NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE 
S. B. NO. 568
I'l ^cuaU
•22 JUL 14 WO ‘-AS
RESBVED 8V.
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING AND ENHANCING THE SKILLS 
CERTIFICATE EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM (SCEP) OF THE CIVIL 
SERVICE COMMISSION (CSC) AND THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION 
AND SKILLS AUTHORITY (TESDA) AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Republic Act No. 1080 automatically grants civil service eligibility to passers of 
bar examinations and other licensure examinations administered by the Professional 
Regulation Commission (PRC). Several laws also grant appropriate civil service 
eligibility to qualified individuals.
This bill seeks to grant the same privilege to certified tech-voc graduates who 
are holders of National Certificates (NC) issued by the Technical Education and Skills 
Development Authority (TESDA) by institutionalizing and enhancing the Skills 
Certificate Equivalency Program (SCEP).
The SCEP involves the assessment and certification of the competencies of 
workers through the Philippine TVET competency assessment and certification 
system. The assessment process, composed of a demonstration, questioning and a 
written test, seeks to determine whether a tech-voc graduate or worker can perform to 
the standards expected in the workplace. A national certificate is awarded to those 
who meet the competency standards. The entire process is only carried out in 
accredited TESDA centers with the presence of the agency’s accredited assessors.
Currently, the SCEP is a partnership between the TESDA and the Civil Service 
Commission (CSC). Under the SCEP, the CSC grants the appropriate civil service 
eligibility to an NC holder who may be a government skilled worker or any individual 
seeking entrance into the civil service. An individual who possesses a valid NC may 
file an application for the conversion of his or her NC to a civil service eligibility at any 
office of the CSC nationwide.


An NC issued by TESDA is proof of one’s expertise on a certain skill or set of 
skills. It is an assurance of the competencies of a skilled worker. Thus, this bill is 
consistent with the Constitutional policy that appointments in the civil service are made 
only according to merit and fitness.
In fact, the formulation of qualification standards follows a stringent process that 
starts from endorsement of qualifications by the industry stakeholders to the TESDA 
Board to the approval of these qualifications for the development of training 
regulations. To ensure the appropriateness and relevance of these training 
regulations, and their accompanying competency-assessment tools, TESDA conducts 
a periodic review of these training regulations. This only confirms TESDA’s nationwide 
ISO 9001:2015 Certification, which is an irreversible reform that can guarantee the 
quality of TESDA’s services.
Hence, with a quality-assured and globally recognized tech-voc training, 
assessment and certification systems in the Philippines, there is no doubt that the 
institutionalization and enhancement of SCEP will further strengthen the principle of 
meritocracy in the government. Like a professional license issued by the PRC, an NC 
issued by TESDA forms part of the requirements being sought by recruitment agencies 
and private companies for Filipinos seeking employment in the country and abroad.
Lastly, the measure will likewise help in addressing the number of government 
employees hired under job order or contractual arrangements, given that the lack of 
the required civil service eligibility is one of the cited reasons for the inability to promote 
civil servants in plantilla positions. As of August 2021, the government employs at least 
25% of its 2.3 million government workers, or 582,378, as “job order” (JO) or “contract 
of service” (COS) employees.1
Thus, the passage of this bill will ensure the security of tenure of qualified skills 
workers in the government, provide equal opportunities to middle skill workers to enter 
the civil service and, certainly, improve the image of tech-voc in the country.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
SENATOR
QEL VILLANUEVA
1 Civil Service Commission, Inventory of Government Human Resource — JO/COS Data (as of AUGUST 31,2021), Civil Service 
Commission, inventory of Government Human Resource - Career and Non-Career (as of AUGUST 31, 2021); accessible at 
http://csc.gov.ph/2014-02-21-08-28-23/pdf-files/category/1809-ighrs_2021.html.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
at iiif
•22 JUL14 W0'-43
SB. No.
SENATE
5G8
REOaVSftfr.
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
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AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING AND ENHANCING THE SKILLS 
CERTIFICATE EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM (SCEP) OF THE CIVIL 
SERVICE COMMISSION (CSC) AND THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION 
AND SKILLS AUTHORITY (TESDA) AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
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 “Skills Certificate 
Equivalency Program Act. ”
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The Constitution provides that appointments in 
the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness. Towards this end, it is 
hereby declared the policy of the State to institutionalize and enhance the Skills Certificate 
Equivalency Program (SCEP) of the government, and to give equal opportunities to 
certified technical-vocational education and training (TVET) graduates to enter the civil 
service, uplift the dignity of middle-skilled workers, and improve the image of technical 
and vocational education and training in the country.
SEC. 3. Skills Certificate Equivalency Program. - There shall be established a 
Skills Certificate Equivalency Program (the “Program”), which shall grant civil service 
eligibility to holders of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) 
National Certificates (NCs).
The Program shall involve the issuance of NCs to individuals who shall 
successfully demonstrate the required competence in specific qualifications. For this 
purpose, an NC shall be provided equivalent civil service eligibility by the Civil Service 
Commission (CSC).
SEC. 4. Coverage. - The benefit under this Act shall apply to those currently 
working in the government or seeking entrance into the civil service for positions requiring 
eligibility thru an appropriate TESDA-issued NC.
SEC. 5. Identification of Positions with Qualification Standards Requiring 
Eligibility through TESDA-issued National Certificates. - The CSC and TESDA, in 
consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall identify and regularly update the


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qualification standards requiring eligibility through an appropriate TESDA-issued NC, 
taking into account the changing requirements of the workplace and the needs of the 
different government agencies and instrumentalities in ensuring the delivery of efficient 
and effective service to the public; Provided, That the NC remains in the roster of 
promulgated national qualifications of TESDA: Provided, further, That the grant of civil 
service eligibility shall be based on an unexpired NC.
SEC. 6. Application for and Award of Eligibility. - Any holder of TESDA-issued 
NC shall file the application for civil service eligibility at any office of the CSC. For this 
purpose, the CSC shall ensure that there are designated personnel at its field offices 
nationwide who shall be responsible for the conversion of TESDA-issued NCs to 
appropriate civil service eligibilities.
SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The CSC and the TESDA shall 
jointly promulgate the implementing rules and regulations for the effective implementation 
of this Act within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act.
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - Any portion or provision of this Act that is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions or provisions 
hereof as long as such remaining portions can still subsist and be given effect in their 
entirety.
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, ordinances, decrees, executive orders, 
rules and regulations, other issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved,