FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEN"524 
S.No. ___ _ 
',,' 
n./ 
t'!\'";U,,,,,a; tw .. .:.. •. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 3 ofR.A. No. 7796, otherwise known as the TESDA Law states: 
. SEC. 3. Statement a/Goals and Objectives. - It is the goal and objective of 
this Act to: 
, 
Promote and strengthen the quality oftechnical education and skills 
development programs to attain international competitiveness; 
xxx 
Recognize and encourage the complementary roles of public and private 
institutions in technical education and skills development and training 
systems; 
xxx 
.. 
In the continuous globalization of the economy, the Philippines has become a major 
player in the international labor market. This has been evident the incessant flow of manpower to 
other countries and the strong local outsourcing industry. As such, there is an increasing demand 
to certify the capabilities of our workers in order to assist overseas employers and outsourcing 
companies in investing on our manpower. Many of these skill certifications are done by the 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). However, there are several 
others which are maintained by private organizations to cover the skills that they need particular 
to their industry. 
In order to develop further their reliability in terms of skill certification, TESDA should 
establish a continuing program that would allow them to look into the best practices of private 
entities and organizations. The result of this study would lead to possible development of more 
I 


certification programs by TESDA, or the recognition of TESDA of the reliability of certain 
programs in measuring and certifying certain other skills. In effect, we will be able to consolidate 
and rank the certification programs in terms of their reliability and recognition by the labor 
market. By doing so,.we will be able to assist our workers by pointing out the industries in which 
certain skills are in demand and the certification program that would allow the industries to 
recognize such skills. As a country, it will allow as to be better players in the international labor 
market. 
This bill seeks to mandate TESDA to undertake a continuing study on the skill 
certification programs across the country. I 
~'--
4h·~~ :2v;t~ 
.MIRIAM DEF\')'1S0R Sj(NTI1fiO 
~ 
. 
I This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular SesslOn 
2 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.No. 
1524 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
10 Jt 19 1\10:45 
2 
TO EVALUATE CERTAIN SKILLS CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS 
3 
4 
Be it 'enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
5 
Congress assembled: 
6 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Skills Standard Certification 
7 
Evaluation Act." 
8 
SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purposes of this Act are-
9 
A. to periodically evaluate skills certification programs that certify various employee 
10 
skills and to dete=ine which skills certifications are most desired by employers and 
11 
employees; and 
12 
B. to make information, and materials if possible, about skills certification programs 
13 
available to eligible entities providing job training. 
14 
SECTION 3. Definition. - The purpose ofthis Act the te=-
15 
A. SKILLS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM means an industry-led or industry-
16 
created program that--
17 
1. is in existence as of the time that the evaluation under Section 3 is 
18 
conducted; 
19 
2. delineates a skill set necessary for a career in a certain industry; 
20 
3. does not culminate in an associate or baccalaureate degree; and 
21 
4. is not portable or widely or nationally recognized. 
1 


I 
SECTION 4. Evaluation. - Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
2 
Act, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall-
3 
A. conduct an evaluation of skills certification programs; 
4 
B. determine best practices models for skills certification programs; or 
5 
C. rank the skills certification programs available in an industry, based on the evaluation 
6 
criteria described in Section 4; and 
7 
D. make recommendations on-
S 
1. the merits of a unified national approach to programs of skills certification, as 
9 
compared to multiple regional and local skills certification programs; and 
10 
2. ways to streamline, if possible, duplicative and similar skills certification 
II 
programs into a single, widely recognized certification. 
12 
SECTION 5. Criteria for Evaluation. - The evaluation ofthe skills certification programs 
13 
conducted under Section 3 shall include the following criteria: 
14 
A. Overall usefulness of the skills certification program for workers and employers. 
15 
B. The demand from industry for workers with the skills provided and certified through 
16 
the'skills certification program. 
17 
C. 'Industry involvement in the development of the skill standards included in the skills 
IS 
certification program. 
19 
D. Industry recognition of the certification awarded under the skills certification 
20 
program. 
21 
E. The success of the skills certification program, based on criteria including-
22 
I. how many individuals have successfully completed the skills certification 
23 
program; 
24 
2. how many of such individuals are employed in a field utilizing the skills 
25 
provided and certified through the skills certification program; and 
26 
3. the length oftime that such individuals have been so employed. 
27 
F. The level of recognition of the skills certification program as of the time of the 
28 
evaluation, including an assessment of-
2 


1. how widespread the skills certification program is used; 
2 
2. the number of entities, including employment agencies and institutions of 
3 
higher education, that have used the skills certification program; 
4 
3. the number of foreign countries, if any, in which the certification IS 
5 
recognized; and 
6 
,4, whether the skills provided and certified through the skills certification 
7 
program are reasonably usefuL 
8 
G. Cooperative creation in the development of the skills certification program, such as 
9 
whether the standards of the skills certification program were created in consultation 
10 
with relevant partners, including business, labor, and community organizations, and 
II 
whether such partners still support and use the standards 
12 
H. The ease of sharing the skills certification program, including how portable the 
13 
materials are, how versatile the materials are, and whether the certification programs 
14 
requires the educator to have access to specific or extensive materials or equipment 
IS 
not usually found in a classroom, 
16 
SECTION 6. Outreach and Information Campaign, - Not later than 60 days after the 
17 
evaluation described in Section 3 has been completed, TESDA shall-
18 
A. post the results of the evaluation, the ranking of skills certification programs or the 
19 
best practices of such programs, and the recommendations, as described in Section 3, 
20 
on the Internet; and 
21 
B, make the information described in Paragraph A available in print form to Congress 
22 
and to interested parties, including-
23 
L technical colleges; 
24 
2. community organizations; and 
25 
3, other groups providing worker training, in partnership and cooperation with 
26 
industry, 
3 


I 
SECTION 7. Appropriations. -The amount necessary for the initial implementation of 
2 
this Act shall be charged against the appropriations of TESDA under the current General 
3 
Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for its full implementation shall 
4 
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act as a distinct and separate item. 
5 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
6 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
7 
valid and subsisting. 
8 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
9 
order, letter of instnlction, administrative order, nile or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
10 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
II 
SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (IS) days after its 
12 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
, 
13 
Approved, 
fapm120508 
4