The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education has approved on third reading a measure that would require the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to provide vocational training and livelihood opportunities to rehabilitated drug users.
House Bill 4699, authored by Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Tingog party-list representatives Yedda Marie Romualdez, Andrew Julian Romualdez, and Jude Acidre, seeks to institutionalize technical-vocational education and training (TVET) as a standard tool for societal reintegration.
The proposed legislation mandates that TESDA develop specialized programs to equip former dependents with employable skills, ensuring they have sustainable means of income after completing treatment.
Under the bill, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is also tasked with creating an incentive system for private companies that choose to hire graduates of these reintegration programs.
Funding for the initiative will be sourced from the annual General Appropriations Act, effectively making the training a permanent part of TESDA’s regular service offerings.
Committee chair Rep. Jude Acidre stated that the measure focuses on providing dignity to recovering individuals by moving beyond clinical treatment toward real-world economic opportunities.
He noted that once the bill is signed into law, both TESDA and DOLE will be required to finalize the implementing rules and regulations within a 60-day period.
The bill now moves forward in the legislative process as part of a broader effort to reduce recidivism through gainful employment.
