FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 58'7 
) 
) 
) 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 13, Section 3 provides: 
"The State shall afford full protection to labor, local 'and 
overseas, organized and unorganized, 
and promote full 
employment and equality of employment opportunities for 
a/l. " 
Unemployment and underemployment are perennial problems of the 
Philippine government. News reports of banks, corporations and small and 
medium scale businesses forced to close down abound. 
This trend undoubtedly places the mature and older workers at a 
disadvantage. Those who are previously employed may suddenly find 
themselves jobless, while those who have never been employed might have less 
chances of being hired because of the increased competition. 
It is thus the purpose of this bill to establish programs to prepare mature or 
older workers for participation in the labor force by increasing occupational and 
educational skills resulting in improved long-term employability, and increased 
employment and earnings. 
In view of the foregoing, the early approval of this bill is earnestly solicited. 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
} 
} 
} 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 5 B 7 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM FOR MATURE OR OLDER 
WORKERS 
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 "Mature and 
Older Workers Act." 
' 
SEC. 2. Definition of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to afford full 
protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote 
employment and equality of employment opportunities for all. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term: 
(A) 
(B) 
The term "Basic Skills Deficient" means, with respect to an 
individual, that the individual has English reading or computing 
skills at or below the 81h grade level on a generally accepted 
standardized test or a comparable score on a criterion-
referenced test; 
The term "Case Management" means the proVISion, in the 
delivery of a service, of a client-centered approach designed to-
1) prepare and coordinate a comprehensive employment plan, such 
as a service strategy, for a participant to ensure access to a 
necessary training and support service; and 
2) provide job and career counseling during program participation . 
and after job placem,ent. 
(C) The term "Educational Agency" means -
1) a public local school authority having administrative control of 
elementary, middle, or secondary schools or providing adult 
education; 


2) a public or private institution that provides alternative middle or high 
school education; 
3) a public education institution or agency having administrative 
control of secondary or post-secondary vocational education 
programs; or 
4) post-secondary institution; 
(D) The term "Mature or Older Worker" means an individual who is 40 
years of age or older; 
(E) The term "Participant" means an individual who has been 
determined to be eligible to participate in the program; 
(F) The term "School Dropout' means an individual who is no longer 
attending any school and who has not received a secondary school 
diploma or a certificate from a program of equivalency for such a 
diploma; and 
(G)The term "Termination" means the separation of a participant who 
is no longer receiving services. 
SEC. 4. Eligibility for Services. -
An individual shall be eligible to participate in the program assisted under 
this part if such individual is forty (40) years of age or older and is included in one 
or more of the following categories: 
(1) Individuals whose income is not in excess of the poverty line; 
(2) Individuals who are eligible for housing assistance; or 
(3) Individuals who are included in two (2) or more of the following categories: 
a) Individuals who are unemployed 15 of the past 26 weeks; 
b) Individuals who are unemployed 30 of the past 52 weeks; 
c) Individuals who are working 20 or fewer hours a weeks; 
d) Individuals who are displaced homemakers; 
e) Individuals who are homeless; 
f) Individuals who have finished less than 10 years of school; 
g) Individuals who are deficient in basic skills; 
h) Individuals who have been notified that the jobs of such 
i) individuals will be terminated within the next 60 days; or 
j) Individuals who live alone. 


SEC. 5. Program Design. - (a) IN GENERAL -
(1) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS - Each program assisted under this part shall 
include -
(A) 
an objective assessment, using the case management 
technique, of the skill levels and service needs of each 
participant, 
including 
such 
factors 
as 
baSic 
skills, 
occupational skills, prior work experience, employability, 
interests, aptitudes (including interests and aptitudes for 
nontraditional employment) and supportive service needs, 
except that a new assessment of a participant is not 
required if the program determines that a recent assessment 
of the participant conducted under another education or 
training program, is an appropriate assessment; 
(8) 
development of service strategies that shalf identify the 
employment goal (including in appropriate circumstances, 
nontraditional employment), the appropriate achievement 
objectives, and the appropriate sequence of services for 
participants, taking into account the assessments conducted 
under subparagraph (A), except that a new service strategy 
is not required if the program determines a recent service 
strategy developed for the participant under another 
education or training program is an appropriate service 
(C) 
strategy; 
(D) 
a review of the progress of each participant in meeting the 
objectives of the service strategy; and 
(E) 
basic skills training and occupational skills training if the 
assessment and the service strategy indicate such training 
is appropriate. 
(2) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS -
(A) MINIMUM INCOME PARTICIPANTS AND APPLICANTS - Each 
service delivery area participating in a program assisted under this Act shall 
ensure that each participant or applicant described in paragraph (I), (2), or (3) of 
Section 4 shall be provided -
(i) 
information on the full prray of applicable or appropriate services that 
are available through, the service delivery area or other service 
providers, including providers receiving funds under this Act; and 
(ii) 
referral to other appropriate training and educational programs that 
have the capacity to serve the participant or applicant either on a 
sequential or concurrent basis. 
(8) APPLICANTS NOT MEETING ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS -
(i) 
SERVICE PROVIDERS - Each service provider shall ensure 
that an eligible applicant who does not meet the enrollment 
requirements of the particular program of the provider shall 
be referred to the service delivery area for further 


assessment, as necessary, and referral to appropriate 
programs to meet the basic skills and training needs of the 
applicant; 
(ii) 
SERVICE DELIVERY AREA - The service delivery area shall 
ensure that appropriate referrals are made under clause (i) 
and shall maintain records on the referral and the reasons for 
which applicants are referred. 
(b) AUTHORIZED SERVICES - One or more of the following training or 
supportive services shall be made available to each participant under this part: 
1) Outreach and recruitment; 
2) Intake and assessment; 
3) Job search assistance; 
4) Classroom and occupational skills training; 
5) On-the-job training; 
6) Work experience; 
7) Basic and remedial education and literacy training; 
8) Supplemental services, including day care for dependent children and 
adults; 
9) Occupational placement assistance; 
(c) SPECIAL RULES -
1) SELECTION OF SERVICE PROVIDERS - In the selection of service 
providers, the Department of Labor and Employment shall give preference 
to agencies and organizations with demonstrated competence in 
conducting older and mature worker programs. 
2) (2) JOB TRAINING PLAN - The Department of Labor and Employment 
shall develop the job training program under this Act. It may seek the 
assistance of other government agencies such as the Department of 
Education and the help of private educational agencies. It shall also 
formulate the necessary implementing rules and regulations that will 
ensure the efficient and effective implementation of this Act. 
SEC. 6. 
Report. - The Secretary shall submit to the President of the 
Philippines and to both Houses of Congress, not later than the opening of the 
regular session each year, an annual report on the status of the implementation 
of this Act. The annual report shall include an analysis, for each province and on 
a nationwide basis, of the number of participants served under this Act, and the 
type of services under this Act received by participants. 


• 
SEC. 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SEC .. 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified or amended accordingly. 
SEC. 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,