Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING JOB PLACEMENT OFFICES IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS 
TO PROVIDE CAREER SERVICES TO THE YOUTH 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIII Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that 
the State shall afford full protection to labor and promote full employment 
and equality of employment opportunities for all.  
One of the promises of the K to 12 Basic Education Program is that our 
high school graduates will be ready for employment right after they complete 
Grade 12. At present, unfortunately, even earning a college degree does not 
guarantee that our young graduates will find a job right away.  
As of March 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded that the 
unemployment rate in the country is at 5.8 percent.1 Thus, there is a need 
not only to generate employment opportunities, but also address the jobs 
mismatch in the country.  
This bill seeks to establish a Trabaho Center in every public high school 
in the country and bridge the gap between the demands of the job market and 
the skills and knowledge of the supply of graduates. 
It is the hope this measure to reap the benefits of the K to 12 Program 
and assist competent high school graduates in finding employment 
opportunities should they need it and facilitate a systematic job mismatching 
for young people in the country. 
1 Philippine Statistics Authority. Unemployment Rate. March 2022. 
July 11, 2022
8:00 am
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Among the functions of these Trabaho Centers shall include linking the 
industries to our academic institutions for continuous checking of curricula 
and courses offered, providing career coaching for students, and, eventually, 
facilitating the employment of students.  
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fifth District, Quezon City 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
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 Philippines 
in Congress assembled:  
SECTION 1. Short Title – This Act shall be known as the “Trabaho Centers 
in Schools Act”  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy – It is the policy of the State to promote 
full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all, and to 
afford full protection to the youth entering the labor force. In line with the 
current reforms in the education sector, the State recognizes the need to 
prepare the youth in choosing the career tracks that they intend to pursue 
and to aid in matching senior high school students with career opportunities 
after graduation.  
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms – For the purpose of this Act, the following 
terms shall refer to:  
(a) Career Advocacy Activities – Series of activities intended to prepare
students for productive career decisions that includes but is not
limited to career assessment and coaching, trainings, and job-
matching.
(b) Career Development Plan- Annual career development tool that
outlines the intended outcomes and the strategic management of
programs/services to collectively achieve the end goals of the Trabaho
Centers.
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(c) Labor-Market Information (LMI)- any information concerning the size, 
composition, functions, problems or opportunities of the labor market 
or any part thereof.  
(d) National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE)- system of assessing 
or evaluating the potential or aptitude of each and every high school 
student to guide their decisions in pursuing further education or 
employment.  
(e) Skills Registry System (SRS)- An existing system utilized by the 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) containing potential 
applicant and employment information.  
 
SECTION 4. Establishment of Trabaho Center in Schools. – Job 
Placement Offices (JPOs), hereinafter referred to as “Trabaho Centers,” shall 
be established in all public high schools, Trabaho Centers shall work in 
coordination with the Provincial, City or Municipal Public Employment 
Service Offices (PESOs) and shall be supervised by Trabaho Center 
Coordinators in Department of Education (DepEd) Division Offices. The 
Trabaho 
Center 
Coordinators 
shall 
encourage 
partnership 
Among 
Educational Institutions (EIs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), 
Industry Associations and Members, and Local Government Units (LGUs) in 
the establishment and management of the Trabaho Centers. In applicable 
areas, existing JPOs in educational institutions shall continue to operate as 
Tarbaho Centers subject to the provisions of this Act. Schools shall explore 
new and innovative systems to carry out the provisions of this Act, including 
partnering with the private sector or NGOs for an online platform. The 
Trabaho Centers shall be responsible for preparing the youth in choosing 
career tracks fit for their talents, skills, and preferences and in matching these 
to the needs of the current and future labor market.  
 
SECTION 5. Trabaho Center Career Advocates. – All Trabaho Centers shall 
have at least one (1) Trabaho Center Career Advocate with the following 
functions:  
 
(a) Keep a up-to-date database of job vacancies from employers to 
facilitate the exchange of labor market information between young job 
seekers and employers by providing employment information services 
specific to Senior High School, both for local and overseas 
employment; 
(b) Provide job linkages and networks to employers in coordination with 
the provincial, city or municipal PESOs; 
(c) Develop and administer testing and evaluation instruments for 
effective job selection, training and coaching specific to young 
jobseekers currently enrolled in educational institutions. Provided, 
that examinations are administered by qualified professionals;  


(d) Organize or coordinate career enhancement trainings or seminars for 
young job seekers, as well as those who would like to pursue further 
education, livelihood or self-employment programs;  
(e) Provide career advocacy and coaching, mass motivation and values 
development activities integrates in career programs specifically 
designed for Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum students;  
(f) Connect and partner with concerned NGOs to expand opportunities in 
improving the quality of employment facilitation programs offered in 
their school;  
(g) Lead the teachers within their school in the administration of the 
annual National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) and assist 
the students in understanding how to use their test results as guide 
in choosing their career tracks;  
(h) Prepare and submit to the Trabaho Center Coordinator a school 
specific annual career development plan and budget, including other 
regular funding sources and budgetary support; and 
(i) Prepare and submit a quarterly progress report on students assisted 
and coached to the Trabaho Center Coordinator.  
 
SECTION 6. Trabaho Center in Division Offices – Each DepEd Division 
Office shall appoint a Trabaho Center Coordinator who shall: 
 
(a) Coordinate with the LGU, PESO, the Local School Board (LSB), and 
Parent- Teacher Association (PTA) in the creation of the annual key 
career planning tool for their division, taking into consideration track 
preferences of students in their respective divisions and the industry 
most relevant to their area;  
(b) Monitor the planning, implementation and evaluation of career 
facilitation programs and materials of Trabaho Centers in Schools;  
(c) Convene Career Advocates from the different Trabaho Centers under 
their respective divisions for the creation of modules or guides 
contextualized to cover their local industry.  
(d) Share best practices among divisions and other Trabaho Centers in 
the country in a modality that would be most efficient to the 
institutions;  
(e) Train Career Advocates in administration of testing and evaluation 
instruments for effective job selection, counseling, career guidance, 
mass motivation and values development activities to be implemented 
for the career programs.  
(f) Utilize the DOLE’s Skills Registry System (SRS) to manage the records 
of transactions in relation to career facilitation and relay information 
to Trabaho Centers in Schools;  
(g) Consolidate necessary information technology structures and systems 
to improve the collection, processing, analysis, report development 


and dissemination youth career preferences and existing labor market 
information, and;  
(h) Provide linkages to training providers needed by the schools in relation 
to local industry.  
 
SECTION 7. Qualifications of Trabaho Center Career Advocates. – 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 27 of Republic Act No. 9258, 
otherwise known as the “Guidance and Counselling Act of 2004”, career and 
employment advocates, who are not registered and licensed guidance 
counselors, shall be allowed to conduct career advocacy activities for students 
of the school where they are currently employed: Provided, That they undergo 
training programs related to career advocacy. Career advocates employed 
shall hold a non-teaching position and shall focus on activities for youth 
employability programs in coordination with the DOLE and other relevant 
agencies and partner institutions, both public and private.  
 
SECTION 8. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Technical 
Vocational Institutions (TVIs). – Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and 
Technical Institutions (TVIS are encouraged to establish Trabaho Centers in 
their schools to prepare their students in choosing tracks fit for their talents, 
skills, and preferences and in matching these to the needs of the current and 
future labor market, in accordance with the provisions of this Act.  
 
SECTION 9. Information Dissemination. – The Philippine Information 
Agency, in coordination with the DepEd, DOLE and the DILG, shall ensure 
proper and adequate information dissemination of the contents and benefits 
of this Act to pertinent entities in all provinces, cities, municipalities and 
barangays.  
 
SECTION 10. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to implement the 
provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s 
appropriations of the DepEd. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for 
its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act.  
 
SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) 
days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Education, in 
coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), 
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Commission on Higher 
Education (CHED), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Technical 
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and other relevant 
agencies shall formulate the necessary rules and regulations to implement 
the provisions of this Act.  
 


SECTION 12. Separability Clause. – If any if this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of other 
provisions hereof.  
 
SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive order, and 
rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.  
 
SECTION 14. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from 
the date of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation.  
 
Approved,