Republic of the Philippines.

House of Representatines

Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

5734

House Bill Number

Introduced by Representative EDGARDO ‘ERM’ RAMA MASONGSONG

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE LINEMAN TRAINING ACADEMY OF THE PHILIPPINES,
PROVIDING FOR ITS POWERS, STRUCTURE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Being one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, the Philippines has been
constantly confronted with intermittent power outages. The vicious cycle of delayed
repair and reconstruction of transmission and distribution lines has oftentimes been
aggravated by the inadequate number of linemen to carry out the repair works. This is a
serious concern that needs to be addressed.

The power lineman has been dubbed as one of the “hard to fill’ jobs in the
Philippines based on the study conducted by the Bureau of Labor and Employment
Statistics (BLES) in 2007. It is also considered to be one of the world's most dangerous
jobs. In the course of their duties and responsibilities, linemen work in a harsh and high-
risk working condition. While there seems to be lacking latest statistics to prove this
point, | personally have seen the apparent shortage of linemen in the electric power
industry, in my experience with Electric Cooperatives for more than a decade.

For all intents and purposes, some of our Distribution Utilities, including Electric
Cooperatives, have developed their own training programs for linemen. However, the
growing demand for this type of profession has not been met by increasing the number of

apprenticeship programs available to aspiring individuals who would want to be linemen
i


in the future. Hence, there remains an apparent shortage for the profession. This could
also be attributed to the high training requirements and level of expertise for this
occupation. The budget in producing a lineman is also so high that almost none can
afford to pay the training expenses. Most of the time, Distribution Utilities conduct the
trainings but their expenses in producing a lineman are passed on and is being paid by
consumers.

Thus, this bill seeks to address the growing concern for the shortage of linemen in
the power utility industry. In the absence of an initiative to put up training institutions
specifically to develop linemen, government needs to intervene through the
establishment of a Lineman Training Academy of the Philippines that shall offer free
training to qualified candidates. The Academy shall train qualified candidates to become
skilled power lineman to construct, maintain, and operate the country's power grid. The
Academy is also envisioned to play a vital role in providing skill development training to
meet the present challenges in the power industry.

By producing more linemen we can be assured that we have available and
adequate number of skilled workers to work and serve in the power industry that we
badly need especially during emergency situations. More so, with the regular trainings
conducted per region every year, those lineman graduates who will not be absorbed by
the industry or employed locally could venture working in other countries where the same
skills are also in demand. Hence, this bill will also address problem of unemployment that
would benefit the Out-of-School Youth (OSY)

Therefore, | respectfully urge my dear colleagues in this August Chamber for the
immediate passage of this bill.

EDGARDO ‘ERM’ RAMA MASONGSONG


Republic of the Philippines

Honse of Representatives

Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

5734

House Bill Number

Introduced by Representative EDGARDO ‘ERM’ RAMA MASONGSONG

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE LINEMAN TRAINING ACADEMY OF THE PHILIPPINES,
PROVIDING FOR ITS POWERS, STRUCTURE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Creation. - There shall be established in the Philippines a training
institution to be known as the LINEMAN TRAINING ACADEMY OF THE PHILIPPINES,

to be herein called as the Academy.

SECTION 2. Objectives. - The establishment of the Academy is aimed to:

a. Create a pool of skilled workers to work and serve in the country’s power
industry;

b. Address the shortage of lineman training workers in the power utility industry;

c. Develop skilled and competent workers as an alternative solution to the
perennial and nagging employment in the country; and

d. Train entry-level electrical line workers free of cost and it shall screen and train
qualified candidates to be power lineman to construct, maintain, and operate
the power grid


SECTION 3. Domicile. - The principal office of the Academy shall be established
in Cebu City. There shall also be one (1) satellite office for each region in the Philippines
to facilitate the selection process of qualified lineman trainees.

SECTION 4. Composition of the Training Academy.- The Academy shall be

composed of the Academy Training Board and Secretariat.

(a) The Academy shall be under the direction and supervision of the Administrator
of the National Electrification Administration (NEA), in close coordination with
the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and
Electric Cooperatives (ECs). The Academy's Secretariat shall be headed by a
Director-General with the assistance of a Deputy Director-General and an

appropriate number of secretariat personnel. Both the Director-General and
Deputy Director-General shall be elected by the Lineman Training Academy
Board for a fixed term of five (5) years.

(b) The Academy shall have a Training Board to be comprised of the following:

(i)
(ii)
(il)

(iv)

(v)

Administrator of the NEA — Chairperson;
Director-General of TESDA — Vice Chairperson
Director-General of the Lineman Training Academy of
the Philippines - Member;

Chairman of the Grid Management Committee (GMC)
and Distribution Management Committee (DMC) -
Member

Three (3) representatives from the Inter-regional
Association of Electric Cooperative representing
Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao

(vi) National President of Institute of Integrated Electrical

Engineering

(vii) National President of Lineman Training Association of the

Philippines

(viii) Representative from the National Grid Corporation or

concessionaire (TransCo or NGCP)

(©) Each satellite office in every region shall have a Screening Committee to be

composed of at least five (5) members.


SECTION 5. Director-General. — As head of the Academy Secretariat, the
Director-General shall also act as Chief Executive Officer to exercise general
supervision and control over its technical and administrative personnel. As such,
his duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to, the following:

(a) To submit for the consideration of the Training Board the policies and
measures which may be necessary to carry out the objectives of the Academy;

(b) To recommend, coordinate and administer the training programs and projects
of the Academy;

(c) To direct and supervise the operations and internal administration of the
Academy;

(d) To delegate administrative responsibilities in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Academy;

(e) To submit an annual report to the Training Board highlighting the activities of
the Academy during the year, including its financial operations and status, and
a program and budget for the ensuing year; and

(f) To exercise other functions and responsibilities as may be delegated by the
Board.

SECTION 6. Lineman Training Board. - The Training Board shall meet at least
twice a year, or as frequently as may be deemed necessary by its Chairperson, to
perform the following functions:

(a) To identify appropriate electrical lineman training programs that shall meet the

requirements of the power industry;

(b) To approve appointments of academic and training consultants, lecturers,
instructors, and trainers of the Academy;

(c) To approve a standardized training module which shall define the core
competencies, including, but not limited to, basic handling and operation of line
equipment such as capacitors, transformers, voltage regulators, potential
transformers, current transformers, meters, among others;

(d) To define the mode or criteria to be considered in the selection of trainees;

(e) To elect the Director-General and Deputy Director-General; and


(f) To conduct a regular annual review of the training module, which shall be
updated or upgraded as may be required by the exigencies in the power

industry.

The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Members of the Board of the Academy
shall not receive any regular salary. However, they shall receive entitlements to actual
allowances prescribed by law, and reimbursement of necessary expenses incurred
during or in conjunction with their attendance in the regular meetings or special sessions
of the Board, in connection with their official functions which shall be duly authorized by
the Board through a Resolution.

SECTION 7. Training Centers. - The NEA shall identify one (1) training center
for every region in the country, which may be an existing training facility of a Distribution
Utility (DU) or Electric Cooperative (EC). Every regional satellite office shall screen and
identify fifty (50) trainees every year.

SECTION 8. Compliance with the Salaries Standardization Law. ~ The
compensation and emoluments of the officials and employees of the Academy shall be in
compliance with the Salaries Standardization Law.

SECTION 9, Appropriations. - The amount necessary to finance the initial
implementation of this Act shall be taken from the Malampaya Fund or included in
appropriations of the National Electrification Administration (NEA). Thereafter, such funds
as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the
annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The implementing rules
and regulations to effectively carry out the provisions of this Act shall be adopted and
promulgated by the National Electrification Administration (NEA), in consultation with the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Electric Cooperatives
(ECs), not later than ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act. The IRR to be adopted
shall be published in at least one (1) national newspaper of general circulation.


SECTION 11. Separability Clause. \f any part or section of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, such declaration shall not affect in any manner other parts or sections of
this Act.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, proclamations, issuances,
or ordinances that are contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,