AN ACT ESTABLISHING LIVELIHOOD AN SKILLS TRAINING CENTERS IN FOURTH

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Republic Act No. 9509 (Barangay Livelihood and Skills Act of 2008)

Declaration of Policy (Section 2):
- Give highest priority to social reform and poverty alleviation through rural empowerment.
- Ensure national economic development programs promote equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth across all areas.
- Enhance quality of life for all citizens, especially the underprivileged, by expanding their economic productivity and incomes.
- Pursue rural development with social inclusion.

Objectives (Section 3):
- Promote and support establishment and maintenance of livelihood and skills training centers in every fourth, fifth, and sixth class municipalities. (Section 3a)
- Ensure proper coordination and implementation of government livelihood and skills training at municipal and barangay levels. (Section 3b)
- Ensure available training is provided to barangay communities in need of government assistance. (Section 3c)
- Ensure training needs of barangay communities based on local development plans are identified and provided. (Section 3d)
- Prioritize rural areas with highest poverty incidence in providing programs and services under this Act. (Section 3e)

Establishment of Livelihood and Skills Training Center (Section 4):
- A livelihood and skills training center shall be established in every fourth, fifth, and sixth class municipality.
- Other municipalities may be covered upon determination by the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), considering factors like population density, poverty incidence, income class, economic development, employment levels, availability of raw materials, and existing training programs.

Powers and Functions of the Center (Section 5):
- Conduct periodic training needs determination and skills mapping of barangays within their jurisdiction, coordinating with local development councils and planning offices. (Section 5a)
- Gather information and maintain inventory of all existing government livelihood and skills training programs. (Section 5b)
- Coordinate provision of livelihood and skills training to ensure responsiveness to barangay needs. (Section 5c)
- Coordinate and conduct livelihood and skills training independently or in partnership with government agencies, private sector, or civil society organizations. (Section 5d)
- Facilitate development and implementation of capability-building programs and services for effective skills development targeting poor barangays. (Section 5e)
- Develop capability to devise training curricula and designs. (Section 5f)
- Develop capacity as a resource center for livelihood and skills training by developing in-house trainers. (Section 5g)
- Monitor and evaluate progress of individuals or groups undergoing training and implementation of programs to ensure relevance and usefulness. (Section 5h)
- Ensure the Center is networked with government efforts covering other aspects of livelihood development like marketing and financing. (Section 5i)

Creation of a Municipal Advisory Board (Section 6):
- Municipal governments shall be responsible for instituting and maintaining the Center with assistance from a Municipal Advisory Board.
- The Board shall be chaired by the municipal mayor and composed of representatives from business organizations, micro, small and medium-scale enterprises, rural bankers, civil society organizations, and people's organizations undertaking livelihood and skills training.
- Ex officio members include provincial officers from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Powers and Functions of the Municipal Advisory Board (Section 7):
- Provide policy advice and direction to guide development of plans, programs, and activities of the Center.
- Develop information, education, and communication plan to promote the Center.

Program and Service (Section 8):
- The Center shall provide livelihood and skills training services to develop individual and/or collective knowledge, skills, and attitudes of residents for productive employment and/or entrepreneurship, including but not limited to:
- Practical skills for home-based, income-generating projects like backyard gardening, aquaculture, livestock raising, and other endeavors using available community resources. (Section 8a)
- Business development services like product design and development, marketing and promotions. (Section 8b)
- Basic entrepreneurial management, financial literacy, organizational development, and other trainings. (Section 8c)
- Community participation skills development to promote awareness and application of community mobilization approaches, cooperative systems, and participatory implementation of livelihood programs and projects. (Section 8d)
- Occupational hazard and safety, labor rights, and values that promote general welfare, people empowerment, self-reliance, and self-help. (Section 8e)
- Sustainable development and environment-friendly livelihood technologies. (Section 8f)

Establishment of Satellite and Mobile Training Centers (Section 9):
- The Centers shall establish satellite or mobile livelihood and skills training centers in barangays or clusters of barangays where necessary to reach intended beneficiaries.
- Private persons, groups, organizations, or business entities may sponsor the establishment, operation, and/or maintenance of satellite or mobile centers, provided their activities are consistent with the objectives of this Act and the priority training needs of the community.

Operation and Maintenance of Centers (Section 10):
- The Centers and satellites must be located in safe and accessible areas.
- The municipal government shall ensure the Centers are supported by appropriate organizational support systems and mechanisms, including human resources.
- The municipal mayor shall have overall supervision over the programs and services offered by the Centers, with assistance and guidance from the Municipal Advisory Board.
- The municipal mayor shall appoint a full-time Municipal Training Coordinator (MTC) to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Center.
- The municipal mayor shall determine the number of staff and appoint personnel to assist the MTC, which may include barangay council officers and members, volunteers, and students on practicum courses.
- The municipal government shall set aside funds from available local revenues for the operation and maintenance of the Center and satellite centers.

Role of the National Government (Section 11):
- The national government shall promote and guarantee the establishment of the Centers and assist local governments in instituting, maintaining, and ensuring effectiveness of the services provided.
- The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) shall adopt guidelines for identifying additional municipalities to be covered under this Act.
- The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall jointly develop and implement a program to facilitate the establishment of the Centers within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act. TESDA shall allocate twenty-five percent (25%) of its total annual appropriations for this purpose.
- All national government agencies conducting community-based livelihood and skills training shall develop annual training programs specifically for the municipalities covered under this Act, allocate funding from their annual appropriations, coordinate with the Centers for implementation, and submit an annual accomplishment report to the NAPC.
- The NAPC shall consolidate the submissions of the agencies and submit to Congress a consolidated accomplishment report and recommendations for effective implementation of this Act.

Donations (Section 12):
- The Center may receive donations or bequests of property or services, which shall be utilized only for program implementation.
- Such donations or bequests of property shall be covered by the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) exempting them from taxes and other fees and/or procedures.

Repealing Clause (Section 13):
- Laws, executive orders, circulars, regulations, and memoranda inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Separability Clause (Section 14):
- If any provision of this Act is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall be given full force and effect.

Effectivity Clause (Section 15):
- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.