By Ma. Cristina Arayata/PNA
MANILA — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will soon create a technical working group to draft the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) in line with the recently signed Tulong Trabaho law.
“We target on or before May 27 to issue the IRR. Consultations with stakeholders will be done and this will be headed by a TESDA deputy director general,” Secretary Isidro Lapeña told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday.
Republic Act 11230 or An Act Instituting a Philippine Labor Force Competencies Competitiveness Program and Free Access to Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and Appropriating Funds Therefor, establishes the Tulong Trabaho Fund which provides free training fees and additional financial aid such as transportation allowances for qualified beneficiaries enrolling in selected training programs.
According to TESDA, RA 11230 will take effect on March 28, or 15 days after its publication last March 13.
The law requires TESDA to issue the IRR within 60 days after its effectivity.
Lapeña said TESDA will invite stakeholders in the industry and the academe in drafting the IRR, and may also include the Department of Labor and Employment and other concerned agencies.
The TESDA chief noted that through this law, funding availability is institutionalized. Thus, even those in private technical vocational institutions will have access to free TVET.
How does this law differ from other TESDA programs? Lapeña said there are several expanded benefits.
“There will be more beneficiaries, sources of funds, among others,” he said.
Beneficiaries, he said, would include persons at least 15 years old and are not employed.
Schools and training centers as well as industry boards can avail of the Tulong Trabaho fund by submitting list of possible beneficiaries, he added, subject to qualification criteria.
Industry boards and institutions that need funding from the Tulong Trabaho Fund may submit their list of trainees who are applying for assistance to concerned TESDA regional directors who will then assess the recipients for final approval of the Secretary.
Expanded sources of fund would come from the GAA as well as funding donations from both public and private institutions, according to TESDA.
Lapeña also noted that under this law, TESDA would cover not just the training fees but also laboratory and other administrative fees related to the completion of the course.
