by Filane Mikee Cervantes/PNA
Senator Joel Villanueva on Wednesday said the newly-signed Tulong Trabaho law would provide better access to technical-vocational training, create opportunities to improve the skills of Filipino workers, and address the problem of job-skills mismatch.
Villanueva made the statement as he lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for signing into law 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.
“We thank the President and our colleagues in Congress for supporting our advocacy of providing better access to tech-voc training. We believe in the quality of work that Filipinos do, regardless of the industry they are in. We will continue to create opportunities for them to train and excel,” said Villanueva, a principal author and sponsor of the measure in the Senate.
“Naniniwala tayo na malaki ang maitutulong ng Tulong Trabaho Act na i-angat ang skills ng ating mga manggagawa kaya nagagalak po tayo at naisa-batas na ang panukalang ito (I believe that the Tulong Trabaho Act would be a great help to upgrade the skills of our workers, and I am very delighted that this bill has been enacted into law),” he added.
The law institutes the Philippine Labor Force Competencies Competitiveness Program that assesses the prevailing requirement of industries, with the help of the Department of Labor and Employment.
A Tulong Trabaho Fund will also be established to provide qualified recipients free access to TVET selected training programs (STPs) to be determined by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Board.
Qualified recipients of the Tulong Trabaho fund include individuals who are at least 15 years of age, unemployed, not in education and not in training; and employed workers who intend to develop and expand their current skills and training.
