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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4328

Introduced by Hon. MUJIV S. HATAMAN of the Lone District of Basilan

EXPLANATORY NOTE

TESDA, since its creation in 1994 by virtue of Republic Act No. 7796, has promoted technical-
vocational education and training (TVET) for Filipino citizens throughout the country. It has
gone a long way in providing the people an alternative to formal education in the academe
through the enhancement of their technical-vocational skills: a commodity that is heavily
sought not only here in the country but everywhere else in the world market.

At present, there are more than a hundred public training centers (PTCs) and facilities across
the nation, providing TVET courses and scholarships not only to qualified students, but to
ordinary citizens in need of livelihood skills. They include informal workers, indigenous
peoples, farmers, fisher folks, drug dependents, rebel returnees, women victims of abuse and
human trafficking, returning OFWs, and persons with disabilities, among others.

Unfortunately for the residents of Isabela City in Basilan, they have become second-class
citizens when it comes to receiving scholarships in the TESDA PTC-Basilan that is ironically
located within the said city. TESDA PTC-Basilan is under the control and supervision of the
TESDA - Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARRM) and therefore
prioritizes BARMM residents.

The citizens of Isabela City, with a population of about 130,379 according to a 2020 census,
voted no to inclusion in BARMM. Residents now find themselves in a precarious situation
where only a limited number of training and scholarship are available to them from TESDA
PTC-Basilan or even the TESDA Regional Training Center — IX, which can only accommodate
a few Isabelefios when it conducts community-based training in the city.

This bill, therefore, seeks to establish the TESDA technical-vocational education and training
center in Isabela City in Basilan to be known as Isabela City TESDA Training Center.


Because without its own training center, TESDA cannot fully address the TVET needs of the
people of Isabela City. And given that Basilan has one of the highest incidences of poverty and
has one of the most inequitable distributions of wealth in the country today, the creation of the
Isabela City TESDA Training Center is now of utmost importance.

This measure also seeks to expand the course offerings of TESDA to include the needs of the
growing Agri-Fishery Industry in the province.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

i HATAMAN
sentative
Lone District of Basilan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

BILLNO. 2328

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Hon. MUJIV S. HATAMAN of the Lone District of Basilan

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS D DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY (TESDA) TRAINING AND ACCREDITATION CENTER IN ISABELA
CITY, PROVINCE OF BASILAN

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

SECTION 1. There is hereby created a Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA) Training and Accreditation Center in Isabela City, Province of Basilan.

SEC. 2. The amount for the effective implementation of this Act shall be included in
the General Appropriations Act (GA) following the approval of this Act and in every year
thereafter.

SEC. 3. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall
formulate the necessary Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the implementation of
this Act.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

Approved,