APRIL 13, 2015

NR # 3800

Bill creates Ticao Island Campus of

Masbate Institute of Fisheries and Technology
A lawmaker has proposed the creation of the Masbate Institute of Fisheries and
Technology in Ticao Island in Masbate to provide high school graduates and out-of-school
youth in the area access to a public technical training provider.
Rep. Maria Vida Bravo (1st District, Masbate) authored House Bill 5575 to give the
youth in Ticao Island the opportunity to improve their lives.
In filing the measure, Bravo noted the existing poverty situation in the island, which
is primarily caused by low productivity of its human resources with limited employment
opportunities.
Bravo said this is compounded by the problem of geographical isolation especially
during typhoon months when students could hardly cross from Ticao Island to mainland
Masbate where most of the technical training providers are located.
Our migration among the youth and other members of the labor force is high but
with it has no significant impact on the local economy since most of the outbound workers
for possible employment in the urban centers lack the required skills in the domestic labor
market. Hence, employability and productivity remain an issue, Bravo said.
Bravo said there is a private higher education institution along with a number of
technical vocational education and training providers in the island but still many cannot
afford to pursue post-secondary training due to limited financial capacity of most families.
Under the measure, the National Government shall establish an extension campus of
Milagros School of Fisheries now being renamed as Masbate Institute of Fisheries and
Technology in the Island of Ticao, province of Masbate.
The Masbate Institute of Fisheries and Technology-Ticao Island Campus shall be
under the supervision of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA).
The extension campus shall provide relevant quality and affordable technical
vocational education and training to the out of school youth, high school graduates,
underemployed adults and other workers in the informal sector.
The training programs to be offered shall enhance access of greater number of labor
population to livelihood skills and other technical vocational training that will produce
multi-skilled and competent workers to support the demand in the domestic and

international labor market.

The campus training programs shall be assigned with the key employment
generators identified by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as responsive
to the requirements of the local, domestic and international labor market.
The amount of P10 Million shall be appropriated to include the procurement of lot,
the construction of building and the procurement of required training tools and equipment.
The operating expenses of the initial year of operations of the campus shall be
included, while its yearly maintenance and operating expenses shall be charged to the
appropriations of the TESDA and DOLE intended for regional manpower development
operations under the current appropriations and otherwise appropriated funds in the
National Treasury. (30) jc