Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

,, 3356

House Bill No.

Introduced by REP. PRINCESS RIHAN M. SAKALURAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE
‘The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines provides that the State shall:

“Article XIV, Section 2, paragraph (4) Encourage 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; and

(5) Provide adult citizens, the disabled, and out-of.chool youth with training in civics,
vocational efficiency, and other skills,

Following these constitutional mandates, ‘the Technical [iducation and Skills
Development Act of 1994, Republic Act No. 7796 (RA 7796) was enacted to provide the legal
frame work in providing quality vocational and technical education to Filipinos.

In accordance with these state policies, this piece of legislation is therefore introduced
with the aim of bringing the programs and objectives to low income families, out of school
youth, person differently abled in their courtyard thus making it more accessible.

‘The establishment of 1 DA center in the Municipality of Isulan, Sultan Kudarat will
encourage out countrymen in far provinces to be more equipped with the fundamentals of
vocational and technical expertise making more productive and self-relia

Accordingly, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
~ 3356

House Bill No.

Introduced by REP. PRINCESS RIHAN M. SAKALURAN

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY (TESDA) TRAINING CENTER IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
ISULAN, PROVINCE OF SULTAN KUDARAT, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR

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

Section 1. Title - This Act shall be known as the “Sultan Kudarat TESDA ‘Itaining
Center Act”.

Section 2. Establishment ~ ‘there is hereby established a Sultan Kudarat ‘Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Provincial Training Center to be located
at Isulan, Province of Sultan Kudarat.

Section 3. Mandate ~The Sultan Kudarat ‘Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (IESDA) Training Center shall strengthen the province and regional _technical-
vocational education to immediately effect a major shift towards the development of world-class
Filipino workforce equipped with practical technical skills of global competence and caliber
responsive to the needs of both the domestic and global job market, and aligned with the
International integration framework for technical-vocational skills.

‘Yhe center shall endeavor to bring about greater industry-academe collaboration and
ctitical partnerships with local and international institutions to forge mutual skills benchmarking
standards, program exchange and internship trainings to cquip graduates with competencies and
preferred job access.

‘The center shall offer practical short-term specialty courses, as well as higher level
competency in technical-industrial education and trade technology. It shall continue to upgrade
its curricular standards as a tertiary institution that provides quality technical-vocational
education and skills training at the technical diploma and national certificate levels that would
develop technically competent, innovative and skilled workforce for the Province of Sultan
Kudarat and the Socksargen Arca as well, for any preferred local and international employment.

‘The center shall offer a wide-array of ITSDA-tegistered technical-vocational skills
training programs and certificate courses, and shall aim to meet, as a long-term goal, the


maximum competency requirements, which is the Diploma Level in technical-vocational
education. It shall primarily provide tertiary undergraduate technical-vocational education, and
shall likewise ensure to provide the various skills trainings and trade specialization relevant to the
nceds of the Province Socksargen Arca specifically geared towatds the acquisition of employable
skills, gainful employment, practical livelihood and entreprencurship.

‘The center shall also serve as a THSDA-accredited Assessment Center for acquired
competencies in technical-vocational skills.

‘The Center shall also render relevant teachers’ training assistance and curriculum design
to the secondary schools offering technical-vocational livelihood (1'VI) track under the K to 12
Program of the Department of [iducation in the communities and areas of operation.

Section 4, Curricular Offering/Training Programs, - The Center shall offer TESDA-
registered undergraduate certificate programs, one (1)-year to three (3)-year technical-vocational
courses, including short-term courses and modular trainings in diverse relevant technical-
vocational and industrial technology education, and livelihood productivity, to comply with
technical skills priorities, competency demands and key employment generator targets under the
Philippine Standard Occupational Classification and of international labor requirements and
standards,

Skills and trades specialization for local employment requirements shall, however, be
prioritized in technical-vocational education at the Center to support the development ne:
a robust inclusive economy of Sultan Kudarat and the Socksargen within the operational radius
of the Center, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the
Department of ‘lrade and Industry (DY), the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), the National Heonomic and Development Authority (NEDA), business-
industry partners, and such other relevant agencies, both local and international,

Is for

‘The Center may establish, as maybe deemed necessary and practicable, research and
technology hubs, mobile training programs, and satellite or extension training centers in priority
areas throughout Socksargen to strengthen linkages between the industry, the academe, and the
technology programs thereat. It shall likewise adopt the use of innovative training modes such as
information technology-assisted instruction, dual learning system, open ot distance education,
and community laboratory and such other instructional programs to afford the community
greater access to technical-vocational education and skills training.

‘The Center shall, as far as necessary and practicable, offer THSDA-tegistered technical
vocational courses for competency assessment and skills certification of the
“LESDA: Provided, That, course completion shall be credited through skills competency
assessment leading to National Certification (NC) Levels 1 to V: Pronided, further, Vhat, the
technical-vocational courses completed at the Center shall qualify for academic recognition
under the Ladderized Interface system for tertiary education if compliant with the requirements
under said program.

‘The Center shall, as necessary and practicable, offer courses from the following THSDA-
registered technical-vocational and short-term training programs:

(a) Agriculture-related trainings and skills development in such areas as farming
operations technology, backyard farming and home-based aquaculture and propagation
innovations, mechanized farm tools and equipment operation, agribusiness, agri-aqua


trade technology and innovations, and relevant farmers continuing trainings for increased
productivity and entrepreneurship;

(b) Skills training in industrial technology and hard trades such as metal and steel works
machine fabrication and operation, heavy equipment operation, automotive mechanic,
refrigeration and air conditioning, electronics, and operation of power tools and
equipment for both medium skills grade and industrial preferred skills,

(© Tourism and hospitality-related courses relating to hotel, restaurant and tourism
development and management, including personality development and social
communication skills training, language proficiency courses in English and other
language competence for business process outsourcing (call center) employment and
overseas job placement;

(@) Livelihood skills development courses for preferred skills employment, small-scale
income generating opportunities and entrepreneurship training, including practical skills
education in crafts and arts, workmanship and designing (fabric, woodworks, jewelry and
metal works), high speed sewing, dressmaking and tailoring, horticulture, livestock raising
and breeding, food processing technology, home technology, culinary arts and
commercial cooking, including baking, beauty culture (includes cosmetology, hair and
nail styling), health and wellness trainings;

(© Basic business literacy training in financial management and marketing, practical
accountancy, bookkeeping and office procedures, business processes and application
procedures including registration, licensing, documentation, business patent and
intellectual property regulation, business financing and investment opportunities
sourcing, import-export accreditation, including online home-based business operation
and use of social media for business marketing;

() ‘Technical-vocational occupation and trades skills such as carpentry, masonry,
plumbing, practical clectricity and installation, automotive technician and servicing,
electronics technician and servicing, welding technician, personal computer (PC)
servicing, and such other relevant practical technical skills courses;

(2) Computer literacy and information technology (I1)-related skills, digital technology,
web design, animation, photoshop/online photography, computer design and
advertising;

(h) Seminars in personality development, career counseling and job placement, work
ethics and values, business project development; and

() Other preferred priority skills and trades training courses relevant to the needs of the
localities served within the operational radius of the Center and the whole Socksargen to
enhance their capacities for livelihood, gainful employment and _ practical
entrepreneurship skills.

Section 5. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. - ‘Vhe provisions of this Act not
with standing, the establishment of the Center shall become operationally effective only upon the
final determination and declaration of the TESDA, through the issuance of a formal
recommendation and certificate of compliance, that the Center has satisfactorily complied with


the minimum requirements and quality standards prescribed by the THSDA governing the

following:

(a) Standard procedures and guidelines (SPGs) for the establishment and operation of a
TESDA state polytechnic institute, or of a state technical education and the ‘TESDA
technology institution as hercin contemplated;

(b) Operational sustainability of the state polytechnic institute established hercin, such as,
but not limited to, appropriate TESDA-approved site or location, licensed faculty-
tminors and personnel, equipment, training and laboratory facilities, including industrial-
grade requirements for hard metal trainings, updated instructional materials, and such
other standard requirements ‘ILSDA may apply for a state polytechnic institutes

(Q Sustainable funding source and allocation of budget requirement to support the
‘TESDA center hereto established;

(@ Assurance that the training programs offered are fully aligned with the minimum
standards of competency-based quality technical-vocational skills technology and needs
of the Region in the context of the ASEAN and PQF for technical-vocational education,
and the Philippine Standards Occupational Classification and the international labor
requirements and standards; and

(©) Compliance with such other TESDA conditionalities as may be necessary and
applicable in establishing the herein TESDA Center.

Section 6. Administration. ~ ‘The Center shall be headed by an Executive Director
under the supervision of the ‘IHSDA, and appointed by the TESDA Director General in
accordance with civil service rules and regulations and the qualification requirements and
standards for such office.

‘The School Superintendent shall render full-time service and shall be responsible for the
administration and operation of the Center. The duties and responsibilities of the Center
Superintendent, including the appropriate compensation schedule, shall follow the position
qualification standard of TESDA for such office, in consultation with the DBM.

As necessary and practicable, and subject to approval by the THSDA Director Gencral,
-nter Superintendent herein appointed shall enter into mutual agreements with local-based,
and persons, both private and government, for such
ly implement this Act.

the
counterpart agencies or instrumentaliti
assistance as may be necessary to effect

‘The academic and administrative staff of the Center shall be organized following the
staffing pattern of the TESDA for such type of school pursuant to existing laws, rules and
regulations.

Section 7. Appropriations — ‘the Director General of the THSDA shall include in the
Authority’s Program the operation of the Center, the funding of which shall be included in the
Annual General Appropriation Act.

Section 8. Implementing Rules and Regulation - Within ninety (90) days from the
approval of this Act, the TESDA, in coordination with the DOLE, the D'IT, the Department of
Agriculture, the DBM, the DILG, and such other relevant agencies and industry-business


partners of the host localities of the Center established herein shall prepare and issue the
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

Section 9, Separability Clause - \f any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain in full force
and effect.

rules and
modified

Section 10. Repealing Clause — Ail aws, executive and administrative orde:
regulations inconsistent with the foregoing provisions are hereby repealed or
accordingly.

Section 11, Effectivity ~ ‘Vhis Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in newspaper of general circulation,

Approved.