ training fees, as well as the possibility of providing additional 
financial assistance such as transportation allowance and laboratory 
fees, as needed.
The government shall provide in the General Appropriations Act of every 
year sufficient funds for free technical education and training. The


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appropriation shall be used in order to allocate funds for qualified
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applicants to enable training for qualifications in key employment
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generating sectors. The Tulong-Trabaho Fund shall be included as an
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appropriation in the General Appropriations Act.
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SECTION 6. Scope of Financial Assistance. -  The Tulong-Trabaho 
Fund will include the provision of training fees to certain school-based 
programs, center-based programs, community-based programs and 
enterprise-based programs of TESDA that will be determined by the 
TESDA Board that are included in the list. The provision of additional 
financial assistance to recipients will also be considered, based on the 
final determination of the Tulong-Trabaho Board.
SECTION 7. Qualified Recipients. -  Priority access to the Tulong- 
Trabaho Fund will be made available to the following qualified recipients:
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1. Unemployed Filipinos aged 18 years of age and above;
2. Out-of-school youth aged 16 years of age and below 18 years of 
age who have not been enrolled in a public or private school for at 
least a year prior to their application to access to the Fund;
3. High school graduates;
4. College students who have completed at least one (1) semester in 
college, and
5. Employed workers, as defined in this Act, who intend to develop 
and expand their current skills and training.
ARTICLE III -
THE TULONG-TRABAHO BOARD
SECTION 8. Composition of the Tulong-Trabaho Board. 
-  The 
Tulong-Trabaho Board will be comprised of the following members of the 
TESDA Board as ex-oficio members:
a. The Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment;
b. Secretary of Education,
c. Secretary of Trade and Industry,
d. Secretary of Agriculture,
e. Secretary of Interior and Local Government, and
f. The Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education.


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The Secretary of Labor and Employment shall serve as the ex-oficio 
chair of the Tulong-Trabaho Board. The Secretary of Labor and 
Employment is mandated to convene the board quarterly, or as often 
as necessary to carry out the duties provided for in Section 9 of this 
Act.
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The other members of the Tulong-Trabaho Board will include:
a) the Director General of the National Economic Development 
Authority,
b) two (2) private sector industry representatives, and
c) two (2) representatives of labor and organized unions.
The representatives of the private sector and the labor sector will be 
appointed by the President.
SECTION 9. Duties and Functions of the Tulong-Trabaho Board. -
The Tulong-Trabaho Board has the following duties and functions:
a) Approve the final list of Selected Training Programs (STPs) that 
will be given funding by the Tulong-Trabaho Fund, based on the 
initial recommendation of the TESDA Secretariat and the TESDA 
Director General,
b) Release a list of available STPs within two (2) months after the 
signing of this bill into law, and to be updated accordingly in 
accordance with the provisions of this Act,
c) Determine the final list of qualified applicants and recipients of the 
Tulong-Trabaho Fund,
d) Decide on the provision of additional allocation for financial 
assistance in addition to the payment of training fees.
e) Conduct a periodical review of the programs that will be made 
available through the Tulong-Trabaho Fund, through quantitative 
job market studies, data provided by the training centers.


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f) Decide on the financial management and disbursement of the 
Tulong-Trabaho Fund,
g) Coordinate with the TESDA Director General for the execution of 
actions and decisions regarding the financial management and 
disbursement of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund,
h) Receive donations from both government and non-government 
organizations to be used strictly for the beneficiaries and qualified 
applicants of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund and for no other purpose,
i) Release an annual report to the public on the management of the 
Tulong-Trabaho Fund, including revenue received from the 
General 
Appropriations 
Act 
and 
donations, 
expenditures, 
performance of the recipients of the fund and other pertinent 
information, and
j) All other duties and functions related to the determination of policy 
directives and subsequent execution of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund.
SECTION 10. Criteria of Selected Training Programs (STPs) -  The 
Selected Training Programs (STPs) that will be made available for 
financial assistance through the fund will be determined based on the 
following criteria:
a.
b.
The latest issuances of Labor Market Intelligence Reports;
Quantitative data on employment opportunities to be provided by
the Department of Labor and Employment; and
Quantitative data on jobs and skills matching, as determined by
TESDA.
SECTION 11. Submission of Potential Recipients. -  The heads of 
admission of all school-based programs, center-based programs, 
community-based programs and enterprise-based programs shall submit 
a list of qualified trainees of their respective programs who have applied 
to avail of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund to the Tulong-Trabaho Board 
through the TESDA-Director General. The list of qualified recipients will 
be released periodically, depending on the availability of the STPs and 
the available allocation of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund.


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SECTION 12. Evaluation of Assistance Given to Schools and 
Training Centers. -  Schools and training centers who receive the 
Tulong-Trabaho Fund and implement its allocation to qualified applicants 
shall be evaluated quarterly by the Tulong-Trabaho Board. The training 
schools and centers are required to ensure that at least 70% of the 
beneficiaries of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund who receive the financial 
assistance will pass the TESDA qualification examination. The Tulong- 
Trabaho Board has the discretion to provide other criteria and standards 
to determine whether the school or center should continue to receive 
financial assistance through the Tulong-Trabaho Fund.
SECTION 13. Public Online Registry. -  TESDA shall create a registry 
of schools and training centers where the financial assistance of the 
Tulong-Trabaho Fund will be allocated, as well as database of qualified 
recipients of the financial assistance and graduates of these programs. 
The registry and database must be accessible through the use of the 
Internet or other online systems.
ARTICLE IV
DEVELOPMENT MODALITIES AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS
SECTION 14. Primary Duty of TESDA. -  TESDA. pursuant to Republic 
Act No. 7796, shall design and implement the support systems 
necessary to achieve the objectives of this Act, particularly the 
development of additional TVETs and the improvement of existinq 
TVETs.
SECTION 15. Support Systems for the Development of Competitive 
Filipino Workforce -  A TVET, to be relevant to changing demands, 
must be based on developing competencies and focused on learning 
outcomes. Competency-based training allows for flexibility and facility for 
adaptation of programs in short period of time and in modular 
arrangements. This includes developing potential entrants’ skills and 
capacities, as well as upgrading competencies of employed workers.


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A. Entrants’ Preparation and Development
A.1 Appropriate Standards - Competency standards, 
development of curricula and necessary training designs 
shall be established in order to align the technical 
education and training programs, necessary to meet the 
needs of the industry, and to ensure the access to the 
Philippine job market.
A.2 General planning - Vocational guidance and career 
planning shall 
include, but shall not be limited to, the 
technical vocational and livelihood (TVL) exploratory 
program in basic education and the Public Employment 
Service Officer (PESO) career advocacy program of DOLE 
and the local governments.
A.3 
Establishment 
of 
Trainers’ 
Training 
and
Certification. -TESDA shall establish Trainors’ Training 
and Certification to ensure the qualification of trainors in 
pursuance of the objectives of this Act.
A.4 Competency Assessment and Certification -  
TESDA shall develop a mechanism to enable employers to 
easily recognize the competencies of a job applicant.
A. 5 Quality Assurance System -  TESDA shall develop a 
quality assurance system that will be used to establish 
quantitative and qualitative standards, in order to provide 
credibility to the qualifications issued to graduates of 
programs and certificate holders.
B. Upgrading Competencies of Employed Workers
B. 1 Modalities and Programs for Employed Workers. -
TESDA shall be tasked with developing modalities of 
learning acquisition, in recognition of the circumstances of 
full time and part time workers in urban and rural areas 
and in various industries with varying work schemes and 
practices. Modalities shall include formal, non-formal and 
informal learning modes.
B.2 Learning modules accumulation system -  TESDA 
shall develop new learning modules to allow workers to


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achieve competencies in modules and bundle the modules 
into certifiable qualifications.
B.3 Industry Participation and Incentives - Industry 
participation and incentives in recognition that technical 
education and training in the workplace is an effective 
mode 
of 
skills 
acquisition 
and 
values 
formation. 
Collaboration between the private sector and TESDA shall 
be encouraged in order to enhance their workers’ 
capacities.
B.4 Engagement of Local Government - Community 
participation of local government units, specifically the 
Public Employment Service Offices, shall be encouraged 
in recognition of the PESOs mandate and functions.
ARTICLE V -
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SECTION 16. Oversight Committee. -  A joint oversight committee, 
comprised of the chairpersons of the Committee on Labor of both 
houses will be convened in order to review, among others, the list of the 
STPs, the management of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund and the 
performance of the qualified recipients, as well as the progress of the 
development modalities and support systems.
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SECTION 17. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is
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held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision
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not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
SECTION 18. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or 
issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule 
or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is 
hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.
SECTION 19. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days after 4 its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.
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Approved,
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