Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 8349

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
TO ESTABLISH A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM
FOR MATURE OR OLDER WORKERS.

The Constitution, Article XIII, 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
all.

Unemployment and underemployment are perennial problems of the Philippine
goverment. News reports of banks, corporations and small and medium scale
businesses forced to close down abound.

Jobs are being lost because of the continued high interest rates forcing businesses to
slow down both in investments and in actual production. The 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 increased competition.

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LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY”/F VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL no® oh)

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
TO ESTABLISH A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM
FOR MATURE OR OLDER WORKERS

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 “Mature and Older Workers
Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Terms. - It is a policy of the State to afford full protection to
labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and
equality of employment opportunities for all.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the term:

(A) “Basic Skills Deficient” means, with respect to an individual, that the individual has
English reading or computing skills at or below the 8" grade level on a generally
accepted standardized test or a comparable scope on a criterion referenced test;

(B) “Care 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 offer job
placement;

(C) “Educational Agency” means—

(1) A public local school authority having administrative control of elementary,
middle, or secondary school 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) Apost-secondary institution;

(D) “Mature or Older Worker” means an individual who is over forty (40) years of age or
older;

(E) “Participant” means an individual who has been determined to be eligible to
participate in the program;

(F) “School Dropout” means an individual who has been determined to be eligible to
participate in the program; and

(G) “Termination” means the separation of a participant who is no longer receiving
services.

SECTION 4. Eligibility for Services. — An individual shall be eligible to participate in the
program assisted under this part of such individual is forty (40) years of age or older and
is included in one or more of the following categories:
(A) Individuals whose income is not in excess f the poverty line;
(B) Individuals who are eligible for housing assistance; or
(C) Individuals who are included in 2 or more of the following categories:

(1) Individuals who are unemployed 15 of the past 26 weeks;

(2) Individuals who are unemployed 30 of the pars 52 weeks:

(3) Individuals who are working 20 o fewer hours a week;

(4) Individuals who are displaced homemakers;

(6) Individuals who are homeless;

(6) Individuals who have finished less than 10 years of school;

(7) Individuals who are deficient in basic skills;

(8) Individuals who have been notified that the jobs of such individuals will be

terminated within the next 60 days; or
(9) Individuals who live alone.

SECTION 5. Program Design. —
(A) Program Requirements. — Each program assisted under this part shall include —

(1) 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 non-traditional 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.

Development of service strategists that shall identify the employment goal
(including, in appropriate circumstances, non-traditional employment), the
appropriate achievement objectives, and the appropriate sequence of services
for participants, taking into account the assessments conducted under
subparagraph (1), 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 in an appropriate service strategy;
(3) A review of the progress of each participant in meeting the objectives of the

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service strategy; and

(4) Basic skills training and occupational skills training if the assessment and the

service strategy indicate such training are appropriate.

(B) Additional Requirements. —

(1) Minimum Income Participants and Applicants. — Each service delivery area

participating in a program assisted under this part shall insure that each
participant or applicant shall be provided information on the full array of the
applicable or appropriate services that are available through the service
delivery area or other service providers, including providers receiving funds
under this Act; and 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.
Applicants Not Meeting Enrollment Requirements. — 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 referrals to
appropriate programs to meet the basic skills and training needs of the
applicant.

The service delivery area shall ensure that appropriate referrals are made
and shall maintain records on the referrals and the reasons for which applicants
are referred.

(3) Authorized Services. - One or more of the following training or supportive

services shall be made available to each participant under this part:

(a) Outreach and recruitment;

(b) Intake and assessment;

(c) Job search assistance;

(d) Classroom and occupational skill training;

(e) On-the-job training;

(f) Work experience;

(g) Basic remedial and education and literacy training;

(h) Supplemental services, including day care for dependent children and
adults;

(i) Occupational placement assistance.

(C) Service Providers. — In the selection of service providers, the Department of Labor
and Employment shall give preference to agencies and organizations with
demonstrated in conducting older and mature worker programs.

The Department of Labor and Employment shall develop the job training
program under this Act. It may seek the assistance of older 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.

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SECTION 6. Report. - The Secretary shall submit to the President of the Philippines and
to both the 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 serviced under this Act, and the type of services under this Act received by
participants,

SECTION 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.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is
inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended
accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,