Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT 
REFORMING THE NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AND 
PROVIDING STANDARDS FOR THE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OF 
APPRENTICES, AND REGULATORY STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITATION OF 
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Art. II, Sec. 13 of the 1987 Constitution provides that “The State recognizes the vital role 
of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, 
spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and 
nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.” 
As of the June 2022 Labor Force Survey (LFS), an estimated 854,000 among nearly three 
million unemployed Filipinos were aged 15 to 24 years old. This translated to a youth 
unemployment rate of 11.8 percent, which is much lower than the 16.5 percent registered 
throughout 2021, where up to 1.71 million youth were without a job. 
This bill aims to provide sufficient training for Filipino youth in order for them to have great 
opportunities in the future. This bill aims to provide them with world-class skills training 
for them to be global- competitive in the job market.  
We cannot be content with providing them with low-paying jobs. Low salaries are just one 
of the reasons why there is a current problem of “brain drain” in the country in which 
numerous Filipinos leave the country for employment because it has greener pastures.  
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good 
of the Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
October 21, 2022
8:02 am
5657


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT REFORMING THE NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AND 
PROVIDING STANDARDS FOR THE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OF 
APPRENTICES, AND REGULATORY STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITATION OF 
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS 
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 """Apprenticeship 
Training Act of2022'. 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the state to 
establish a reformed apprenticeship program that will ensure the availability of 
qualified manpower in critical and in-demand skills through the participation of 
employers, workers and government and non-government agencies. 
Sec. 3. Statement of Objectives. - The alms of this Act include: 
a. To help meet the demand of the economy for trained human resource;
b. To have a national apprenticeship program that includes on and off the- 
job training compone nts with tripartite involve ment;
c. To promote full employment of youth and young workers through training
and development;
d. To enhance existing standards for the training, development and
employment of apprentices;
e. To recognize indispensable role of private enterprises in training and
development;
f. To strengthen advocacy of the apprenticeship training program to
encourage enterprise and young workers' participation;
g. To increase productivity and competitiveness of enterprises by ensuring
availability of skilled human resource; and,
h. To harness Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) towards the development
of skilled manpower to meet the requirements of the industries.
5657


Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms 
shall mean: 
Apprenticeship is training within employment with compulsory related 
theoretical instructions involving a contract between an apprentice and 
an employer on an approved apprenticeable occupation; 
Apprentice is a person undergoing training for an approved 
apprenticeable occupation during an established period assured by an 
apprenticeship contract; 
(c) Apprenticeship Contract \s an agreement wherein a prospective employer 
binds itself to train the apprentice who in turn accepts the terms of 
training for the recognized apprenticeable occupatiGn and emphasizing 
the rights, duties and responsibilities of each party; 
{6) Apprenticeable Occupation is an occupation officially endorsed by a 
tripartite body and approved for apprenticeship by TESDA; 
{€) Authority refers to the Technical Education and Skills Development 
Authority (TESDA); 
(0 Boards\\d\\ refer to the TESDA Board; 
(g) Certificate of TVETProgram Registration is a document issued by TESDA 
granting an author:ty to an enterprise to offer a program In an 
apprenticeable occupation; 
(h) Competency Assessment is the process of gathering and judging 
evidence in order to decide whether a person has achieved a standard of 
competency or competence; 
(i) Training Plan is the specification for the apprenticesnip program for the 
specific enterprise w'lich describes all the learning experience a student 
undergoes, generally including the competencies to be acquired within 
the program, the underpinning knowledge, theories and principles and 
the assessment arrangement; 
0) Competency Standard is a written specificabon of the knowledge, skills, 
attitude and values required for the performance of a job, occupation or 
trade and the corresponding standard of performance required for these 
in the workplace; 
{k) Enterprise is a participating establishment that directly engages an 
apprentice based on an approved Apprenticeship Program; 
(l) Unit(s) of Competency are units of competency from competency 
standard. Each unit has elements, performance criteria, range of 
variables and evidence guides; 
(m) Ouster of Competencies are groupings of competencies leading to 
Certificate of Competency; and, 
(n) Quaiification is a group of competencies packaged from the supermarket 
of competency. It represents a clear meaningful set-up in the workplace 
and is aligned with the Philippine TVEl Qualifications Framework 
descriptor. Depending on the breadth, depth and scope of competency, a 
qualification may fall under National Certificate Level I, II, III, IV or V. 
 
Sec. 5. Qualifications of an Apprentice. - To qualify as an apprentice, a 


person shall: 
a) Be at least fifteen (15) years of age; 
b) Possess good moral character, vocational aptitucte and capacity for 
apprenticeship as determined by the enterprise; and 
c) Possess the ability to comprehend and follow oral and written instructions. 
Trade, industry and labor organizations may recommend to TESDA 
appropriate educational requirements for different occupations. 
 
Sec. 6. Aptitude Testing of Applicants. -- Consonant with the minimum 
qualifications of apprentice-applicants required under this Chapter, the bipartite 
plant apprenticeship committees shall have primarily responsibility for providing 
appropriate aptitude examinations in the selection of apprentices. 
 
Sec. 7. Training of Apprentices. - Only enterprises with programs registered 
with TESDA may enter into apprenticeship contracts and train apprentices In 
approved apprenticeable occupations. 
 
Sec. 8. Apprenticeship Training Program Content and Deiivery. - All 
qualifications with Training Regulations (TRs) promulgated by the TESDA Board are 
automatically classified as apprenticeable. To meet the immediate requirements of 
enterprises for skilled workers, the TESDA Board shall approve new apprenticeable 
occupations endorsed by the appropriate Regional Technical Education and Skills 
Development Committee (RTESDC) upon consultatio/i with workers' groups and 
Industry representatives. 
The apprenticeship program shall emphasize the need for theoretical 
instruction. The enterprise may seek partnership with a TVET institution in the 
design and delivery of the theoretical instruction. 
 
Sec. 9. Apprenticeship Period. -The apprenticeship period shall be based on 
the duration of training required in the Training Regulation and on the complexity of 
the skills to be learned by the apprentices. 
 
Sec. 10. Apprenticeship Program Registration. - Registration of program can 
be for a qualification, for cluster of competencies or for a bundled qualifications as 
contained in the Training Regulations. A Letter of Application stating the Intention 
and the Certificate of Undertaking and the Training Plan shall be submitted to TESDA 
for approval. A Certificate of TVET Program Registration shall be issued to the 
enterprise to signify authorization for specific qualification or competency clusters. 
An apprenticeship program maybe approved on a No-Training Regulations 
basis provided that the applicant enterprise can show proof of the demand for such 
skill. 
TESDA shall provide technical assistance to the applying and implementing 
enterprises to be able to comply with the provisions of this section. 
Enterprises found offering Apprenticeship programs which are not registered 
with TESDA shall be subjected to program closure proceedings without prejudice to 
the filing of administrative, criminal or civil liabilities. 


Sec. 11. Contents of Apprenticeship Contract. - Apprenticeship contract shall 
conform with the rules issued by TESDA and shall include: 
A. The nature, syllabus, timetable and purpose of training; 
B. The period of training depending on the approved training regulations; 
C. Training allowances prescribed by industry subsectors through 
tripartite consultations which in no case shall start below seventy-five 
percent (75%) of the applicable minimum wage; 
D. A schedule of training allowance payment; 
E. Training hours; 
F. The process for the termination of apprenticeship; and, 
G. The general rights and obligations of both parties. 
 
Sec. 12. Signing of apprenticeship contract. - Every apprenticeship contract 
shall be signed by the enterprise owner or his/her authorized representative, or the 
authorized representative of any of the recognized organizations, associations or 
groups and the apprentice. 
An apprenticeship contract with a minor shall be signed in his/her behalf by 
his/her parent or guardian or. If the latter is not available by an authorized 
representative of the TESDA, and the same shall be binding during its lifetime, 
subject to the right of the apprentice to terminate the same after a month's notice. 
Every apprenticeship contract entered into under this Title shall be approved 
by the bipartite plant apprenticeship committee Involving the firm owner and 
representatives of the firm workers, and copies thereof shall be furnished the firm 
owner and the apprentice. 
 
Sec. 13. Apprenticeship Schemes. - Enterprises with approved apprenticeship 
program may choose from any of the following apprenticeship scheme which may 
use the Dual Training System approach: 
a) Apprenticeship involving a company and an identified training institution; 
b) Apprenticeship involvmg a group of companies and a training institution; 
c) Apprenticeship involving an industry training center and a company or a 
group of companies; or 
d) Other schemes to be established by the TESDA in consultation with 
enterprise owners, labor and training institutions and subject to the 
approval of the TESDA Board. 
 
Sec. 14. Apprenticeship Administration. - The TESDA Board shall be 
responsible for setting up the overall apprenticeship policy and standards. The 
TESDA Secretariat shall be responsible for apprenticeship administration, monitoring 
and evaluation of on and off-the-job training. 
 
Sec. 15. Investigation of violation of apprenticeship contract. -The bipartite 
plant apprenticeship committee, upon complaint of any interested party or motu 
propio, shall have initial responsibility for settling differences arising out of 
apprenticeship contracts. In case it Is not able to settle such dlTerences, the TESDA 
Secretariat or its authorized representative shall investigate and render a decision 


pursuant to pertinent rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the TESDA 
Board. 
 
Sec. 16. Appeal to the TESDA Board. -The decision of the TESDA Secretariat 
may be appealed by any aggrieved person to the TESDA Board within five (5) days 
from receipt of the decision. The decision of the TESDA Board shall be final and 
executory. 
 
Sec. 17. Termination of Apprenticeship. - 
I. Valid cause to terminate the Apprenticeship contract: 
1. By the employer: 
a) Habitual absenteeism in on-the-job training and related theoretical 
instructions; 
b) Willful disobedience to company rules or insubordination to lawful 
order of a superior; 
c) Poor physical condition, permanent disability or prolonged illness which 
incapacitates the apprentices from working; 
d) Theft or malicious destruction of company property and/or equipment; 
e) Poor efficiency oi performance on the job or in the classroom for a 
prolonged period despite warnings duly given to the apprentices; and 
f) Engaging in violence or other forms of group misconduct inside the 
employer's premises. 
2. By the apprentice: 
a) Substandard or deleterious working condition within the employer's 
premises; 
b) Repeated violations by the employer of the terms of the apprenticeship 
agreement; 
c) Cruel and inhuman treatment by the employer or his subordinates; 
d) Personal problem which in the opinion of the apprentice shall prevent 
him from a satisfactory performance of his job; and 
e) Bad health and continuing illness. 
II. Procedures of termination of apprenticeship: 
1. Apprenticeship Committee Levei 
a) The party (employer or apprentice) interested in terminating the 
contract may do so, first, by notifying the Apprenticeship Committee; 
b) The Committee confers with both parties and mediates and/or settles 
the differences between them; 
c) If mediation and/or settlement is not possible, the Committee advises 
the complainants to apply for said termination with the Apprenticeship 
Division of the Regional Office concerned. 
2. Regionai Levei 
a) The complainant verbally presents his/her case to the Apprenticeship 
Division. If to the judgment of the Division the complaint merits 
consideration, he/she is made to duly accomplish an "Application for 
Termination of Apprenticeship" form. 
b) The Division verifies as to the veracity and validity of the c'aim within 


five (5) days fronr. receipt thereof - 
1) By calling both parties (employer and apprentice) for conference; or 
2) By sending a representative to the employer's concern for the 
purpose. 
3) In case grounds for approval exist - 
1) The investigating officer (field representative) initiate the 
application; and 
2) The Chief of the Apprenticeship Division verified the 
same. 
3) The application is then immediately forwarded to the 
Regional Director for appropriate action; after which a copy 
 of the acted application is furnished each the applicant and 
the second party; these processes to be completed within 
three (3) days from receipt of the document by the Office of 
said Regional Director. 
4) A copy of each approved application is furnished the 
Bureau of Apprenticeship to be forwarded to the said Office 
together with the Monthly Performance Report of the 
Apprenticeship Division. 
3. Agency Level 
If either of the Parties is not satisfied with the decision of the Regional 
Director, he/she may, within the reglamentary period of five (5) days from 
receipt of the document, appeal the case to the TESDA Director General 
whose decision shall be final and unappealable. 
 
Sec. 18. Competency Assessment and Certification. -The apprentices shall, 
within the apprenticeship period, undergo competency assessment for qualifications 
with Training Regulations. A National Certificate shall be issued to all those who 
demonstrated achievement of the competency standards, 
 
Sec. 19. Training Certificate. - A Training Certificate shall be issued by the 
authorized enterprise to signify completion of the apprenticeship program In 
accordance with the approved training design. The Certificate shall contain a list of 
the units of competency acquired and shall be comparable to completion of a 
training program in a TVET Institution.  
 
Sec. 20. Compulsory Apprenticeship. - When the national security or 
particular requirements of economic development so demand, the President of the 
Republic of the Philippines shal: require compulsory training of apprentices in certain 
trades, occupations, jobs or employment levels where shortage of trained manpower 
is deemed critical as determined by the TESDA Board. 
 
Sec. 21. Apprenticeship Training Fund. -There shall be an apprenticeship 
training fund which shall be derived from the apprenticeship fee paid by every firm 
owner in industries employing workers in apprenticeable trades. Workers who are 
graduates of apprenticeship programs shall likewise pay a one-time apprenticeship 


fee upon employment as contribution to the apprenticeship training fund. 
The apprenticeship fee rates and guidelines to be applied shall be approved 
by the TESDA Board after a public hearing with the management and labor sectors. 
The fee shall be collected and paid through the SocIcH Security System (SSS) and 
transferred to the Apprenticeship Training Fund to be administered by TESDA. The 
apprenticeship fee rate may be increased by the TESDA Board subject to the 
requirements of public hearing. The Apprenticeship Training Fund shall be deemed 
distinct and separate from 
the TESDA Development Fund under Section 31 of RA 7796 or the TESDA Law, and 
as such, shall not be subject to Its Implementing Rules and Regulations. Such 
apprenticeship fund may be used to defray expenses of the trainees in the institution 
or training center as well as other expenses to be approved by the TESDA Board to 
improve implementation of the program. 
 
Sec. 22. Incentives. - An additional deduction from the taxable income 
equivalent to one-half (1/2) of the value of labor training expenses incurred for 
developing the productivity and efficiency of apprentices shall be granted to the 
person or enterprise organizing an apprenticeable program and shall be exempt from 
the payment of apprenticeship fee. Provided, That such program is duly recognized 
by TESDA: Provided, further, That such deduction shall not exceed ten percent 
(10%) of direct labor wage: Provided, finally. That the person or enterprise who 
wishes to avail himself or its<^lf of this incentive should pay his apprentices the 
minimum wage. Micro-cottage and small enterprises or those with less than 100 
employees shall also be exempt from the payment of the apprenticeable fee. 
 
Sec. 23. Exemption from Probationary Employment: System of Equivalency. - 
Certified apprenticeship graduates shall be exempted from probationary 
employment. They shall be employed as regular workers if chosen to be retained by 
the enterprise. 
Apprenticeship graduates shall likewise be awarded equivalent unit credits in 
the formal system of education that can be used in pursuing tertiary degree courses 
subject to the integrated policies and guidelines on equivalence' and adult education 
acceleration program of the TE3DA, CHED and DepEd. 
 
Sec. 24. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -The TESDA Board shall Issue 
the Implementing Rules and Regulations within ninety (90) days after the effectivity 
of this Act. 
 
Sec. 25. Transitory Provision. - All existing apprenticeship programs and 
Training Regulations shall be valid until after the TESDA has conducted an 
assessment and revalidation for consistency with the provisions of this Act and its 
Implementing Rules and Regulations. 
 
Sec. 26. Repealing Clause. - Pertinent provisions of Presidential Decree 442 
or the Labor Code of the Philippines as amended, Executive Order No. Ill series of 
1986, RA 7796 or the TESDA Act of 1994 and all other laws, decrees, executive 


orders and rules and regulations contrary to or Inconsistent with the provisions of 
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. Any law. Presidential Decree or 
issuance. Executive Order, Letter of Instruction, rule c r regulation inconsistent with 
the provisions of this Act Is hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
Sec. 27. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other 
provisions hereof. 
 
Sec. 28. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from 
the date of its full and complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,