Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to establish a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority 
(TESDA) Training Center in Sagrada, Minalabac, Province of Camarines Sur.  
In establishing a vocational and technical skills center, we are providing windows of 
opportunities for people under the care of our education system. The center will not 
only cater to the youth sector, but to everyone willing and able to learn skills that 
they need in order to work locally and abroad. Accessible and high-quality 
technical education and skills development centers will help the country produce 
self-reliant and able workers. 
This bill hopes to stimulate technical and vocational skills as an element of our 
economic progress. It hopes to uplift the lives of the Filipino people by giving them 
chances to acquire quality education without the economic constraints. With the 
proper infrastructure and sustained training programs available in our education 
system, we are able to provide opportunities for our constituents to help 
themselves and make them employable. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
May 24, 2023
8:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 
AUTHORITY (TESDA) TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER IN SAGRADA, 
MINALABAC PROVINCE OF CAMARINES SUR, TO BE KNOWN AS THE 
SAGRADA, MINALABAC 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: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Sagrada, Minalabac 
TESDA Training and Assessment Center Act". 
SEC. 2. Establishment. — There is hereby established a Technical Education and 
Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Training Center in a highly accessible area in 
Sagrada, Minalabac, Province of Camarines Sur, under the supervision of the 
TESDA, to be known as the Sagrada, Minalabac TESDA Training Center. 
SEC. 3. General Mandate. — The Sagrada, Minalabac TESDA Training Center, 
hereinafter referred to as the Center, shall primarily provide technical-vocational 
training and skills development programs to students and residents from low-income 
families and out-of-school youths, including college drop-outs and persons with 
disabilities (PWDs), in the Sagrada, Minalabac and the neighboring communities in 
the Province of Camarines Sur, geared towards the acquisition of practical 
livelihood, employable skills, gainful employment, and entrepreneurship.  
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The Center shall help train local residents to become productive, self-reliant and 
globally competitive middle to high-level skilled labor force to hasten the social and 
economic development of these areas, in particular, and to meet the manpower 
needs of both local and international labor markets, in general. 
 
The Center shall consider in the design of relevant technical-vocational training 
programs to be offered thereat a competency assessment of the socioeconomic 
profile, employment conditions and opportunities, business climate, market and 
industry potentials, resources available and presence of support structures, including 
the literacy level and skills readiness, and the overall development needs of the host 
area and adjacent communities within the operational radius of the Center 
established herein. The Center shall also consider the relevant skills trade 
competencies, craftsmanship training programs and entrepreneurship activities 
needed to deliver the effective employment and development interventions required 
to make these areas as human resource and economic productivity hubs. 
 
The Center shall also serve as a TESDA-accredited Assessment Center for acquired 
competencies in technical-vocational skills in Sagrada, Minalabac and other 
municipalities of the Province of Camarines Sur. 
 
Preference in admission, however, shall be given to the most disadvantaged 
citizens, including PWDs, and to the most economically depressed areas of 
Sagrada, Minalabac, Province of Camarines Sur, within the operational radius of the 
Center. 
 
The Center shall, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the 
TESDA, render relevant teachers' training assistance and curriculum design to the 
secondary schools offering technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) track under the K to 
12 Program of the DepEd in Sagrada, Minalabac and the other municipalities in the 
Province of Camarines Sur. 
 
SEC. 4. Training Programs. — The Center shall offer diverse short-term certificate 
courses and modular trainings in relevant technical-vocational skills and trades 


specialization to comply with employment standards in preferred market-driven labor 
opportunities, but shall likewise give premium efforts to skills specialization for local 
market employment requirements geared towards achieving the development needs 
for a robust inclusive economy of the host area and each of the adjacent localities 
and communities within the operational radius of the Center, in consultation with the 
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry 
(DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Interior and 
Local Government (DILG), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), 
business-industry partners, and such other relevant agencies, both local and 
international. 
 
The Center may establish, as deemed necessary and practicable, research and 
technology hubs, mobile training programs, and satellite or extension training 
centers in priority areas throughout Sagrada, Minalabac within the service radius of 
the Center to strengthen linkages among the industry, the academe and the 
technology centers thereat. 
 
To address the development and manpower needs of Sagrada, Minalabac and the 
other adjacent localities of the Province of Camarines Sur, the Center shall offer the 
following 
TESDA-registered 
technical-vocational 
training 
programs 
with 
competencies assessment leading to National Certification Levels I-III: 
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-related trainings and farm skills development in such areas as 
faming technology and farm operations, backyard farming and home-based 
aquaculture and propagation innovations, mechanized farm tools and 
equipment operations, agribusiness and Agri-trade technology and innovations, 
and relevant farmers' trainings for increased productivity and entrepreneurship; 
 


c.  
Livelihood skills development courses for preferred skills employment and 
small-scale entrepreneurship, including practical skills education in crafts and 
arts, workmanship and designing, high-speed sewing, dressmaking and 
tailoring, horticulture, livestock raising and breeding, food processing 
technology, home technology, culinary arts and commercial cooking, beauty 
culture, and health and wellness training; 
 
d.  
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; 
 
e.  
Technical-vocational occupation and trades skills such as carpentry, masonry, 
plumbing, practical electricity and installation, automotive servicing, electronics 
servicing, welding technician, personal computer (PC) servicing, and such 
other relevant practical skills courses; 
 
f.  
Computer literacy and information technology (IT)-related skills, digital 
technology, web design, animation, Photoshop/online photography, computer 
design, and advertising; 
 
g.  
Social communication skills development, language proficiency courses in 
English and other language for business process outsourcing (call center) 
employment and overseas job placement;  
 
h.  
Seminars in personality development, career counseling and job placement, 
work ethic and values; and 
 
i.  
Other preferred priority skills and trades training that may be needed by the 
people of the Municipality of Minalabac, and relevant as well to the needs of 
the other areas in the Province of Camarines Sur, to enhance their capacities 
for practical livelihoods, gainful employment, and entrepreneurship skills.  


 
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 the TESDA governing the following competency assessment:  
a)  
standard procedures and guidelines (SPGs) for the establishment and 
operation of a Center;  
b)  
operational sustainability of the Center established herein, in terms of licensed 
faculty-trainers and personnel, equipment, training and laboratory facilities, 
instructional materials, and other standard requirements as a Center; 
c)  
sustainable funding source and allocation of budget requirement of the Center 
herein established; 
d)  
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 the host area and adjacent communities served in the context 
of the ASEAN and Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) for technical-
vocational education; and 
e)  
compliance with such other TESDA conditionality’s and standards, as may be 
necessary and applicable, in establishing a Center. 
 
SEC. 6. Administration. — The Center shall be headed by a Technical-Vocational 
Administrator, under the supervision of the TESDA, who shall render full-time 
services and be responsible for the administration and operation of the Center.  
 
The Technical-Vocational Administrator shall be appointed by the TESDA Director 
General in accordance with Civil Service rules and regulations and the qualification 
requirements for such office. 
 
The Administrator shall enter into mutual agreements with locally-based private and 
public counterpart agencies or instrumentalities and persons, subject to approval by 
the TESDA Director General, for such assistance as may be necessary to effectively 
implement this Act. 


 
 SEC. 7. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to implement the provisions of 
this Act, and its continued implementation thereafter, shall be included in the annual 
General Appropriations Act. 
 
The concerned LGU, in consultation with the TESDA, shall likewise set aside from 
any available local revenue an amount deemed appropriate as annual counterpart 
fund to support the operation of the Center established herein. 
 
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days after the 
approval of this Act, the TESDA shall, in coordination with the DOLE, DTI, DOST, 
NEDA, Department of Budget and Management, DILG, concerned LGUs, and such 
other relevant agencies and industry-business partners of the host locality, prepare 
and issue the necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of this Act. 
 
SEC. 9. Separability Clause. — If, 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 in affect.  
 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, decrees, instructions, 
rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with any provision of this Act are 
repealed or amended 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,