MANILA -- President Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed a law mandating free access to technical-vocational education to address unemployment and job mismatch in the country.
In Republic Act 11230 or the Tulong-Trabaho Act signed by Duterte on February 22 and released to the media on Wednesday, the need for policies to improve the people’s living standards was cited.
"For this purpose, the Constitution encourages non-formal, informal and indigenous learning systems, as well as self-learning, independent, and out-of-school study programs, particularly those that respond to community needs," the law reads.
The law ordered the creation of a Philippine Labor Force Competencies Competitiveness Program that will assess the prevailing demands of industries, with the help of the Department of Labor and Employment, which generates studies, such as labor market intelligence reports.
The Tulong-Trabaho Fund will cover the full training fee and other expenses of qualified recipients, such as transportation allowance and laboratory fees.
The law also mandates a free assessment and certification process for those who completed the technical-vocational education and training.
The assistance is available to any person aged at least 15 years old, who is not in school, not in training or is unemployed. Employed workers who intend to develop and expand their current skills and training may also avail of the assistance.
The law mandated the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to administer the Tulong-Trabaho Fund. (PNA)
