Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 793 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE MERCEDES K. ALVAREZ, MNSA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The City of Sipalay in the Province of Negros Occidental faces persistent 
challenges in employment opportunities, especially for low-income residents, out-of-
school youth, persons with disabilities, and indigenous communities. Addressing this 
socioeconomic gap requires targeted technical and vocational education and training 
(“TVET”) that equips individuals with relevant, in-demand skills. 
This bill proposes the establishment of a Technical Education Skills and 
Development Authority (“TESDA”) Training and Assessment Center in the City of 
Sipalay to provide accessible, high-quality technical-vocational programs aligned with 
industry needs. The Center will serve as a key driver for local development by offering 
specialized training in areas such as industrial technology, agriculture, aquaculture, 
entrepreneurship, information technology, and business literacy. It will also support 
the K to 12 Curriculum of the Department of Education and contribute to the 
transformation of the Negros Island Region into a hub of skilled labor and 
productivity. 
The bill ensures compliance with TESDA standards and mandates strong inter-
agency and local government unit cooperation to guarantee sustainability, quality, and 
responsiveness to evolving labor demands. It reflects our commitment to inclusive 
growth, job creation, and capacity-building at the grassroots level. 
July 1, 2025
12:57 pm


In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
ATTY. MERCEDES K. ALVAREZ, MNSA 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 793 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE MERCEDES K. ALVAREZ, MNSA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS 
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER 
IN THE CITY OF SIPALAY, PROVINCE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Establishment of a Training and Assessment Center. – There is 
1 
hereby established a training and assessment center, under the supervision of the 
2 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (“TESDA”), to be known as the 
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“Sipalay City, Negros Occidental TESDA Training and Assessment Center” (the 
4 
“Center”). It shall be located in a highly accessible area in the City of Sipalay, Province 
5 
of Negros Occidental, pursuant to the purposes of this Act and the agreement between 
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the TESDA and the concerned local government units (“LGUs”). 
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Sec. 2. General Mandate. – The Center shall primarily provide technical-
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vocational education and training (“TVET”) programs to students and local residents 
10 
from low-income families and out-of-school youths, including persons with 
11 
disabilities and indigenous peoples, to help them become productive, self-reliant, and 
12 
globally competitive labor assets.  
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The Center shall provide effective employment interventions through training 
1 
programs 
on 
relevant 
skills 
in 
trade 
competencies, 
craftsmanship, 
and 
2 
entrepreneurship activities to help hasten the development of the host area and its 
3 
adjacent localities into human resource and productivity hubs. 
4 
 
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The Center shall also provide technical-vocational training for teachers and 
6 
curriculum design assistance to the secondary schools in the province offering the 
7 
technical-vocational livelihood track under the K to 12 Program, in coordination with 
8 
the Department of Education (“DepEd”) and the TESDA. 
9 
 
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Sec. 3. Training Programs. – The Center shall offer short-term certificate 
11 
courses and modular trainings in preferred technical-vocational skills and trades 
12 
specialization. To this end, the Department of Labor and Employment (“DOLE”), 
13 
Department of Trade and Industry (“DTI”), Department of Science and Technology 
14 
(“DOST”), Department of Agriculture (“DA”), Department of the Interior and Local 
15 
Government (“DILG”), National Economic and Development Authority (“NEDA”), 
16 
business-industry partners, and other relevant agencies and instrumentalities, both 
17 
local and international, shall provide the necessary assistance to enable the Center to 
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develop skilled manpower to achieve a robust and inclusive economy in the host area 
19 
and its adjacent localities. 
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The Center may establish research and technology hubs, technology 
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development farms, satellite or extension training centers, promote mobile training 
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programs, and strengthen linkages among the industry partners, the academe, and the 
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Center geared towards the acquisition by residents of practical livelihood, employable 
25 
skills, gainful employment, and entrepreneurial capabilities in priority areas in the 
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City of Sipalay and adjacent localities in the Province of Negros Occidental. 
27 
 
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The Center shall offer the following TVET programs with competencies 
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assessment leading to National Certification Levels I to III: 
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a) Skills training in industrial technology and hard trades such as metal and 
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steelwork, machine fabrication and operation, heavy equipment 
33 
operation, automotive mechanical assembly, refrigeration and air 
34 


conditioning, electronics, and operation of power tools and equipment 
1 
for both medium skills grade and industrial purposes; 
2 
 
3 
b) Agriculture and aquaculture-related trainings and skills development in 
4 
such areas as farming technology, fishing operations technology, 
5 
backyard farming and home-based aquaculture and propagation 
6 
innovations, mechanized farming, fishing tools and equipment 
7 
operation, agribusiness, agri-aqua trade technology and innovations, 
8 
and relevant training seminars for farmers and fisherfolk to encourage 
9 
entrepreneurship and thus increase their productivity; 
10 
 
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c) Livelihood skills development courses for preferred skills employment 
12 
and small-scale entrepreneurship, including practical skills education in 
13 
arts and crafts, workmanship and design, high-speed sewing, 
14 
dressmaking and tailoring, horticulture, livestock raising and breeding, 
15 
food processing technology, home technology, culinary arts and 
16 
commercial cooking, cosmetology, and health and wellness training; 
17 
 
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d) Basic business literacy training in financial management and marketing, 
19 
practical accountancy, bookkeeping and office procedures, business 
20 
processes and application procedures,  including  registration,  licensing,  
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documentation,  business  patent  and intellectual property regulation, 
22 
business financing and investment opportunities sourcing, import-
23 
export accreditation, online home-based business operation and social 
24 
media business marketing; 
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e) Technical-vocational occupation and trades skills such as carpentry, 
27 
masonry, plumbing, welding, practical electricity and installation, 
28 
automotive 
servicing, 
electronics 
servicing, 
personal 
computer 
29 
servicing, and such other relevant practical skills courses; 
30 
 
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f) Computer literacy and information technology-related skills, digital 
32 
technology, web design, animation, photoshop or online photography, 
33 
computer design and advertising; 
34 


 
1 
g) Social communication skills and language proficiency courses in English 
2 
and other languages for business process outsourcing employment and 
3 
overseas job placement; 
4 
 
5 
h) Personality development, career counseling, job placement, and work 
6 
ethic and values; and 
7 
 
8 
i) Other preferred skills and trades training that may be needed by the 
9 
people of the City of Sipalay and of adjacent localities to enhance their 
10 
capacities 
for 
practical 
livelihood, 
gainful 
employment, 
and 
11 
entrepreneurial activities. 
12 
 
13 
Sec. 4. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. – The provisions of this Act 
14 
notwithstanding, the Center shall become operational only upon the issuance by the 
15 
TESDA of a formal recommendation and certificate of compliance attesting that the 
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Center has satisfactorily complied with the minimum standards of quality it has 
17 
prescribed governing the following: (a) standard procedures and guidelines for the 
18 
establishment and operation of a Center; (b) operational sustainability of the Center, 
19 
in terms of licensed faculty-trainers and personnel, equipment, training and 
20 
laboratory facilities, instructional materials, and other standard requirements of a 
21 
Center; (c) sustainable funding source and allocation of the budgetary requirement; 
22 
(d) full alignment of the training programs offered with the minimum standards of 
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competency-based quality technical-vocational skills technology and the needs of the 
24 
host area and adjacent communities served within the context of the Association of 
25 
Southeast Asian Nations integration and the Philippine Qualifications Framework for 
26 
TVET; and (e) compliance with such other TESDA conditionalities and standards as 
27 
may be necessary and applicable in establishing a Center. 
28 
 
29 
Sec. 5. Administration of the Center. – The Center shall be headed by a 
30 
Technical-Vocational Administrator who shall render full-time service and be 
31 
responsible for its administration and operation, under the supervision of the TESDA.  
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The Technical-Vocational Administrator shall be appointed by the TESDA 
1 
Director General in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Civil Service 
2 
Commission and the qualification requirements for such office. 
3 
 
4 
The Technical-Vocational Administrator may enter into agreements with 
5 
locally-based private and public counterpart agencies, instrumentalities or persons, 
6 
and seek such assistance as may be necessary to effectively implement this Act, subject 
7 
to the approval of the TESDA Director General. 
8 
 
9 
Sec. 6. Appropriations. – The Director General of the TESDA shall include in 
10 
the program of the TESDA the operation of the Center, the funding of which shall be 
11 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
12 
 
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The LGUs concerned, in consultation with the TESDA, shall set aside from any 
14 
available local revenue an amount deemed appropriate as annual counterpart fund to 
15 
support the operation of the Center herein established. 
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Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days after 
18 
the approval of this Act, the TESDA shall, in coordination with the DOLE, DTI, DOST, 
19 
DA, Department of Budget and Management, DepEd, DILG, NEDA, the concerned 
20 
LGUs, and such other relevant agencies and industry-business partners of the host 
21 
locality, prepare and issue rules and regulations for the effective implementation of 
22 
this Act. 
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Sec. 8. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any section or provision of this 
25 
Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions thereof 
26 
shall not be affected and shall remain in force and in effect. 
27 
 
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Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, decrees, instructions, 
29 
rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with any provision of this Act are 
30 
repealed or amended accordingly. 
31 
 
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Sec. 10. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
33 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved,