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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by Representative Rudys Caesar G. Fariñas I 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to create the Ilocos Norte TESDA Training and Assessment 
Center in the Municipality of Piddig, Province of Ilocos Norte, which aims to 
provide technical-vocational training programs to the constituents of the 
Municipality of Piddig and its adjacent localities with the end goal of developing 
and enhancing their skills. 
In virtue of Republic Act No. 7796 or the “Technical Education and Skills 
Development Act of 1994,” TESDA is mandated to manage and supervise 
technical education and skills development in the Philippines. Since its 
establishment, it has offered relevant programs and training events to transform 
the Filipino workforce into self-reliant and productive citizens. Moreover, it 
continues to equip them with life-long learning and skills necessary for their 
future endeavors. 
Establishing an accessible TESDA Training and Assessment Center in the 
Province of Ilocos Norte will serve 21 municipalities and two cities. The programs 
and training events will benefit not only students of Grades 11 and 12 but any 
interested individual who desires to develop and enhance their skills for their 
development and future possible labor opportunities. Technical and vocational 
education is proven to be substantial in all labor aspects as they are also the 
building blocks of economic growth. Therefore, especially now, with the rapid 
developments in the Province of Ilocos Norte, it is more than substantial to 
establish a TESDA Training and Assessment Center that is par with international 
standards and boosts the socio-economic status of its citizens. 
Hence, this representation seeks the passage of this measure. 
RUDYS CAESAR G. FARIÑAS I 
November 21, 2022
3:39 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by Representative Rudys Caesar G. Fariñas I 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 
AUTHORITY (TESDA) TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER IN THE 
MUNICIPALITY OF PIDDIG, PROVINCE OF ILOCOS NORTE, TO BE KNOWN 
AS ILOCOS NORTE TESDA TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:     
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Section 1. Short Title – This Act shall be known as the “Ilocos Norte TESDA Training 
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and Assessment Center Act”. 
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Sec. 2. Establishment. – There is hereby established a Technical Education and Skills 
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Development Authority (TESDA) Training and Assessment Center in the Municipality of 
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Piddig, Province of Ilocos Norte, under the supervision of the TESDA, to be known as 
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the Ilocos Norte TESDA Training and Assessment Center. It shall be established in a 
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highly accessible location in the first legislative district of Ilocos Norte, pursuant of this 
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Act and to the mutual agreement between the TESDA and the concerned local 
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government units (LGUs). 
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Sec. 3. General Mandate. – The Ilocos Norte TESDA Training and Assessment Center, 
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hereinafter referred to as the Center, shall primarily provide technical-vocational 
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education and training (TVET) programs to students, local residents from low-income 
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families, and out-of-school youths, including persons with disabilities and indigenous 
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peoples, in the Municipality of Piddig and neighboring municipalities of the Province of 
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Ilocos Norte, to help them become productive, self-reliant and globally competitive labor 
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assets. 
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The Center shall offer training programs on relevant skills trade competencies, 
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craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship activities needed to deliver the effective 
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employment interventions that will hasten the development of the host area and 
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adjacent localities in the Province of Ilocos Norte into human resource and productive 
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hubs. 
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The Center shall also serve as TESDA-accredited Assessment Center for acquired 
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competencies in TVET programs in the Municipality of Piddig and its neighboring 
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localities in the Province of Ilocos Norte. It shall also provide teachers’ training and 
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curriculum design assistance to the secondary schools offering the technical-vocational 
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livelihood (TVL) track under the K to 12 Program in coordination with the Department 
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of Education (DepEd) and the TESDA. 
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Sec. 4. Training Programs. – The Center shall offer short-term certificate courses and 
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modular trainings in preferred technical-vocational skills and trades specialization. To 
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this end, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and 
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Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of 
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Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), National 
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Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), business-industry partners, and other 
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relevant agencies and instrumentalities, both local and international, shall provide the 
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necessary assistance to enable the Center to develop skilled manpower to achieve a 
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robust and inclusive economy in the host area and its adjacent localities. 
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The Center may establish research and technology hubs, technology development 
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farms, satellite or extension training centers, and promote mobile training programs to 
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strengthen linkages among the industry partners, the academe, and the Center geared 
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towards the acquisition of practical livelihood, employable skills, gainful employment, 
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and entrepreneurship in priority areas in the Municipality of Piddig and its adjacent 
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localities in the Province of Ilocos Norte. 
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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-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 operation, 
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automotive mechanic, refrigeration and air conditioning, electronics, and 
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operation of power tools and equipment for both medium skills grade and 
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industrial purposes; 
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b) Agriculture and aquaculture-related trainings and skills development in such 
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areas as farming technology, fishing operations technology, backyard farming 
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and home-based aquaculture and propagation innovations, mechanized farm, 
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fishing tools and equipment operation, agribusiness, agri-aqua trade technology 
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and innovations, and relevant farmers and fisherfolk’s trainings for increased 
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productivity and entrepreneurship; 
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c) Livelihood skills development courses for preferred skills employment and small-
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scale entrepreneurship, including practical skills education in arts and crafts, 
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workmanship and design, high-speed sewing, dressmaking and tailoring, 
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horticulture, livestock raising and breeding, food processing technology, home 
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technology, culinary arts and commercial cooking, cosmetology, and health and 
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wellness training; 
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d) Basic business literacy training in financial management, marketing, practical 
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accountancy, 
bookkeeping, 
office 
procedures, 
business 
processes 
and 
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application procedures, including registration, licensing, documentation, 
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business patent and intellectual property regulation, business financing and 
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investment opportunities sourcing, import-export accreditation, online home-
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based business operation, and use of social media business marketing; 
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e) Technical-vocational occupation and trades skills such as carpentry, masonry, 
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plumbing, welding, practical electricity and installation, automotive servicing, 
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electronics servicing, personal computer (PC) servicing, and such other relevant 
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practical skills courses; 
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f) Computer literacy and information technology (IT)-related skills, digital 
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technology, web design, animation, photoshop/online photography, computer 
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design, and advertising; 
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g) Social communication skills and language proficiency courses in English and 
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other languages for business process outsourcing employment and overseas job 
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placement; 
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h) Seminars on personality development, career counseling and job placement, and 
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work ethic and values; and 
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i) Other preferred skills and trades training that may be needed by the people of 
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the Municipality of Piddig and adjacent localities of the Province of Ilocos Norte 
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to enhance their capacities for practical livelihood, gainful employment, and 
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entrepreneurial activities. 
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Sec. 5. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. – The provisions of this Act 
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notwithstanding, the Center shall become operationally effective only upon the 
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determination and certification by the TESDA, through the issuance of a formal 
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recommendation and certificate of compliance, that the Center has satisfactorily 
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complied with the minimum requirements for quality standards prescribed by the 
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TESDA governing the following competency assessment: 
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a) Standard procedures and guidelines (SPGs) for the establishment and operation 
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of a Center; 
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b) Operational sustainability of the Center, in terms of licensed faculty-trainers and 
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personnel, equipment, training and laboratory facilities, instructional materials, 
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and other standard requirements of a Center; 
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c) Sustainable funding source and allocation of the budgetary requirement; 
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d) Assurance that the training programs offered are fully aligned with the minimum 
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standards of competency-based quality technical-vocational skills technology 
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and the needs of the host area and adjacent communities served in the context 
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of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Integration and the 
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Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) for TVET; and 
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e) Compliance with such other TESDA conditionalities and standards, as may be 
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necessary and applicable in establishing a Center. 
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Sec. 6. Administration. – The Center shall be headed by a Technical-Vocational 
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Administrator, under the supervision of the TESDA, who shall render full-time service 
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and be responsible for its administration and operation. 
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The Technical-Vocational Administrator shall be appointed by the TESDA 
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Director General in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Civil Service 
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Commission and the qualification requirements for such office. 
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The Technical-Vocational Administrator shall enter into agreements with locally-
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based private and public counterpart agencies or instrumentalities and persons, subject 
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to the approval of the TESDA Director General, for such assistance as may be necessary 
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to effectively implement this Act. 
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Sec. 7. Appropriations. – The TESDA Director General shall include in the Authority’s 
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program the operation of the Center, the funding of which shall be included in the 
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annual General Appropriations Act. 
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The LGUs concerned, in consultation with the TESDA, shall set aside from any 
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available local revenue an amount deemed appropriate as annual counterpart fund to 
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support the operation of the Center herein established. 
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Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days after the 
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approval of this Act, the TESDA shall, in coordination with the DOLE, DTI, DOST, DA, 
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Department of Budget and Management (DBM), DILG, NEDA, concerned LGUs, and 
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such other relevant agencies and industry-business partners of the host locality, 
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prepare and issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation 
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of this Act. 
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Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. – All provisions of existing laws, presidential decrees or 
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issuances, executive orders, letters of instruction, administrative orders, rules and 
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regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
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repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
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Sec. 10. Separability Clause. – If any portion of this Act is declared unconstitutional, 
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the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions not affected 
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thereby. 
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Sec. 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
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the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
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Approved, 
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