EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
Senate Bill No. I960
HE
1HE si¥<
e-fil
^ M A December 21 20201
time:
10:00 am
ND«X
Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri
AN ACT
CONVERTING THE BALICUATRO COLLEGE OF ARTS AND TRADES IN THE 
MUNICIPALITY OF ALLEN, PROVINCE OF NORTHERN SAMAR, INTO THE 
NORTHERN SAMAR POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Specifically on education, Article XIV, Section 1 of the Constitution mandates: 
"The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all 
levels, and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all."
This bill seeks to convert the Balicuatro College of Arts and Trades (BCAT) in 
Allen, Northern Samar into the Northern Samar Polytechnic Institute.
Balicuatro is the area in the northwestern part of Samar Island.1 Situated in 
Northern Samar, it consists of the mainland municipalities of Allen, Lavezares, San 
Isidro and Victoria and the island towns of San Antonio, Capul, and San Vicente. Allen, 
where BCAT is located, is 44 kilometers from Catarman, the provincial capital of the 
province.
The conversion to a Polytechnic Institute will provide the people of Northern 
Samar relevant technical and vocational programs. It will result in diverse employment 
opportunities in domestic and international labor markets. Further, this will highly 
contribute as an economic stimulus in the province.
Thus, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested.
iIGUEL F. ZUBIRI
1 Northern Samar is one of the three provinces into which Samar island is divided, the other two being Samar 
and Eastern Samar. The island is the third biggest in the Philippine archipelago, next only to Luzon and 
Mindanao.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. I960
HE
Ui bate:
E-FIL
December 21 20201
V>
10:00 am
time:
NOEX
Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri
AN ACT
CONVERTING THE BALICUATRO COLLEGE OF ARTS AND TRADES IN THE 
MUNICIPALITY OF ALLEN, PROVINCE OF NORTHERN SAMAR, INTO THE 
NORTHERN SAMAR POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in 
Congress assembied:
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Northern Samar
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Polytechnic Institute (NSPI) Act."
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SEC. 2. Conversion. - The Baiicuatro Coilege of Arts and Trades in the
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Municipality of Ailen, Province of Northern Samar, is hereby converted into a polytechnic
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institute, to be known as the Northern Samar Polytechnic Institute (NSPI), hereinafter
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referred to as the Institute, under the supervision and administration of the Technical
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Education and Skiils Development Authority (TESDA). It shaii be estabiished in a highly
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accessible location in the Municipaiity of Ailen, Province of Northern Samar, pursuant to
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the purposes of this Act, and to the mutual agreement of the TESDA and the concerned
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local government unit (LGU).
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SEC. 3. General Mandate - In line with the adoption of the Philippine
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Qualifications Framework (PQF) and the Senior High School Program of the Department
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of Education (DepEd), the Institute shall endeavor to restructure its technical-vocational
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education and training (TVET) curricular programs to make them responsive to the rapidly
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changing demands of the industry and the labor market in both the domestic and global
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fronts, and within the context of the mutual recognition arrangements embodied in the
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Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic integration framework and
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other relevant international agreements for technical-vocational education.
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The Institute shall endeavor to offer higher level competency qualifications in TVET
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programs and shall continue to upgrade its curricular standards as a TESDA polytechnic
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educational institution that caters to wide-ranging specialized technical, creative and
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conceptual knowledge and skills demonstrating depth and complexity in the planning,
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evaluation, initiation and management of approaches to competency compliant technical
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skills and functional knowledge application.
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The institute shall offer a wide array of one (l)-year to three (3)-year TESDA-
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registered TVET programs and certificate courses, and shall aim to meet the competency
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requirements under Level V of the PQF, which is the Diploma Level in TVET. It shall


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primarily provide undergraduate technical-vocational education, and shall likewise ensure
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the provision of various skills trainings and trade specialization courses relevant to the
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needs of the province, specifically geared towards the acquisition of employable skills,
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gainful employment, practical livelihood and entrepreneurship.
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The Institute shall play a lead role in helping students and out-of-school youths
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and residents from low-income families and persons with disabilities in the Municipality of
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Allen and adjacent municipalities in the Province of Northern Samar become productive
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and self-reliant, and to become part of a globally competitive middle to high-level skilled
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labor force to hasten the social and economic development of the Province of Northern
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Samar, in particular, as well as meet the manpower needs of both local and international
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labor markets, in general.
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The Institute shall consider in the design of relevant TVET training programs and
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course offerings a competency assessment of the socioeconomic profile, employment
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conditions and opportunities, business climate, market and industry potentials, resources
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available and presence of support structures, including the literacy level and skills
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readiness, and the overall development needs of the host area, Allen, and adjacent
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communities within the operational radius of the Institute. It shall likewise consider the
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relevant skills and trade competencies, craftsmanship training programs and
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entrepreneurship activities needed to deliver the effective employment and development
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Interventions required to make Allen and all localities comprising the Province of Northern
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Samar human resource and economic productivity hubs.
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The Institute shall also serve as a TESDA-accredited Assessment Center for
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acquired competencies in technical-vocational skills in the entire Province of Northern
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Samar.
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Priority admission to the Institute, including scholarships, grants-in-aid and student
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financial assistance, however, shall be given to the most disadvantaged citizens of the
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Municipality of Allen and to the most economically depressed areas in the province.
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Further, as deemed necessary and practicable, in coordination with the DepEd and
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the TESDA, the Institute shall render relevant teacher's training assistance and curriculum
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design offering the technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) track under the DepEd and TESDA
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in the communities and areas within the operational radius of the Institute.
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SEC. 4. Curricular Offering/Training Programs. -The Institute shall offer one
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(l)-year to three (3) year diploma courses and undergraduate certificate, including short-
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term courses and modular trainings in diverse relevant technical-vocational and industrial
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technology education to comply with employment standards in preferred market-driven
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labor opportunities, but shall give premium efforts, however, to skills specialization for
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local market employment requirements geared towards achieving the development needs
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for a robust inclusive economy of the Municipality of Allen and the other municipalities in
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the Province of Northern Samar, in coordination with the Department of Labor and
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Employment (DOLE), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of the
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Interior and Local Government (DILG), the National Economic and Development
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Authority, business-industry partners, and such other relevant agencies.
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The Institute may establish research and technology hubs, mobile training
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programs, and satellite or extension training centers in priority areas throughout the
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Province of Northern Samar to strengthen linkages among industry, the academe, and
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the technology programs of the Institute. It shall likewise adopt the use of innovative
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training modes such as information technology-assisted instruction, dual learning system.


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open distance learning, community laboratory and such other instructional programs to
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afford the community greater access to TVET and other skills training programs.
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The Institute shall offer TESDA-registered TVET courses and short-term training
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programs. Course completion in these programs shall be credited through skills
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competency assessment under National Certification (NC) Levels I to V, as applicable, and
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shall further qualify for academic recognition under the Ladderized Interface System for
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tertiary education, if compliant with the requirements under said program.
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The ■ Institute shall offer skills development options for higher competency
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qualifications in technical-industrial education, trade technology, tourism, agricultural
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technology, business literacy, and innovation in TESDA-registered skills courses as
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follows:
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(a) Skills training in industrial technology and hard trades such as metal and 
steelwork, machine fabrication and operation, heavy equipment operation, 
automotive mechanical assembly, 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 trainings and skills development in such 
areas as farming technology, fishing operations technology, backyard farming 
and home-based aquaculture and propagation innovations, mechanized farm 
tools and equipment operation, agribusiness and agri-aqua trade technology 
and innovations, and relevant farmers and fisherfolks' trainings for Increased 
productivity and entrepreneurship;
(c) Livelihood skills development courses for preferred skills employment and 
small-scale entrepreneurship, including practical skills education in arts and 
crafts, workmanship and design, high-speed sewing, dressmaking and 
tailoring, horticulture, livestock raising and breeding, food processing 
technology, home technology, culinary arts and commercial cooking, 
cosmetology, and health and wellness training;
(d) Basic business literacy training in financial management, marketing, practical 
accountancy, bookkeeping, 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, online home- 
based business operation, and use of social media business marketing;
(e) Technical-vocational occupation and trades skills such as carpentry, masonry, 
plumbing, welding, practical electricity and installation, automotive servicing, 
electronics servicing, personal computer servicing, and such other related 
technical skills courses;
(f) Computer literacy and information technology-related skills, digital technology, 
web design, animation, photoshop/online photography, computer design and 
advertising;
(g) Social communication skiils development and language proficiency courses in 
English and other languages for business process outsourcing employment and 
overseas job placement;


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(h) Seminars in personaiity deveiopment, career counseling and job placement, 
work ethics and values;
(i) Other preferred priority skills that may be needed by the people of Allen and 
relevant to the needs of the other service areas in the Province of Northern Samar 
to enhance their capacities for practical livelihood, gainful employment and 
entrepreneurship skills.
Section 5. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. - The provisions of this 
Act notwithstanding, the conversion of the Balicuatro College of Arts and Trades into the 
Northern Samar .Polytechnic Institute 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 Institute has satisfactorily 
complied with the minimum requirements for standards of quality prescribed by the 
TESDA governing the following:
(a) Standard procedures and guidelines for the establishment, or conversion and 
operation of a polytechnic institute;
(b) Operational sustainability of the Institute in terms of licensed faculty/trainors 
and personnel, equipment, training and laboratory facilities, instructional 
materials, and other standard requirements as an Institute;
(c) Sustainable funding source and allocation of budget requirement of the 
Institute;
(d) Full alignment of the training programs offered yvith the minimum standards of 
competency-based quality technical-vocational skills technology and needs of 
the host municipality, Allen, and adjacent areas served within the context of 
the PQF and ASEAN framework for technical-vocational education; and
(e) Compliance with such other TESDA conditionalities as may be necessary and 
applicable in its conversion into the Northern Samar Polytechnic Institute.
Section 6. Administration. - The Institute shall be headed by a School 
Superintendent under the supervision of the TESDA and appointed by the TESDA Director 
General in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission and 
the qualification requirements and standards for such office.
The School Superintendent shall render full-time services and be responsible for 
the administration and operation of the Institute.
The academic and administrative staff of the Institute shall be organized according 
to the staffing pattern prescribed by the TESDA for such type of schools pursuant to 
existing laws, rules and regulations.
Section 7. Assets,. Liabilities and Personnel. - All assets, fixed and movable, 
personnel, records and documents of the Balicuatro College of Arts and Trades, as well 
as its liabilities or obligations shall be transferred to the Institute: Provided, That the 
positions, rights and security of tenure of faculty and personnel therein employed 
pursuant to existing laws prior to its conversion into the Institute shall not be impaired.
All parcels of land belonging to the government occupied by the Balicuatro College 
of Arts and Trades are hereby declared property of the Northern Samar Polytechnic


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Institute and shall be titled under that name: Provided, That, should the Institute cease
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to exist or such aforementioned parcels of land may no longer be needed by the Institute,
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the same shall revert to the LGU concerned, or to the Municipality of Alien, Province of
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Northern Samar.
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Section 8. Appropriations. - The amount needed to initially implement the
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provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the
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Balicuatro College of Arts and Trades. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for
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the continued operation of the Northern Samar Polytechnic Institute shall be included in
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the annual General Appropriations Act.
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Section 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days
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after the approval of this Act, the TESDA, in coordination with the DOLE, the DTI, the
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Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the DILG, the concerned LGUs, and such
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other relevant agencies and industry-business partners of the host locality, shall prepare
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and issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
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Section 10. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section of this Act
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shall be deemed unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall
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not be affected and shall thereby remain in force and in effect.
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Section 11. Repealing Clause.- All laws, executive orders, decrees,
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instructions, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with any provision of this
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Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
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Section 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved, .