Skills Certificate Equivalency Program Act

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 25 JUL 14 P2:44 First Regular Session int SENATE Senate Bill No. Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING AND ENHANCING THE SKILLS CERTIFICATE EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS AUTHORITY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE Republic Act No. 1080, or "An Act Declaring the Bar and Board Examinations as Civil Service Examinations," automatically grants civil service eligibility to passers of bar examinations and other licensure examinations administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Several laws also grant appropriate civil service eligibility to qualified individuals. This bill seeks to grant the same privilege to certified tech-voc graduates who are holders of National Certificates (NC) issued by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) by institutionalizing and enhancing the Skills Certificate Equivalency Program (SCEP). The SCEP involves the assessment and certification of the competencies of workers through the Philippine TVET competency assessment and certification system. The assessment process, composed of a demonstration, questioning and a written test, seeks to determine whether a tech-voc graduate or worker can perform to the standards expected in the workplace. A national certificate is awarded to those who meet the competency standards. The entire process is only carried out in accredited TESDA centers with the presence of the agency's accredited assessors. Currently, the SCEP is a partnership between the TESDA and the Civil Service Commission (CSC). Under this, the CSC grants the appropriate civil service eligibility to an NC holder who may be a government skilled worker or any individual seeking

entrance into the civil service. An individual who possesses a valid NC may file an application for the conversion of his or her NC to a civil service eligibility at any office of the CSC nationwide. An NC issued by TESDA is proof of one's expertise on a certain skill or set of skills. It is an assurance of the competencies of a skilled worker. Thus, this bill is consistent with the Constitutional policy that appointments in the civil service are made only according to merit and fitness. In fact, the formulation of qualification standards follows a stringent process that starts from endorsement of qualifications by the industry stakeholders to the TESDA Board to the approval of these qualifications for the development of training regulations. To ensure the appropriateness and relevance of these training regulations, and their accompanying competency-assessment tools, TESDA conducts a periodic review of these training regulations. This only confirms TESDA's nationwide ISO 9001:2015 Certification, which is an irreversible reform that can guarantee the quality of TESDA's services. Hence, with a quality-assured and globally recognized tech-voc training, assessment and certification systems in the Philippines, there is no doubt that the institutionalization and enhancement of SCEP will further strengthen the principle of meritocracy in the government. Like a professional license issued by the PRC, an NC issued by TESDA forms part of the requirements being sought by recruitment agencies and private companies for Filipinos seeking employment in the country and abroad. Lastly, the measure will likewise help in addressing the number of government employees hired under job order or contractual arrangements, given that the lack of the required civil service eligibility is one of the cited reasons for the inability to promote civil servants in plantilla positions. As of June 2024, the government employs at least one-third of its almost 3 million government workers, or 939,771 workers, as "job order" (JO) or "contract of service" (COS) employees. 1 Thus, the passage of this bill will ensure the security of tenure of qualified skills workers in the government, provide equal opportunities to middle skill workers to enter the civil service and, certainly, improve the image of tech-voc in the country. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. Civil Service Commission. Inventory of Government Human Resource - J0/COS and Career and Non-Career Data (as of 30 June 2024). Available at https://csc.gov.ph/downloads/statistics-and-reports/category/484-2024 (Accessed on 10 July 2025).

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES JUl. 14 P2:44 First Regular Session ) SENATE Senate Bill No. Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING AND ENHANCING THE SKILLS CERTIFICATE EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS AUTHORITY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Skills Certificate

2 Equivalency Program Act."

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The Constitution provides that appointments

in the civil service shall be made only according to merit and fitness. Towards this end, 5 it is hereby declared the policy of the State to institutionalize and enhance the Skills 6 Certificate Equivalency Program (SCEP) of the government, and to give equal opportunities to certified technical-vocational education and training (TVET) graduates to enter the civil service, uplift the dignity of middle-skilled workers, and improve the image of technical and vocational education and training in the country.

SEC. 3. Skills Certificate Equivalency Program. - There shall be

established a Skills Certificate Equivalency Program (the "Program"), which shall grant civil service eligibility to holders of Technical Education and Skills Development 13 Authority (TESDA) National Certificates (NCS). The Program shall involve the issuance of NCs to individuals who shall successfully demonstrate the required competence in specific qualifications. For this

purpose, an NC shall be provided equivalent civil service eligibility by the Civil Service 2 Commission (CSC).

SEC. 4. Coverage. - The benefit under this Act shall apply to those currently

working in the government or seeking entrance into the civil service for positions requiring eligibility thru an appropriate TESDA-issued NC.

SEC. 5. Identification of Positions with Qualification Standards

Requiring Eligibility through TESDA-Issued National Certificates. - The CSC and TESDA, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall identify and regularly 9 update the qualification standards requiring eligibility through an appropriate TESDA- issued NC, taking into account the changing requirements of the workplace and the 11 needs of the different government agencies and instrumentalities in ensuring the delivery of efficient and effective service to the public: Provided, That the NC remains in the roster of promulgated national qualifications of TESDA: Provided, further, That the grant of civil service eligibility shall be based on an unexpired NC.

SEC. 6. Application for and Award of Eligibility. - Any holder of TESDA-

issued NC shall file the application for civil service eligibility at any office of the CSC. For this purpose, the CSC shall ensure that there are designated personnel at its field offices nationwide who shall be responsible for the conversion of TESDA-issued NCS to appropriate civil service eligibilities.

SEC. 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the initial

implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the current budget of the CSC. Thereafter, the amount shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days

from the effectivity of this Act, the Civil Service Commission, in coordination with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and other relevant stakeholders, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 9. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared

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

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,

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

SEC. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

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