Senate
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
'16 
0EC12 
P5 ‘12
RECEIVED BY:
SENATE
S-B.N o. 1278
(In su b stitu tio n  o f Senate Bills No. 170 and 790)
Prepared jo in tly  by th e  C om m ittees on Education, A rts and C ulture; Labor, E m ploym ent and 
Human Resources D evelopm ent and Finance w/ith Senators A q u in o  IV and Escudero as
authors th e re o f
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
AN ACT ESTABLISHING JOB PLACEMENT OFFICES IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE
CAREER SERVICES TO THE YOUTH
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in 
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be know n as th e  "Trabaho Center in Schools Act."
SEC. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is th e  policy o f th e  State to  prom ote fu ll em ploym ent 
and equality o f em ploym ent o p portun ities fo r all, and to  afford fu ll protection to  the youth 
entering the labor force. In line w ith  the current reform s in the education sector, th e  State 
recognizes the need to  prepare the youth in choosing the career tracks th a t th e y intend to  
pursue and to  aid in m atching senior high school students w ith  career oppo rtu n itie s after 
graduation.
to:
SEC. 3. Definition o f Terms. -  For th e  purpose o f this Act, th e  fo llo w in g  term s shall refer
(a) Career Advocacy A ctivities - series o f activities intended to  prepare students fo r 
productive career decisions th a t includes b ut is n o t lim ited to  career assessment and 
coaching, trainings and job-m atching.
(b) Career D evelopm ent Plan - annual career developm ent to o l th a t outlines the 
intended outcom es and the strategic m anagem ent o f program s/services to  collectively 
achieve the end goals o f th e  Trabaho Centers.
(c) Labor M arket Inform ation (LMI) - any in fo rm a tio n  concerning th e  size, com position, 
functions, problem s or o p portun ities o f the labor m arket or any part th e re o f, including 
but not lim ited to  em ploym ent-related intentions or aspirations o f th e  labor m arket 
clients.
(d) National Career Assessment Exam ination (NCAE) - system o f assessing or evaluating 
the potential or a ptitude o f each and every high school student to  guide th e ir decisions 
in pursuing fu rth e r education or em ploym ent.
(e) Skills Registry System (SRS) -  an existing system utilized by th e  D epartm ent o f Labor 
and Em ploym ent (DOLE) containing potentia l applicant and em ploym ent in form ation.


1 
SEC. 4. Establishment o f Trabaho Center in Schools. -  Job Placem ent Offices (JPOs),
2 
hereinafter referred to  as "Trabaho Centers," shall be established in all public high schools.
3 
Trabaho Centers shall 
w ork in coordination w ith  th e  Provincial, City, o r M unicipal Public
4 
Employment Service Offices (PESOs) and shall be supervised by Trabaho Center C oordinators in
5 
D epartm ent o f Education (DepEd) Division Offices. The Trabaho Center C oordinators shall
6 
encourage partnerships am ong Educational Institutions (Els), N on-G overnm ent Organizations
7 
(NGOs), Industry Associations and M em bers, and Local G overnm ent Units (LGUs) in the
8 
establishm ent and m anagem ent o f the Trabaho Centers. In applicable areas, existing JPOs in
9 
educational institutions shall continue to  operate as Trabaho Centers subject to  the provisions
10 
o f this Act. Schools shall explore new  and innovative systems to  carry o u t the provisions o f this
11 
Act, including partnering w ith  th e  private sector or NGOs fo r an online platform . The Trabaho
12 
Centers shall be responsible fo r preparing th e  youth in choosing career tracks fit fo r th e ir
13 
talents, skills and preferences and in m atching these to  the needs o f th e  current and fu tu re
14 
labor m arket.
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
SEC. 5. Trabaho Center Career Advocates. -  All Trabaho Centers shall have at least one 
(1) Trabaho Center Career Advocate w ith  th e  fo llow ing functions:
(a) Keep an up-to-date database o f jo b  vacancies fro m  em ployers to  facilita te  the 
exchange o f labor m arket in fo rm a tio n  betw een young jo b  seekers and em ployers by 
providing em ploym ent inform ation services specific to  Senior High School, both fo r local 
and overseas em ploym ent;
(b) Provide job linkages and netw orks to  em ployers in coordination w ith  th e  provincial, 
city or m unicipal PESOs;
(c) Develop and adm inister testing and evaluation instrum ents fo r effective job 
selection, training and coaching specific to  young jobseekers curre n tly enrolled in 
educational institutions. Provided, That exam inations are adm inistered by qualified 
professionals;
y-
27
28 
29
(d) 
Organize o r coordinate career enhancem ent trainings or sem inars fo r young jo b  
seekers, as w ell as those w ho w ould like to  pursue fu rth e r education, livelihood or self- 
em ploym ent program s;
30
31
32
33
34
35
(e) Provide career advocacy and coaching, mass m otivation and values developm ent 
activities integrated in career program s specifically designed fo r Enhanced Basic 
Education Curriculum  students;
(f) Connect and p artner w ith  concerned NGOs to  expand opp o rtu n itie s in im proving the 
quality o f em ploym ent facilita tio n  program s offered in th e ir school;
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
(g) Lead th e  teachers w ith in  th e ir school in th e  adm inistration o f th e  annual N ational 
Career Assessment Exam ination (NCAE) and assist th e  students in understanding how  to  
use th e ir test results as guide in choosing th e ir career tracks;
(h) Prepare and subm it to  th e Trabaho Center C oordinator a school specific annual 
career developm ent plan and budget, including o th e r regular funding sources and 
budgetary support; and
(i) Prepare and subm it a quarterly progress re p o rt on students assisted and coached to  
the Trabaho Center C oordinator.


3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
SEC. 6. Trabaho Center in Division Offices. -  Each DepEd Division Office shall appoint a 
Trabaho Center C oordinator w ho shall:
(a) Coordinate w ith  th e  LGU, PESO, the Local School Board (LSB), and Parent-Teacher 
Association (PTA) in the creation o f the annual key career planning to o l fo r th e ir 
division, taking into consideration track preferences o f students in th e ir respective 
divisions and the industry m ost relevant to  th e ir area;
(b) M o n ito r the planning, im plem entatio n and evaluation o f career facilita tio n  program s 
and m aterials o f Trabaho Centers in Schools;
(c) Convene Career Advocates fro m  the d iffe re n t Trabaho Centers under th e ir respective 
divisions fo r th e  creation o f m odules o r guides contextualized to  cover th e ir local 
industry;
(d) Share best practices am ong divisions and o th e r Trabaho Centers in th e  country in a 
m odality th a t w ould be m ost e fficient to  th e  in stitu tio n ;
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
(®) Train Career Advocates in the adm inistration o f testing and evaluation instrum ents 
fo r effective job selection, counseling, career guidance, mass m otivation and values 
developm ent activities to  be im plem ented fo r the career program s.
(f) Utilize the DOLE s Skills Registry System (SRS) to  manage the records o f transactions 
in relation to  career facilita tio n  and relay in fo rm a tio n  to  Trabaho Centers in Schools;
(g) Consolidate necessary in fo rm a tio n  technology structures and systems to  im prove the 
collection, processing, analysis, re p o rt developm ent and dissem ination o f youth career 
preferences and existing labor m arket in fo rm a tio n ; and
(h) Provide linkages to  training providers needed by th e  schools in relation to  local 
industry.
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
SEC. 7. Qualifications o f Trabaho Center Career Advocates. -  N otw ithstand ing the 
provisions o f Section 27 o f Republic Act No. 9258, otherw ise know n as th e  "G uidance and 
Counseling Act o f 2004", career and em ploym ent advocates, w ho are not registered and 
licensed guidance counselors, shall be allow ed to  conduct career advocacy activities fo r 
students o f the school w here th e y are currently em ployed: Provided, That th e y undergo 
training program s related to  career advocacy. Career advocates em ployed shall hold a non­
teaching position and shall focus on activities fo r youth em ployability program s in 
coordination w ith  the DOLE and o th e r relevant agencies and p artner institutions, both public 
and private.
SEC. 
8. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Technical Vocational Institutions 
(TVIs) -  Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) are 
encouraged to  establish Trabaho Centers in th e ir schools to  prepare th e ir students in choosing 
career tracks fit fo r th e ir talents, skills and preferences and in m atching these to  the needs o f 
the current and fu tu re  labor m arket, in accordance w ith  the provisions o f this Act.
SEC. 9. Information Dissemination. -  The Philippine Inform ation Agency, in coordination 
w ith  the DepEd, DOLE and the DILG, shall ensure proper and adequate in fo rm a tion 
dissem ination o f the contents and benefits o f this Act to  p e rtin e n t entities in all provinces, 
cities, m unicipalities and barangays.


1 
SEC. 10. Appropriations. -  The am ount necessary to  im plem ent th e  provisions o f this
2 
Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations o f th e  DepEd. Thereafter, such
3 
sums as may be necessary fo r its continued im plem entatio n shall be included in th e  annual
4 
General A ppropriations Act.
5 
SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  W ith in  ninety (90) days fro m  the
6 
e ffectivity o f this Act, the DepEd, in coordination w ith  D epartm ent o f Labor and Em ploym ent
7 
(DOLE), D epartm ent o f In te rio r and Local G overnm ent (DILG), Commission on Higher
8 
Education (CHEd), D epartm ent o f Trade and Industry (DTI) and Technical Education and Skills
9 
D evelopm ent A u th o rity (TESDA) and o th e r relevant agencies shall fo rm u la te  th e  necessary
10 
rules and regulations to  im plem ent th e  provisions o f this Act.
11 
SEC. 12. Separability Clause. -  If any if this Act is held invalid or unconstitu tional, the
12 
same shall not affect the valid ity and e ffe ctivity o f o th e r provisions hereof.
13 
SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, executive order, and rules and
14 
regulations contrary to  or inconsistent w ith  the provisions o f this Act are hereby repealed or
15 
m odified accordingly.
16 
SEC. 14. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifte e n  days fro m  th e  date o f its
17 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least tw o  (2) newspapers o f general circulation.
18 
Approved,