SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Ragay Polytechnic Skills Institute Act ".

SEC. 3. General Mandate. - With the recent majoy developments challenging the Philippine higher and technical skills education priorities and mandates, namely: (a) the adoption of the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF); (b) the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic integration; and (c) the rapidly changing demands of the industry and the labor market at both the domestic and global market, it becomes imperative for the CASIFMAS - Ragay Campus to convert into a technical-vocational education institute to effect a major curricular program shift towards the development of world-class Filipino workforce equipped with practical and technical skills of global competence in programs responsive to labor-driven skills demand at both the domestic and global market, and aligned with the ASEAN integration framework and other relevant international agreements for technical-vocational education.

The Institute shall endeavor to offer practical specialty courses in aquaculture, fisheries and related aqua-trade industry, as well as higher level competency qualifications in technical industrial education, and trade technology. It shall continue to upgrade its curricular standards as a tertiary TESDA-polytechnic institution that caters to wide-ranging specialized technical skills courses and competency-complaint practical knowledge application.

The Institute shall offer a wide-array of one (1)-year to three (3)-year TESDA-registered technical-vocational curricular skills training programs and certificate courses, and shall aim to meet, as a long-term goal, the maximum competency requirements under Level V of the PQF, which is the Diploma Level in technical-vocational education. It shall primarily provide tertiary undergraduate technical-vocational education, and shall likewise ensure to provide the various skills trainings and trade specialization relevant to the needs of the province as well as specifically geared towards the acquisition of employable skills, gainful employment, practical livelihood and entrepreneurship.

The Institute shall play a pivotal role in primarily helping the students and out-of-school youth and residents from low-income families, including persons with disabilities, in the Municipality of Ragay and its adjacent municipalities in the Province of Camarines Sur to become productive, self-reliant, and to be developed into globally competitive middle to high-level skilled labor force to hasten the social and economic development of the Province of Camarines Sur, in particular, as well as meet the manpower placement needs of both local and international labor market, in general.

The Institute shall consider in the design of relevant technical-vocational training programs and courses to be offered thereat a competency assessment of the socioeconomic profile, employment conditions and opportunities, business climate, market and industry potentials, resources available and presence of support structures, including the literacy level and skills readiness, and the overall development needs of the host area and adjacent communities within the operational radius of the Institute established hereto. It shall likewise consider the relevant skills and trade competencies, craftsmanship training programs and entrepreneurship activities need to deliver the effective employment and development interventions required to make the Municipality of Ragay and all localities comprising the Province of Camarines Sur as human resources capital and economic productivity hubs.

The Institute shall also serve as TESDA-accredited Assessment Center for acquired competencies in technical-vocational skills in the entire Province of Camarines Sur.

Admission to the Institute and priority availment of technical-vocational education thereat, including scholarships and grants-in-aid, shall be given to the most disadvantaged citizens of the Municipality of Ragay and to the most economically depressed areas in  the province.

Further, as deemed necessary and practicable, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepED) and TESDA, the Institute shall render relevant teachers' training assistance and curriculum design to the secondary schools offering technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) track under the K to 12 Program of the DepEd in the communities and areas in the Province of Camarines Sur within the operational radius of the Institute.

SEC. 4. Curricular Offerings/Training Programs. - The Institute shall offer one (1)-year to three (3)-year technical-vocation courses and undergraduate certificate, including shirt-term courses and modular trainings in diverse relevant technical-vocational and industrial technology education to comply with employment standards in preferred marker-driven labor opportunities, but shall give premium efforts, however, to skills specialization for local employment requirements geared towards achieving the development needs for a robust inclusive economy of the Municipality of Ragay and the other local governments in the Province of Camarines Sur within the operational radius of the Institute, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), business-industry partners, and such other relevant agencies, both local and international.

The Institute may establish, as deemed necessary and practicable, research and technology hubs, mobile training programs, and satellite or extension training centers in priority areas throughout the Province of Camarines Sur to strengthen linkages among the industry, the academe, and the technology programs thereat.

The Institute shall, as far as necessary and practicable, offer the following TESDFA-registered technical-vocational courses and short-term training programs with skills regulations and competencies assessment leading to National Certification Levels I to IV, as applicable, to address the development and manpower needs of all localities in the entire Camarines Sur within the operational radius of the Institute, while offering options for higher level competency qualifications in technical industrial education, trade technology and innovation, thereby increasing the livelihood assets and competitive productivity of the Province of Camarines Sur, to wit:

(a) Agriculture and aquaculture-related trainings and skills development in such areas as farming-fishing operations technology, backyard farming and home-based aquaculture and propagation innovations, mechanized farm and fishing tools and equipment operation, agribusiness, agri-aqua trade technology and innovations, and relevant farmers and fisherfolk continuing trainings for increased productivity and entrepreneurship.

(b) Skills training in industrial technology and hard trades such as metal and steel works, machine fabrication and operation, heavy equipment operation, automotive mechanic, refrigeration and air conditioning, electronics, and operation of power tools and equipment for both medium skills grade and industrial preferred skills.

(c) Tourism and hospitality-related courses relating to hotel, restaurant and tourism development and management, including personality development and social communication skills training, language proficiency courses in English and other language competence for business outsourcing (call center) employment and overseas job placement;

(d) Livelihood skills-development courses for preferred skills employment, small-scale income generating opportunities and entrepreneurship training, including practical skills education in crafts and arts, workmanship and designing (fabric, woodwork, jewelry and metalwork), high speed sewing, dressmaking and tailoring, horticulture, livestock raising and breeding, food processing technology, home technology, culinary arts and commercial cooking, including baking, beauty culture (includes cosmetology, hair and nail styling), health and wellness trainings;

(e) Basic business literacy training in: financial management and marketing, practical accountancy, bookkeeping and office procedures, business processes and application procedures including registration, licensing, documentation, business patent and intellectual property regulation, business financing and investment opportunities sourcing, import-export accreditation, including online home-based business operation and use of social media for business marketing;

(f) Technical-vocational occupation and trade skills such installation, automotive technician and servicing, electronics technician and servicing, welding technician, personal computer (PC) servicing, and such other relevant practical technical skills courses;

(g) Computer literacy and information technology (IT)-related skills, digital technology, web design, animation, photoshop/online photography, computer design and advertising;

(h) Seminars in personality development, career counseling and job placement, work ethics and values; and

(i) Other preferred priority skills and trades training courses relevant to the needs of the people of Ragay and the other localities served within the operational radius of the Institute and the whole Province of Camarines Sur to enhance their capacities for livelihood, gainful employment and practical entrepreneurship skills.

SEC. 5. Compliance with TESDA Requirements. - The provisions of this Act notwithstanding, the conversion of the CASIFMAS - Ragay Campus into the RPSI shall become operationally effective only upon the determination and declaration of the TESDA, through the issuance of a formal recommendation and certificate of compliance, that the Institute has satisfactorily complied with the minimum requirements and quality standards prescribed by TESDA governing the following: (a) standard procedures and guidelines (SPGs) for the establishment, or conversion and operation of TESDA polytechnic institute of technical education and TESDA technology institutions; (b) operational sustainability of the polytechnic institute established herein, such as, but not limited to, licensed faculty-trainors and personnel, equipment, training and laboratory facilities, instructional materials, and other standard requirements as TESDA-polytechnic institute; (c) sustainable funding source and allocation of budget requirement of the TESDA polytechnic institute hereto established; (d) assurance that the training programs offered are fully aligned with the minimum standards of competency-based quality technical-vocational skills technology and needs of the host municipality (Ragay) and adjacent areas served in the Province of Camarines Sur in the context of the ASEAn and PQF framework for technical-vocational education; and (e) compliance with such other TESDA conditionalities as may be necessary and applicable in the conversion establishing the herein TESDA-polytechnic institute.

The Institute, however, shall not offer undergraduate higher education courses without prior approval of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and upon its compliance with the minimum requirements of CHED stipulated in CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 46, series of 2012, to operate as a college or higher education institution (HEI): Provided, That the Institute shall remain under the supervision and administration of the TESDA and shall continue to offer one (1) to three (3)-year technical-vocational courses in the field of aquaculture, fisheries, industrial education and trade technology, and such other relevant technical-vocational curricular programs and other related courses to meet the needs of the province as a whole.

SEC. 6. Administration. - The Institute shall be headed by a School Superintendent under the supervision of the TESDA, and appointed by the TESDA Director-General in accordance with civil service rules and regulations and the qualification requirements and standards for such office.

The School Superintendent shall render full-time service and shall be responsible for the administration and operation of the Institute. The duties and responsibilities of the School Superintendent shall follow the position qualification standard of TESDA for such office.

As necessary and practicable and subject to approval by the TESDA Director-General, the School Superintendent herein appointed shall enter into mutual agreements with local-based counterpart agencies or instrumentalities and persons, both private and government, for such assistance as may be necessary to effectively implement this Act.

The academic and administrative staff of the Institute shall be organized following the staffing pattern of TESDA for such type of schools pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations.

SEC. Assets, Liabilities and Personnel. - All assets, fixed and movable, personnel, records and documents of the CASIFMAS - Ragay Campus as well as its liabilities or obligations shall be transferred to the Institute. Provided, That, the positions, rights and security of tenure of faculty and personnel therein employed pursuant to existing laws prior to its conversion into the Institute shall not be impaired.

All parcels of land belonging to the government occupied by the CASIFMAS - Ragay Campus are hereby declared property of the RPSI and shall be titled under the name: Provided, That, should the Institute cease to exist or such aforementioned parcels of land be no longer needed by the Institute, the same shall revert to the CASIFMAS Main Campus located in Pasacao, Camarines Sur, or the Municipality of Ragay, Province of Camarines Sur.

SEC. 8. Appropriations. - The amount needed to initially implement the provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the Camarines Sur Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the continued operation of the Ragay Polytechnic Skills Institute shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

The local government unit (LGU), in consultation with the TESDA, shall likewise set aside from any available local revenue an amount deemed appropriate as support to the operation of the Polytechnic Institute established herein.

SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act, the TESDA, in coordination with the DOLE, the DTI, the DA, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the DILG, the concerned LGUs, and such other relevant agencies and industry-business partners of the host locality shall prepare and issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section of this Act shall be deemed unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall not be affected and shall thereby remain in force and in effect.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, decrees, instructions, rules and regulations contrary to or consistent with any provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on February 6, 2018 and August 14, 2018, respectively.

Approved: OCT 18 2018

(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
    President of the Philippines