Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11230)
The short title of Republic Act No. 11230 is the "Tulong-Trabaho Act."
The main purpose is to promote a just and dynamic social order to ensure prosperity and independence of the nation, and to free the people from poverty by providing adequate social services, promoting full employment, raising the standard of living, and improving quality of life.
The objectives include: (a) strengthening the qualifications of the Filipino workforce; (b) providing innovative approaches to TVET linked to industry needs to address unemployment and job-skill mismatch; (c) facilitating access to quality TVET; (d) encouraging participation of industry and communities in competency formation and upgrading.
Competencies refer to the standard knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values required to complete work activities in a particular job, trade, or occupation.
It is a program established under this Act to strengthen workforce competencies, funded through the Tulong-Trabaho Fund to provide access to selected TVET programs.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is primarily responsible for managing the Tulong-Trabaho Fund.
Qualified recipients are (a) any person at least 15 years old who are not employed, not in education, and not in training (NEET), and (b) employed workers who intend to develop and expand their current skills and trainings. However, existing workers in enterprise-based companies or industries currently trained by their employers are excluded.
The Fund covers full payment of training fees for Selected Training Programs (STPs), transportation allowance, laboratory fees, and all costs related to assessment, certification, and other administrative procedures required for completing TVET programs under the STPs.
STPs are technical-vocational education and training programs recommended by pertinent industries and covered by the TESDA Board, which may be school-based, center-based, community-based, enterprise-based, or web-based.
The TESDA Board approves the final list based on the TESDA Secretariat's recommendation, considering Labor Market Intelligence Reports, employment data from DOLE, skills matching data, Human Resource Development Roadmaps, and other relevant studies.
Industry boards or bodies apply for funding for STPs and submit the list of trainees requesting assistance to TESDA Regional Directors, who assess and recommend qualified recipients to the TESDA Director General.
At least 80% of the beneficiaries must pass the competency assessment and certification system.
They are subject to performance review and audit by the TESDA Board, and further criteria and standards will determine whether they continue receiving financial assistance.
TESDA shall create a public online registry of schools and training centers offering STPs and a database of qualified recipients and graduates, accessible through TESDA’s website. Also, an annual public report on the utilization of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund shall be issued.
It is composed of six members each from the House of Representatives and the Senate, with at least one minority member from each chamber, tasked to monitor and review the Act’s implementation and the disbursement of funds.
The Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.