Reintegration Through Skills Act

Senate Office of the Secretarp TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 26 MAY -5 P.3:44 First Regular Session ) SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. _ 2104 Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT MANDATING THE ECONOMIC REINTEGRATION OF REHABILITATED DRUG DEPENDENTS THROUGH TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND LIVELIHOOD PROGRAMS, ESTABLISHING THE REINTEGRATION THROUGH SKILLS INITIATIVE, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE Substance use and drug dependence in the Philippines have long been treated primarily as matters of law enforcement and criminality. Individuals who have undergone rehabilitation often continue to face prejudice and barriers to reintegration. 1 This stigma, deeply embedded in society, perpetuates shame, discourages recovery, and hinders opportunities for self-reliance and dignity. Without meaningful support, rehabilitated drug dependents remain exposed to unemployment, poverty, and relapse. This bill recognizes that rehabilitation must go beyond treatment. It guarantees that no rehabilitated drug dependent who meets standard enrollment requirements shall be excluded from any program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) solely on the ground of prior drug dependence. It also establishes the Reintegration Through Skills Initiative within TESDA, which provides a structured layer of support services enabling rehabilitated drug dependents to enroll in, complete, and benefit from regular TESDA programs. These support services include intake and 1 Cunanan, 2019. Lived Experiences of Stigma Among Filipino Former Drug Depedents: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Philippine Journal of Psychology. https://pap.ph/assets/files/journals/lived-experiences-of-stigma-among-filipino- former-drug-dependents-an-interpretative-phenomenologica.pdf

referral, prior learning assessment, health and wellness support, continuous psychosocial support, peer mentoring, trainer sensitization, flexible delivery modalities, and entrepreneurship assistance. The measure further mandates DOLE to facilitate job placement, engage employers, and supply TESDA with labor market data to ensure that training corresponds to actual employment demand. TESDA certificates issued to graduates under this measure will reflect only the competencies earned and will stand on equal footing with certificates issued to any other Filipino who has completed the same qualification. By embedding these programs within TESDA's regular functions, the measure provides a sustainable framework for reintegration. It acknowledges that education and livelihood are powerful tools for rebuilding lives, restoring dignity, and breaking cycles of marginalization. In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought. LOREN LEGARDA

Sentate Difice of the Secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 26 MAY -5 P3:44 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVED BY 2104 S. No. _ Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT MANDATING THE ECONOMIC REINTEGRATION OF REHABILITATED DRUG DEPENDENTS THROUGH TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND LIVELIHOOD PROGRAMS, ESTABLISHING THE REINTEGRATION THROUGH SKILLS INITIATIVE, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in the Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Reintegration Through

2 Skills Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote the right

4 of every person to dignified and gainful work and to ensure the full reintegration of 5 rehabilitated drug dependents into productive society. The State recognizes that 6 lasting recovery from drug dependence requires not only medical treatment and 7 psychosocial rehabilitation but also economic empowerment through access to skills training, livelihood opportunities, and employment. Toward this end, the State shall provide rehabilitated drug dependents with access to technical-vocational education and training and livelihood programs that equip them with competitive, employable skills and enable their full reintegration into a productive society.

Sec. 3. Coverage and Eligibility. - This Act covers Filipino citizens who have

14 fully completed a drug dependency treatment and rehabilitation program and who

1 hold a valid Certificate of Completion or Discharge issued by: 2 (a) Any Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center accredited by the Department of Health (DOH); or 4 (b) Any community-based or other treatment, rehabilitation, aftercare, or recovery program for persons with drug use disorders that is certified by the DOH or recognized by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB). Participation in the Program established under this Act shall be strictly 8 voluntary. No person shall be compelled to enroll, and participation shall not be made 9 a condition for the exercise of any legal right or entitlement.

Sec. 4. Mainstreaming and Non-Exclusion. - No rehabilitated drug dependent

who meets the standard enrollment requirements of any program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall be denied access to, or excluded from, any technical-vocational education and training course, livelihood program, scholarship, or assessment service offered by TESDA solely on the ground 15 of prior drug dependence.

Sec. 5. TESDA Services Under the Reintegration Through Skills Initiative. -

There is hereby established under TESDA the Reintegration Through Skills Initiative, which shall provide the following support services to rehabilitated drug dependents enrolled in TVET programs: (a) Intake and Referral. TESDA shall receive referrals from DOH-accredited Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers, DOH-certified or DDB-recognized Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Programs, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), local government units (LGUs), and other referring agencies, and shall conduct needs and aptitude assessment to match each participant with the appropriate TVET qualification or livelihood course based on their skills, interests, and employment goals; (b) Prior Learning Assessment. TESDA shall conduct prior learning assessment to recognize the existing competencies of participants, ensuring that demonstrated competencies are credited toward the applicable TVET qualification; (c) Health and Wellness Support. In coordination with the DOH, TESDA shall

integrate health and wellness components into its support services for participants, including mental health awareness, relapse prevention, and occupational health modules, drawing on DOH-accredited Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center staff and DOH-certified community health workers as resource persons and co-facilitators; (d) Continuous Psychosocial Support. In coordination with DSWD and DOH, TESDA shall ensure that participants have access to psychosocial support services, including counseling and mental health referrals, throughout the duration of their training and not only at the point of intake; (e) Peer Mentoring. TESDA shall establish a peer mentoring component within its support services, drawing on individuals who have successfully completed rehabilitation and reintegrated into employment, to provide guidance, encouragement, and practical support to current participants; and (f) Trainer Sensitization and Capacity Building. TESDA shall require all trainers and personnel involved in the delivery of training to participants under this Act to undergo orientation and capacity building on the specific needs, rights, and circumstances of rehabilitated drug dependents, including the avoidance of stigmatizing attitudes and practices in the training environment. (g) Flexible and Accessible Delivery. TESDA shall make available flexible training modalities, including community-based, mobile, and blended learning approaches, to ensure that participants can regularly attend training; and (h) Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Support. In coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and LGU livelihood offices, TESDA shall provide entrepreneurship orientation and micro-enterprise development support as a livelihood pathway for participants who opt for self-employment;

Sec. 6. Employment Facilitation by DOLE. TESDA, in coordination with the

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), shall provide the following services to participants who have completed a TVET program under this Act: (a) Job Placement. DOLE shall provide job-matching, placement assistance, and linkage to apprenticeship and learnership programs through its Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) and other employment facilitation

mechanisms; (b) Employer Engagement. DOLE shall actively promote the hiring of participants who have completed training under this Act through job fairs, the PESO network, and employer advocacy initiatives; and (c) Labor Market Intelligence. DOLE shall regularly provide TESDA with labor market data and skills demand information to guide the selection and design of TVET courses most likely to yield employment outcomes for participants under this Act.

Sec. 7. Inter-Agency Coordination. - TESDA and DOLE shall implement their

respective mandates under this Act in coordination with DOH, DDB, DSWD, DTI, and concerned LGUs. The coordinating agencies shall jointly ensure the following: (a) Clear and operational referral pathways from Drug Abse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers and Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Programs to TESDA, so that eligible graduates are informed of and connected to training opportunities at the point of or shortly after completion of rehabilitation; (b) Integration of TESDA services under this Act with existing community reintegration services and similar reformation and aftercare programs, ensuring coherence and continuity of support for participants across all stages of rehabilitation and reintegration; and (c) Active participation of LGUs as referral, coordination, and delivery partners.

Sec. 8. Non-Discrimination in Employment. No participant who has completed

a TVET program under this Act shall be disqualified from employment, refused hiring, 23 demoted, or subjected to any adverse employment action solely on the ground of prior 24 drug dependence.

Sec. 9. Certificates and Official Records. TESDA certificates, qualifications, and

official records issued to participants under this Act shall reflect only the competencies 27 earned and the TVET qualification obtained. No certificate, transcript, official 28 document, or record issued under this Act or in connection with the services provided 29 hereunder shall indicate, disclose, or in any way suggest that the holder is or was a rehabilitated drug dependent. Information pertaining to a participant's status as a rehabilitated drug dependent shall be used solely for internal administration purposes

1 and shall not be disclosed to employers, training institutions, or any third party without 2 the prior written consent of the participant concerned. All personal information collected in the course of implementing this Act, including information identifying a person as a rehabilitated drug dependent, shall be protected in accordance with Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the Data 6 Privacy Act of 2012, and other applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

Sec. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation

of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of TESDA. Thereafter, 9 such sums as may be necessary shall be included in the annual General Appropriations 10 Act.

Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from

the effectivity of this Act, TESDA and DOLE, in consultation with DOH, DDB, DSWD, concerned LGUs, and other stakeholders, shall jointly promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

Sec. 12. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared

unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive

19 order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this 20 Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following

its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,