House panel approves rehabilitated drug users’ skills training bill

A House committee has approved a bill that would require the government to provide technical-vocational training and livelihood programs for rehabilitated drug dependents to help them reintegrate into the workforce.

The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education on Sunday moved House Bill No. 4699 toward plenary consideration.

The measure, authored by Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez and Tingog Partylist Representative Jude A. Acidre, directs the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to create specialized pathways for individuals who have completed rehabilitation.

“When TESDA training is matched with actual job opportunities and incentives for companies, people who did the hard work of rehabilitation can finally move forward,” said Acidre, who chairs the committee.

He added that the bill aims to tackle the “social stigma” that often prevents former drug users from finding dignified work.

Under the proposal, TESDA will collaborate with the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) to design courses that focus on market-ready skills.

The measure also tasks DoLE with developing incentives for private companies that hire graduates of these programs.

To ensure the program remains sustainable, the bill requires that funding be integrated into the General Appropriations Act rather than relying on temporary or ad hoc arrangements.

If enacted, TESDA and DoLE will have 60 days to craft the implementing rules and regulations, including standards for certification and the monitoring of employment outcomes. Proponents expect the bill to receive bipartisan support as it advances to the House plenary.