EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS:
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

~_ Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez
1863

House Bill No-

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article 13, Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides:

“The State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas,
organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality
of employment opportunities for all.”

Unemployment and underemployment are perennial problems of the Philippine
government. News reports of banks, corporations and small and medium scale businesses
forced to close down abound.

This trend undoubtedly places the mature and older workers at a disadvantage.
Those who are previously employed may suddenly find themselves jobless, while those who
have never been employed might have less chances of being hired because of the
increased competition.

It is thus the purpose of this bill to establish programs to prepare mature or older
workers for participation in the labor force by increasing occupational and educational skills
resulting in improved long-term employability, and increased employment and earnings.

In view of the foregoing, the early approval of this bill is eamestly solicited.

RUFUS B. Rt jUEZ


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriquez _
1863

House Bill No.

AN ACT
TO ESTABLISH A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM FOR MATURE OR OLDER WORKERS

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Mature and Older Workers
Act’.

SEC 2. Definition of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to afford full protection to labor,
local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote employment and equality of
‘employment opportunities for all.

SEC 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term:
(A) “Basic Skills Deficient” means, with respect to an individual, that the
individual has English reading or computing skills at or below the 8”
grade level on a generally accepted standardized test or a comparable
score on a criterion-referenced test;
(8) “Case Management” means the provision, in the delivery of a service, of
a client-centered approach designed to-
1) prepare and coordinate a comprehensive employment plan,
Such as a service strategy, for a participant to ensure access
to a necessary training and support service; and
2) provide job and career counseling during program participation
- and after job placement.
(C) "Educational Agency” means -
1) a public local school authority having administrative control of elementary,
middle, or secondary schools or providing adult education;
2) a public or private institution that provides alternative middle or high school
‘education;
3) @ public education institution or agency having administrative control of
‘secondary or post-secondary vocational education programs; or
4) post-secondary institution;

(0) “Mature or Older Worker” means an individual who is 40 years of age or older;

(E) “Participant” means an individual who has been determined to be eligible to
participate in the program;

(F) "Schoo! Dropout’ means an individual who is no longer attending any school and
who has not received a secondary school diploma or a certificate from a program
of equivalency for such a diploma; and

(G) Termination” means the separation of a participant who is no longer receiving
services.

SEC 4. Eligibility for Services.


An individual shall be eligible to participate in the program assisted under this part if
such individual is forty (40) years of age or older and is included in one or more of the

following categories:

(1) Individuals whose income is not in excess of the poverty line;
(2) Individuals who are eligible for housing assistance; or
(3) Individuals who are included in two (2) or more of the following categories
a) Individuals who are unemployed 15 of the past 26 weeks;
b) Individuals who are unemployed 30 of the past 52 weeks;
¢) Individuals who are working 20 or fewer hours a weeks;
d) Individuals who are displaced homemakers;
e) Individuals who are homeless;
f) Individuals who have finished less than 10 years of school;

g) Indi

{uals who are deficient in basic skills;

h) Individuals who have been notified that the jobs of such individuals will be
terminated within the next 60 days; or
i) Individuals who live alone.

SEC 5. Program Design. ~

(A) IN GENERAL -

(1) eee) REQUIREMENTS - Each program assisted under this part shall include —

WV.

an objective assessment, using the case management technique, of
the skill levels and service needs of each participant, including such
factors as basic skills, occupational skills, prior work experience,
employability, interests, aptitudes (including interests and aptitudes
for nontraditional employment) and supportive service needs, except
that a new assessment of a participant is not required if the program
determines that a recent assessment of the participant conducted
under another education or training program, is an appropriate
assessment;

development of service strategies that shall identify the employment
goal (including in appropriate circumstances, _ nontraditional
employment), the appropriate achievement objectives, and the
appropriate sequence of services for participants, taking into account
the assessments conducted under subparagraph (A), except that a
new service strategy is not required if the program determines a
recent service strategy developed for the participant under another
‘education or training program in an appropriate service strategy;

a review of the progress of each participant in meeting the objectives
of the service strategy; and

basic skills training and occupational skills training if the assessment
and the service strategy indicate such training is appropriate.

(2) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS-

(a) MINIMUM INCOME OF PARTICIPANTS AND APPLICANTS - Each service delivery area
participating in a program assisted under this Act shall ensure that each participant or
applicant described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of Section 4 shall be provided —

(i) information on the full array of applicable or appropriate ser

s that are

available through the service delivery area or other service providers, including
providers receiving funds under this Act; and

(i) referral to other appropriate training and educational programs that have the
capacity to serve the participant or applicant either on a sequential or concurrent

basis.


(b) APPLICANTS NOT MEETING ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS -

0) SERVICE PROVIDERS - Each service provider shall ensure that an
eligible applicant who does not meet the enrollment requirements of
the particular program of the provider shall be referred to the service
delivery area for further assessment, as necessary, and referral to
appropriate programs to meet the basic skills and training needs of the
applicant;

(ii) SERVICE DELIVERY AREA - The service delivery area shall ensure
that appropriate referrals are made under clause (i) and shall maintain
records on the referral and the reasons for which applicants are
referred.

(B) AUTHORIZED SERVICES - One or more of the following trainings or supportive services
shall be made available to each participant under this part:

1) Outreach and recruitment;

2) Intake and assessment;

3) Job search assistance;

4) Classroom and occupational skills training;

5) On-the-job training:

6) Work experience;

7) Basic and remedial education and literacy training;

8) Supplemental services, including day care for dependent children and adults;

9) Occupational placement assistance;

(C) SPECIAL RULES -
1) SELECTION OF SERVICE PROVIDERS - In the selection of service providers, the
Department of Labor and Employment shall give preference to agencies ‘and
organizations with demonstrated competence in conducting older and mature worker
programs.

2) JOB TRAINING PLAN - The Department of Labor and Employment shalll develop the
job training program under this Act. It may seek the assistance of other government
‘agencies such as the Department of Education and the help of private educational
agencies. It shall also formulate the necessary implementing rules and regulations
that will ensure the efficient and effective implementation of this Act.

‘SEC 6. Report. - The Secretary shall submit to the President of the Philippines and to both
Houses of Congress, not later than the opening of the regular session each year, an annual
feport on the status of the implementation of this Act. The annual report shall include an
analysis, for each province and on a nationwide basis, of the number of participants served
under this Act, and the type of services under this Act received by participants.

SEC 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

‘SEC 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter
of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with, the
provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SEC 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,