Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (TESDA) 
TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF TAGKAWAYAN, IN THE 
PROVINCE OF QUEZON, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Philippine Constitution declares 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 II, Section 9).  
Likewise, the fundamental law provides that “The Congress shall give highest priority to the 
enactment of measures that protect and enhance the right of all people to human dignity, reduce 
social, economic and political inequalities…” (Article XIII, Section 1) and that “The promotion of social 
justice shall include the commitment to create economic opportunities based on freedom and self-
reliance” Article XIII, Section 2). 
According to the International Labor Organization, “In 2007, the National Statistics Office (NSO) 
reported that more than 750,000 out of 1.6 million people in Quezon are living below or near the 
poverty line. The poverty incidence in the province spells the need for assistance that would nurture 
peace, human security and decent work. Labor could only be the sole asset of this population to 
support their families and survive the daily costs of living, which could also lead the path towards 
decent and productive work.” 
Further it reports that people in Quezon are confronted with social and economic challenges 
and “they are often forced to accept whatever work is accessible and available.” Accordingly, 
“Increasing their livelihood assets and productivity at the community and local government levels can 
help in the local economic development and peace building process.”   
In this light, there is a need to facilitate the provision of adequate social and economic 
infrastructure services and reduce poverty and unemployment, particularly in the municipality of 
Tagkawayan, Quezon, which lacks appropriate training institutions that will enable its residents to 
become productive partners in community and nation building.  
With this in mind, this measure, which was approved by the House and transmitted to the 
Senate during the 18th Congress, seeks to alleviate poverty in Tagkawayan, Quezon through the 
establishment of a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Training and 
Assessment Center for its poor residents thereby enabling them to become economically productive 
and self-reliant. 
In view thereof, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
   Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan 
 4th District, Quezon 
July 1, 2020
8:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (TESDA) 
TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF TAGKAWAYAN, IN THE 
PROVINCE OF QUEZON, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Tagkawayan, Quezon Province TESDA 
Training and Assessment Center Act”. 
SEC. 2. Establishment. – There is hereby established Technical Education and Skills 
Development Authority (TESDA) Training and Assessment Center in the island municipality of 
Tagkawayan, in the Province of Quezon, under the supervision of the TESDA, to be known as 
Tagkawayan, Quezon Training and Assessment Center; 
SEC. 3. General Mandate. – The Tagkawayan, Quezon Province TESDA Training and 
Assessment Center, hereinafter referred to as the Center, shall primarily provide technical-vocational 
training and skills development programs to students and residents from low-income families and out-
of-school youths, including college dropout and persons with disabilities, in the island municipality of 
Tagkawayan, and the other adjacent localities in the Province of Quezon, geared towards the 
acquisition of practical livelihood, employable skills, gainful employment, and entrepreneurship. 
The Center shall help train local residents to become productive, self-reliant and globally 
competitive middle to high-level skilled labor force to hasten the social and economic development of 
these areas, in particular, and to meet the manpower needs of both local and international labor 
markets, in general. 
The Center shall consider in the design of relevant technical-vocational training programs to be 
offered thereat a competency assessment of the socioeconomic profile, employment conditions and 
opportunities, business climate, market and industry potentials, available resources, presence of 
support structures, including the literacy level and skills readiness, and the overall development within 
the host areas and adjacent communities within the operational radius of the Center established 
herein. The Center shall also consider the relevant skills trade competencies, craftsmanship training 
programs, and entrepreneurship activities needed to deliver the effective employment and 
development interventions required to make these areas as human resource and productivity hubs. 
The Center shall also serve as TESDA-accredited assessment centers for acquired competencies 
in technical-vocational skills. Preference in admission shall be given to the most disadvantaged citizens, 
including persons with disabilities, and to the most economically depressed areas of the municipality of 
Tagkawayan and other adjacent localities in the Province of Quezon with the highest percentage of 
disadvantaged and indigent citizens. 
The Center shall, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the TESDA, 
offer relevant teachers’ training assistance and curriculum design to the secondary schools providing 
the technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) track under the K to 12 Program of the DepEd. 
SEC. 4. Training Programs. – The Center shall offer diverse short-term certificate courses and 
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modular trainings in relevant technical-vocational skills and trade specialization to comply with 
employment standards in preferred and emerging market-driven labor opportunities, and shall likewise 
give premium efforts to skills specialization for the local market employment requirements geared 
towards achieving the development of a robust inclusive economy within the host areas and each of 
the adjacent localities and communities within the operational radius of the Center, in consultation with 
the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the 
Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of the Interior and Local Government 
(DILG), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), business-industry partners, and 
such other relevant agencies, both local and international. 
 
 
The Center may establish research and technology hubs, technology development farms, mobile 
training programs, and satellite or extension training centers in priority areas throughout the Province 
of Quezon within the service radius of the Center to strengthen linkages among the industry, the 
academe and the Center. 
 
 
To address the development and manpower needs of the municipality of Tagkawayan and the 
other adjacent localities in the Province of Quezon, the Center shall offer the following TESDA-
registered technical-vocational training programs with competencies assessment leading to National 
Certification Levels I-III: 
 
(a) 
Skills training in industrial technology and hard trade 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 purposes; 
(b) 
Agriculture and aquaculture-related training and skills development in such areas as 
farming-fishing operations technology, backyard farming and home-based aquaculture and 
propagation innovation, mechanized farm and fishing tools and equipment operation, 
agribusiness, agri-aqua trade technology and innovations, and relevant farmers and 
fisherfolks’ continuing training for increased productivity and entrepreneurship; 
(c) 
Social communication skills development, language proficiency courses in English and 
other languages for business process outsourcing employment such as call center and 
overseas job placement; 
(d) 
Livelihood skills development courses for preferred skills employment and small-scale 
entrepreneurship, including practical skills education in crafts and arts, workmanship and 
designing, high-speed sewing, dressmaking and tailoring, horticulture, livestock raising and 
breeding; food processing technology, home technology, culinary arts and commercial 
cooking, cosmetology, health and wellness training; 
(e) 
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, online home-based business operation and social media business 
marketing; 
(f) 
Technical-vocational occupation and trade skills such as carpentry, masonry, plumbing, 
welding, practical electricity and installation, automotive servicing, electronics servicing, 
basic personal computer (PC) troubleshooting and servicing, and such other relevant 
practical skills courses; 
(g) 
Computer literacy and information technology (IT)-related skills, digital technology, web 
design, animation, photoshop/online photography, computer design and advertising; 
(h) 
Seminars in personality development, career counseling and job placement, and work 
ethic and values; and 
(i) 
Other preferred priority skills and trade training that may be utilized by the people of the 
municipality of Tagkawayan and the other localities in the Province of Quezon, to enhance 
their capacities for practical livelihood, gainful employment, and entrepreneurial activities. 
 
SEC. 5. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. – The provisions of this Act notwithstanding, the 
Tagkawayan Center established herein shall become operationally effective only upon the 
determination and declaration of the TESDA, through the issuance of a formal recommendation and 
certificate of compliance, that the Center has individually and satisfactorily complied with the minimum 


requirements for quality standards prescribed by the TESDA governing the following competency 
assessment: 
 
(a) 
Standard procedures and guidelines (SPGs) for the establishment and operation of a 
TESDA-accredited training and assessment center;  
(b) 
Operational sustainability of the Center established herein, such as licensed faculty-
trainers and personnel, equipment, training and laboratory facilities, and instructional 
materials; 
(c) 
Sustainable funding source and allocation for the budgetary requirement of the Center 
herein established; 
(d) 
Assurance that the training programs offered are fully aligned with the minimum 
standards of competency-based quality technical-vocational skills technology and the needs 
of the host site and adjacent localities served in the context of the Association of Southeast 
Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) for technical-
vocational education; and 
(e) 
Compliance with such other TESDA conditionalities and standards, as may be necessary 
and applicable. 
 
 
SEC. 6. Administration. – The Center shall be headed by a Technical-Vocational Administrator, 
under the supervision of the TESDA, who shall render full-time services and be responsible for the 
administration and operation of the Center. 
 
 
The Technical-Vocational Administrator of the Center shall be appointed by the TESDA Director 
General in accordance with Civil Service Commission rules and regulation and the qualification 
requirements for such office. 
 
 
The Technical-Vocational Administrator of the Center shall enter into mutual agreements with 
locally-based private and public counterpart agencies or instrumentalities and persons, subject to 
approval of the TESDA Director General, for such assistance as may be necessary to effectively 
implement this Act. 
 
 
SEC. 7. Appropriations. – The Director General of the TESDA shall include in the Authority’s 
program the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. The LGUs concerned, in consultation with the TESDA, shall likewise set aside from 
any available local revenue an amount deemed appropriate as annual counterpart fund to support the 
operation of the Center established herein. 
 
 
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days after the approval of 
this Act, the TESDA, in coordination with the DOLE, the DTI, the DOST, the NEDA, the Department of 
Budget and Management (DMB), the DILG, the concerned LGU, and such other relevant agencies and 
industry-business partners of the host locality shall prepare and issue the necessary rules and 
regulations for the implementation of this Act. 
 
 
SEC. 9. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Act shall be 
deemed unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall not be affected and 
shall remain in force and effect. 
 
 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, decrees, instructions, rules and 
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed or amended 
accordingly. 
 
 
SEC. 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,