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Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

323

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Hon. ALAN 1 B. ECLEO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 7796, it is the declared policy of the State to
provide relevant, accessible, high quality and efficient technical education and skills
development in support of the development of high quality Filipino middle-level
manpower responsive to and in accordance with Philippine development goals
and priorities. Further, the State shall encourage active participation of various
concerned sectors, particularly private enterprises, being direct participants in and
immediate beneficiaries of a trained and skilled workforce, in providing technical
education and skills development opportunities.

In realizing this policy, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA) was created and mandated to integrate, coordinate and monitor skills
development programs; restructure efforts to promote and develop middle-level
manpower; approve skills standards and tests; develop an accreditation system for
institutions involved in middle-level manpower development; fund programs and
projects for technical education and skills development; and assist trainers training
programs.

To carry out the said mandate, TESDA training centers were established in
different localities and provinces. This has abetted provinces in preventing curtailment
of employment opportunities as it increases the standards of laborers’ skills necessary
in the professional and economic development. However, there are some provinces that
are not yet endowed with provincial TESDA training centers. These provinces include
the Province of Dinagat Islands. The creation of TESDA center in the Province of
Dinagat Islands will certainly advance its agricultural sector through accessible,
affordable, and quality training, will curb unemployment rate, and will also respond to
the increasing number of interested students and out-of-school youth in the province.
Therefore, expanding the coverage of TESDA programs in the geographically-
challenged province of Dinagat Islands is undeniably apt.


In line with the preceding, this bill proposes the establishment of a Provincial
TESDA Training and Assessment Center in the Province of Dinagat Islands. This will
certainly help us move closer to shared prosperity as it will achieve an increase of
manpower development and will assure quality-assured and inclusive technical
education and skills development in the province and in the country as a whole.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is fervently called for.

ALAN 1 B. ECLEO
Representative, L District of Dinagat Islands


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 323

Introduced by Hon. ALAN 1 B. ECLEO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A PROVINCIAL TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (TESDA) TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER IN
THE MUNICIPALITY OF LIBJO PROVINCE OF DINAGAT ISLANDS, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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 “Dinagat Provincial
TESDA Training and Assessment Center Act”.

SEC. 2. Establishment. — There is hereby established a Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Provincial Training and Assessment Center
in the Municipality of Libjo, Province of Dinagat Islands, under the supervision of the
TESDA, to be known as the Dinagat Provincial TESDA Training and Assessment
Centers. The Center shall be established in strategic location in the Municipality of Libjo,
Province of Dinagat Islands, pursuant to the purposes of this Act and to the mutual
agreement between the TESDA and the concerned local government unit.

SEC. 3. General Mandate. — The Dinagat Provincial TESDA Training and
Assessment Center, hereinafter referred to as the Center, shall primarily provide
relevant and quality technical-vocational education and training (TVET), including
practical short-term specialty courses and one (1) year to three (3) year TESDA-
registered technical-vocational skills training programs and certificate courses, to out-of-
school youths, high school students and graduates, unemployed and underemployed
adults, workers in the informal sector, persons with disabilities and ethnic indigenous
people, and residents from low-income families in the Municipality of Libjo and adjacent
municipalities in the Province of Dinagat Islands.



The Center shall play a pivotal role in helping the local residents become
productive, self-reliant and to develop into competitive middle- to high-level skilled labor
force so as to hasten the social and economic development of Dinagat Isiands, as well
as meet the needs of both local and international labor markets. The Center shall
consider, in the design of relevant TVET programs to be offered therein, the preferred
skills categories based on identified development targets to propel the province to
becoming a skilled human resource and economic productivity hub.

The Center shall also serve as TESDA-accredited Assessment Centers for
acquired competencies in technical-vocational skills in the Province of Dinagat Islands.

The Center, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the
TESDA, shall offer relevant teachers’ training assistance and curriculum design to the
secondary schools providing the technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) track under the K
to 12 Program of the DepEd in the Municipalitty of Libjo and neighboring localities in the
Province of Dinagat Islands.

SEC. 4. Curricular Offerings/Training Programs. — The Center, in consultation
with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), National
Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), locally and  internationally-based
business industry partners, and other relevant agencies, shall offer diverse short-term
certificate courses and modular trainings in relevant technical-vocational skills and trade
specialization to comply with employment standards in preferred and emerging market-
driven labor opportunities. The Center shall spearhead training programs in new skills to
respond to market trends towards attaining a robust inclusive economy in the host sites
and in the adjacent localities and communities in the Province of Dinagat.

The Centers may establish research and technology hubs, technology
development farms, mobile training programs, and satellite or extension training centers
in priority areas throughout the Municipality of Libjo and neighboring localities in the
Province of Dinagat to serve the manpower needs of the area and strengthen the
linkages among the industry, the academe, and the Center.

The Center shall offer the following TESDA-registered technical-vocational
training programs with competencies assessment leading to National Certification
Levels |-lll to increase the livelihood assets and competitive productivity of the
Municipality of Libjo, and the neighboring localities in the Province of Dinagat:

(a) Skills training in industrial technology and hard trades such as metal and steel
works, machine fabrication and operation, heavy equipment operation,
automotive mechanic, refrigeration and air conditioning, electronics, and



operation of power tools and equipment for both medium skills grade and
industrial purposes;

(b) Agriculture and aquaculture-related training and skills development in such
areas as farming-fishing operations technology, backyard farming and home-
based aquaculture and propagation innovation, mechanized farm and fishing
tools and equipment operation, agribusiness, agri-aqua trade technology and
innovation, and relevant farmers’ and fisher folk’s continuing training for
increased productivity and entrepreneurship;

(c) Social communication skills development, language proficiency courses in
English and other languages for business process outsourcing (call center)
employment and overseas job placement;

(d) Livelihood skilis development courses for preferred skills employment and
small-scale entrepreneurship (including practical skills education in crafts and
arts), workmanship and designing (such as fabric, woodworks, jewelry, and
metal works), high-speed sewing, dressmaking, and tailoring, agriculture and
farm technology, horticulture, livestock raising and breeding, food processing
technology, home technology, culinary arts and commercial cooking
(including baking), beauty culture (such as cosmetology, hail and nail styling)
and health and wellness training;

(e) Basic business literacy training in financial management and marketing,
Practical accountancy, bookkeeping and office procedures, business
Processes and application procedures including registration, licensing,
documentation, business patent and intellectual property regulation, business
financing and investment opportunities sourcing, import-export accreditation,
including online home-based business operation and use of social media
business marketing;

() Technical-vocational occupation and trade skills such as carpentry, masonry,
plumbing, welding, practical electricity and installation, automotive servicing,
electronics servicing, personal computer servicing, and other relevant
practical skills courses;

(g) Computer literacy and information technology (IT)-related skills, digital
technology, web design, animation, photoshop/oniine photography, computer
design and advertising;


(h) Seminars in personality development, career counseling and job placement,
and work ethics and values; and

(i) Other preferred priority skills and trade trainings that may be utilized by the
people of the Province of Dinagat Islands for practical livelihood, gainful
employment, and entrepreneurial activities.

SEC. 5. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. - The provisions of this Act
notwithstanding, the Center established herein shall become operationally effective only
upon the determination and declaration of the TESDA, through the issuance of a formal
recommendation and certificate of compliance that the Center has. satisfactorily
complied with the minimum requirements for quality standards prescribed by TESDA
governing the following competency assessment: (a) standard procedures and
guidelines (SPGs) for the establishment and operation of a TESDA-accredited
provincial training and competency assessment center; (b) operational sustainability of
the Center established herein, such as licensed faculty-trainers and personnel,
equipment, training, and laboratory facilities, instructional materials, and sustainable
funding source for the budgetary requirement of the Center herein established; (c)
assurance that the training programs offered are fully aligned with the minimum
standards of competency-based quality technical-vocational skills technology and the
needs of host locality and the adjacent communities within the service area of the
Center; (d) program alignment and benchmarking in the context of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) framework and the PQF for TVET; and (e)
compliance with other TESDA conditionality and standards in establishing a TESDA-
accredited training assessment center, as may be necessary.

SEC. 6. Administration. ~ The Center shall be headed by a Technical-
Vocational Administrator under the supervision of the TESDA. The Technical-Vocational
Administrator shall hold the appropriate position title and rank under existing TESDA
staffing pattern, and who shall be appointed by the TESDA Director-General in
accordance with civil service rules and regulations and the qualification requirements of
the TESDA.

The Technical-Vocational Administrator shall render full-time services and shall
be responsible for the administration and operation of the Dinagat Provincial TESDA
Training and Assessment Center.

SEC. 7. Appropriations. — The Director-General of the TESDA shall include in
the Authority's program the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days after
the effectivity of this Act, the TESDA, in coordination with the DOLE, DTI, DA,


Department of Budget and Management (DBM), DILG, DOST, NEDA, the concerned
LGUs, and such other relevant agencies and industry-business partners of the host
localities, and the provincial government shail formulate and issue the necessary rules
and regulations for the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 9. Separability Clause. — \f, for any reason, any section of this Act shall be
deemed unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall not be
affected and shall thereby remain in force and effect.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, decrees, instructions,
rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation

Approved,