Technical Assistance Report

Project Number: 49117-001

Capacity Development Technical Assistance (CDTA)
October 2015

Republic of the Philippines: Support for the

Nationwide Rollout of JobStart Philippines

This document is being disclosed to the public in accordance with ADB's Public
Communications Policy 2011.
The views expressed herein are those of the consultant and do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s
members, Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature.
 CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS
(as of 28 September 2015)

Currency unit – peso/s (P)

P1.00 = $0.0214
$1.00 = P46.765000

ABBREVIATIONS

ADB – Asian Development Bank

BLE – Bureau of Local Employment
DOLE – Department of Labor and Employment
JSP – JobStart Philippines
LGU – local government unit
PESO – Public Employment Service Office
TA – technical assistance

NOTES

(i) The fiscal year (FY) of the Government of the Philippines ends on 31 December.
“FY” before a calendar year denotes the year in which the fiscal year ends, e.g.,
FY2013 ends on 31 December 2013.

(ii) In this report, "$" refers to US dollars.

Vice-President S. Groff, Operations 2

Director General J. Nugent, Southeast Asia Department (SERD)
Director K. Bird, Public Management, Financial Sector and Trade Division,
SERD

Team leaders K. Hattel, Financial Sector Specialist, SERD

S. Ismail, Financial Sector Specialist, SERD
Team members R. Lacson, Operations Assistant, SERD
J. Mitra, Associate Project Analyst, SERD
L. Perez, Education Specialist, Human and Social Development Division,
SERD
S. Teoh, Country Specialist, Philippines Country Office, SERD

In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any
designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the
Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status
of any territory or area.
 CONTENTS
Page

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AT A GLANCE

I. INTRODUCTION 1
II. ISSUES 1
III. THE CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 3
A. Impact and Outcome 3
B. Methodology and Key Activities 4
C. Cost and Financing 4
D. Implementation Arrangements 4
IV. THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION 5

APPENDIXES
1. Design and Monitoring Framework 6
2. Cost Estimates and Financing Plan 9
3. Outline Terms of Reference for Consultants 10
 Project Classification Information Status: Complete

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AT A GLANCE

1. Basic Data Project Number: 49117-001
Project Name Support for the Nationwide Rollout of Department SERD/SEPF
JobStart Philippines /Division
Country Philippines Executing Department of Labor and Employment
Agency
qq

2. Sector Subsector(s) ADB Financing ($ million)

Finance Finance sector development 1.30
Total 1.30
qq

3. Strategic Agenda Subcomponents Climate Change Information

Inclusive economic Pillar 2: Access to economic Climate Change impact on the Low
growth (IEG) opportunities, including jobs, made Project
more inclusive
Regional integration Pillar 4: Other regional public goods
(RCI)
qq

4. Drivers of Change Components Gender Equity and Mainstreaming

Governance and Client relations, network, and Effective gender mainstreaming (EGM)
capacity development partnership development to
(GCD) partnership driver of change
Civil society participation
Organizational development
Knowledge solutions Application and use of new
(KNS) knowledge solutions in key
operational areas
Knowledge sharing activities
Partnerships (PAR) Civil society organizations
Implementation
Private sector Conducive policy and institutional
development (PSD) environment
qq

5. Poverty Targeting Location Impact

Project directly targets Yes Urban High
poverty
Household targeting Yes
(TI-H)
qq

6. TA Category: B
qq

7. Safeguard Categorization Not Applicable

qq

8. Financing
Modality and Sources Amount ($ million)
ADB 1.30
Capacity development technical assistance: Technical Assistance Special 1.30
Fund
Cofinancing 0.00
None 0.00
Counterpart 0.00
None 0.00
Total 1.30
qq

9. Effective Development Cooperation

Use of country procurement systems No
Use of country public financial management systems No
Qq

Source: Asian Development Bank

This document must only be generated in eOps. 28052015084507756001 Generated Date: 23-Nov-2015 10:09:24 AM
 I. INTRODUCTION

1. In December 2014, the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) asked
the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for technical assistance (TA) to support the national rollout
of the JobStart Philippines (JSP) pilot project, which aims to assist out-of-school youth find
employment. In response, ADB carried out a fact-finding mission in August 2015. During that
mission, ADB and DOLE agreed on the proposed impact, outcome and outputs, implementation
arrangements, cost, financing arrangements, and terms of reference. The DOLE’s planned
rollout of JSP to 64 local government units (LGUs) by 2020 builds on DOLE’s experience and
lessons in piloting JSP in four (4) LGUs from January 2014 to August 2015, which was
supported by a large scale ADB TA financed by the Government of Canada.1 The proposed TA
will support the government (through DOLE) through assistance with setting up the national
institutional structure of JSP and capacity development for staff at DOLE and at 24 Public
Employment Service Offices (PESOs) located within the LGUs, as well as commencement of
JSP activities in those 24 PESOs.2

2. The TA supports the public sector management pillar of the country partnership strategy,
2011–2016 and the employment generation pillar of the draft country operations business plan,
2016–2018. It is designed as part of a programmatic approach to help address part of the youth
employment problem. The programmatic approach includes the Increasing Competitiveness for
Inclusive Growth Program loan, 3 2011 to 2014, which included measures to promote a
competitive labor market, supported by large scale TA to implement the JSP pilot project aimed
at testing strategies to help young people find decent employment (footnote 1). These
interventions were followed by the TA requested by DOLE to set up the institutional structure for
the JSP rollout, to be followed by a sector development program loan called Facilitating Youth
School-to-Work Transition, which is planned for delivery in 2016. This will include a project loan
for JSP rollout. Previous consultations on plans for a national rollout were held on an
intermittent basis from November 2014 to July 2015, and these consultations benefited from
previous TA implementation review missions under the JSP pilot project. The design and
monitoring framework is in Appendix 1.

II. ISSUES

3. The Philippines has a youth employment problem. This is reflected in a slow school-to-
work transition for many young Filipinos (between the ages of 18 and 24). Frequent spells
outside the labor market without training and for extensive periods of time damage young
people’s future career prospects and earnings. This situation can also perpetuate lifetime
poverty for the young residing in poor households. Results from the 2008 ADB survey of 500
households in Metro Manila and Cebu found that high school graduates have a difficult time
productively integrating into the labor market, with only 20% finding a job within the first year of
leaving school.4 On average, it takes high school graduates up to 4 years to find a paid job, and
fewer than half actually find paid employment. In contrast to high school graduates, college
graduates on average find a job within 2 years and approximately 70% of them find paid
employment. As a result of this slow transition from school to work, one in four young persons

1
ADB. 2013. Technical Assistance to the Republic of the Philippines for Employment Facilitation for Inclusive
Growth. Manila.
2
The TA first appeared in the business opportunities section of ADB’s website on 25 August 2015.
3
ADB. 2014. Report and Recommendation of the President to the Board of Directors: Proposed Policy-Based Loan
for Subprogram 2 to the Republic of the Philippines for the Increasing Competitiveness for Inclusive Growth
Program. Manila.
4
ADB. Forthcoming. Youth Situation in the Labor Market. Manila.
2

(between the ages of 15 and 24) are not in employment, education or training at any point in
time. This is the second highest rate in Southeast Asia, behind Indonesia. Young women are
more likely to withdraw from the labor market. For example, one in three young women is
unlikely to be in employment, education or training. Of particular concern is the fact that young
people from low-income families are more than twice as likely to not be in employment, post-
secondary education of training compared to their peers in higher-income families. A large pool
of young people from lower-income families is not being integrated into the labor market.

4. Based on ADB’s diagnostics of the youth situation in the labor market (footnote 4), the
main constraints to achieving a faster school-to-work transition for many young people involve
both the labor demand side and the labor supply side. On the labor demand side, while paid
employment has been expanding on average by 3.7% per annum (or almost 500,000 new jobs
annually) since 2010, it has not been sufficient to create jobs for the 800,000 new job seekers
each year. The government has put in place reforms to lift growth and employment creation
through infrastructure investments with a target to reach over 5.0% of gross domestic product
by 2016, as well as continued financial sector and business climate reforms. On the supply side,
the main constraints to achieving a faster school-to-work transition as well as a faster job-to-job
transition for the unemployed include (i) weak linkages between the education and training
sectors and the skills requirements of industry, meaning that many young people are ill
prepared for the workplace, (ii) inadequate active labor market programs that can provide out-
of-school youth with an integrated set of employment support services that help them find
decent employment, (iii) inadequate labor market information to assist young people with job
searches, and (iv) under-resourced PESOs at the LGUs to provide efficient and effective
employment facilitation services for out-of-school youth.

5. To address these constraints, DOLE’s employment agenda includes several

interventions. A key one is the start of the national rollout of the JSP pilot project to be phased in
from 2015 to 2020. The objective of this TA is to support DOLE’s rollout of JSP nationally. The
JSP is a remedial program implemented through the PESOs to provide “at-risk” out-of-school
youth with assistance to become job-ready.5 As a remedial program, JSP provides a young
person (the JobStarter) with services covering career guidance and coaching, life skills training
for 10 days, access to short-term technical training for up to 3 months and placements with
employers for up to 3 months. 6 Employers develop a training plan and sign a memorandum of
agreement with DOLE to take on JobStarters under the program. The training plan includes
both the short-term technical skills and the on-the-job training component. JSP provides grants
to the employer to cover training costs and administration and provides the JobStarter with a
trainee allowance during training, while employers pay the youth a stipend during the internship
period of least 75% of the minimum wage. DOLE’s rollout strategy includes measures to
promote the long-term sustainability of JSP. These include (i) 2015 DOLE department order
converting the pilot into a DOLE program, (ii) 2015 supplementary budget allocation of P29
million and proposed P100 million in 2016, and (iii) filing of the JSP bill to Congress in May
2015, which, when enacted, will guarantee national government budget allocations annually.

5
“At-risk” youth in the JSP program refers to out-of-school youth at risk of not integrating into the labor market. The
criterion for ‘at-risk’ is youth aged between 18 to 24 with at least high-school education and less than 12 months of
work experience.
6
Life skills for employability refer to those soft skills necessary for young people to be successful in obtaining and
retaining a job. These include skills in searching for a job, resume writing, performing in interviews, communication
with supervisors, peers, clients and family, work and emotional attitudes expected in the workplace, team
collaboration, healthy habits, and financial literacy, among other important life skills.
 3

6. ADB has a long and close engagement with DOLE on youth employment and the JSP.
Under ADB programmatic support (the Increasing Competitiveness for Inclusive Growth
program and capacity development TA [footnote 1]), the JSP was successfully piloted in four
LGUs in 2014 and 2015: Quezon City, Taguig City, City of San Fernando in Pampanga
province, and the municipality of General Trias, Cavite province. Over 5,000 out-of-school
youths registered for the program, of which two-thirds (about 3,200) were randomly selected to
undertake career guidance and coaching and labor market information. Half of them were then
randomly selected to undertake the full cycle of services, from life skills and technical training to
internships with employers. The random selection of young people at different stages of the
program was necessary to establish a randomized evaluation of the impact of the program on
employment for this at-risk demographic group. The 5,000-plus young people who registered for
the program will be traced for 6 months after the program finishes and the evaluation report will
be finalized in early 2016. Result of the evaluation will be used as inputs to refinements to JSP
as it is rolled out.

7. The midterm evaluation of the pilot carried out in December 2014 provided two lessons
for the nationwide JSP rollout. First, the evaluation found JSP had a positive impact on
employment outcomes for the target group. Employers were very satisfied with the JSP as it
helped to address their skill shortages and interns were well prepared through life skills training.
Employers also liked the flexibility provided to them in developing training plans. The majority of
the employers said they would retain most of the interns as regular workers. Employers
participating in the program covered a diverse set of industries and occupations with varying
skills competency requirements, such as in manufacturing, health care, food chains, and other
services. The beneficiaries also had a positive view of the program and found the life skills
training course boosted their confidence in applying for jobs. The internships provided them with
a channel to acquire work experience and improve their chances of finding employment in the
future. Second, design changes to JSP have been made to further facilitate the transition into
decent jobs. These include merging career guidance into life skills and reducing the internship
from 6 months to 3 months.

8. Based on the results of the pilot, and the two lessons, DOLE has, with ADB assistance,
developed a nationwide rollout plan for 2015 to 2020 and aims to implement JSP in 64 LGUs by
2020, targeting more than 64,000 out-of-school youths into the program, of which 24 LGUs and
15,000 JSP beneficiaries will be supported by the proposed TA. DOLE has signed 14
memorandums of understanding with partner LGUs to start the rollout in 2015. These LGUs
cover the four pilots and the additional 10 LGUs (Mandaluyong City, Pasay City, and Caloocan
City in the National Capital Region; Cebu City, Davao City, and Tagum City in Davao del Norte;
Dumaguete in Visayas, the entire province of Bohol; Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, and
Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao). Every year, 10 additional LGUs will be covered by the program
from 2016 to 2020. Funding of the rollout from 2015 to 2020 will come through government
budget allocations, Canadian government-proposed grant funding and an ADB-proposed project
loan (24 LGUs) under ADB’s Facilitating Youth School-to-Work Transition program, 2015–2020.

III. THE CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A. Impact and Outcome

9. The impact will be increased youth employment rates. The outcome will be JSP rollout
by DOLE and PESOs commenced. This will be measured by 24 LGUs having signed
memorandums of agreement with DOLE and fully implementing JSP by December of 2021, with
more than 15,000 out-of-school youths accessing JSP in the 24 LGUs from 2015 to 2020.
4

B. Methodology and Key Activities

10. The TA will produce three main outputs:

11. Output 1: Capacity development of JSP units at DOLE headquarters and regional
DOLE offices strengthened. This output will provide capacity development to staff from the
Bureau of Local Employment, DOLE, and will provide advisory services to the bureau on JSP
policy related to the implementation of the standard operating procedures, business processes
and templates, development of the monitoring and evaluation framework, and grants
mechanism using country systems. Capacity development will be provided to staff of selected
regional offices for overseeing implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the JSP at the
LGUs.

12. Output 2: Life skills for employability training curriculum rolled out nationally. This
output will engage a professional life skills training provider (company) to implement the life
skills (including soft skills) component of JSP by training the trainers at the PESOs and selected
training institutions, and pairing with PESO staff (as on-the-job training) to provide life skills
training to at least 15,000 JSP beneficiaries in 24 LGUs. The life skills provider will train 7,500
JobStarters in life skills while the PESOs will be responsible for training the other 7,500
JobStarters funded under the TA.

13. Output 3: Capacity of 24 public employment service offices (PESOs) in JSP

implementation developed. Under this output, a capacity development plan will be developed
with each PESO, and training will be provided to staff covering all components of JSP, including
career guidance and coaching, life skills, managing the Skills Registry System (database), and
employer outreach activities, in preparation for the first wave of JobStarter intakes. Each PESO
will be provided with a Project Coordinator for 12 months to build capacity for sustaining
implementation of JSP.

14. Successful achievement of the TA outputs faces possible risks. First, there are local
political and financial risks. PESO participation in the JSP is voluntary so a change of
administration in LGUs following elections may result in a lack of commitment to JSP. A second
risk to a successful JSP rollout is the government not securing sufficient national budgetary
funding for the PESOs’ capacity development and for funding the grants component of JSP.
Third, LGUs may provide insufficient budget and staff resources for JSP implementation. DOLE
is addressing some of these issues through legislative changes to the PESO Act and in May
2015 submitted to Congress the JSP Bill to secure government budget appropriations and
program sustainability. The Department of Budget and Management has also allocated budget
funding in 2015 and proposed funding for 2016.

C. Cost and Financing

15. The TA is estimated to cost $1,400,000, of which $1,300,000 will be financed on a grant
basis by ADB’s Technical Assistance Special Fund (TASF-other sources). The government will
provide counterpart support in the form of counterpart staff, office space, utilities, and other in-
kind contributions. In addition, the Government of Canada is also considering cofinancing the
TA at a later stage.

D. Implementation Arrangements

16. The DOLE will be the executing agency for the TA. The LGU signatories to the JSP
memorandums of understanding are the implementing agencies. Their functions will be guided
 5

by the program’s standard operating procedures. A JSP steering committee, chaired by the
secretary of DOLE, will be established to oversee implementation of the JSP rollout.
Composition of the steering committee will include officials from the Department of Finance, the
Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Education, the National Economic
and Development Authority, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority,
employer organizations, and the National Youth Commission, among others. ADB and the
Government of Canada will also be members of the steering committee. A project management
unit will be established in DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment.

17. A company will be engaged in accordance with the Guidelines on the Use of Consultants
(2013, as amended from time to time) to carry out activities under the TA. The single source
selection method will be used to select Scope Global Pty Ltd,7 as it implemented the JSP pilot
project under the employment facilitation TA (footnote 1). The single source selection method
will be used to ensure continuity of technical advice and capacity development to DOLE and the
PESOs in transiting from the pilot project to the nationwide rollout stage. This continuity is
deemed necessary to protect the integrity of JSP program and ensure effective and efficient
implementation of the rollout. The consulting services under the TA will comprise two
international specialists: the team leader with employment program experience (15 person-
months) and the international finance officer (15 person-months). Scope Global will engage 19
national specialists: (i) two finance experts to assist DOLE with financial management and
government budgeted grant disbursements (10 person-months each), (ii) one information and
communications technology expert (10 person-months), (iii) 14 Project Coordinators (15 person-
months each), (iv) one communications and media relations expert (10 person-months), and
(v) one administrative officer (15 person-months). The firm will subcontract a life skills training
provider to implement the training program. Selection will be on a competitive basis with a fixed
amount contract. The TA will be disbursed in line with the Technical Assistance Disbursement
Handbook (2010, as amended from time to time). The purchase of equipment will be done in
accordance with ADB’s Procurement Guidelines (2015, as amended from time to time).
Equipment will be turned over to the executing and implementing agencies upon completion of
TA activities.

18. Dissemination of outputs will be through a JSP website and Facebook page set up
through the TA, but management will be handled by DOLE’s JSP unit and communications
department. The website and Facebook page will be maintained by DOLE at the end of the
program.

19. Following the signing of the TA agreement between the government and ADB, the TA
will be implemented over 62 months from 1 November 2015 to 31 December 2020. Consultant
deliverables are included in the terms of references in Appendix 3.

IV. THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION

20. The President, acting under the authority delegated by the Board, has approved the
provision of technical assistance not exceeding the equivalent of $1,300,000 on a grant basis to
the Government of the Philippines for Support for the Nationwide Rollout of JobStart Philippines,
and hereby reports this action to the Board.

7
Scope Global Pty Ltd formerly named as Austraining Pty Ltd as contracted under TA 8335-PHI: Employment
Facilitation for Inclusive Growth.
6 Appendix 1

DESIGN AND MONITORING FRAMEWORK

Impacts the Project is Aligned with

The Nationwide Rollout of JSP is based on the Philippine Development Plan, 2011–2016 and will
a
contribute to the government’s efforts to increase youth employment rates. In particular, the project will
support the government’s efforts to establish the nationwide institutional setup for the JSP rollout between
2015 and 2020.
Performance Indicators
with Targets and Data Sources and
Project Results Chain Baselines Reporting Risks
Outcome By December 2021:
JSP rollout by DOLE a. 24 LGUs signed a. JSP unit at BLE There are local political
and PESOs MOUs with DOLE to quarterly reports and financial risks.
commenced. implement JSP program PESO participation in
in their PESOs. the JSP is voluntary so
a change of
b. At least 15,000 at-risk b. SRS reports administration in LGUs
youth access JSP following elections may
services through the 24 result in a lack of
PESOs and graduate commitment to JSP.
from JSP.
There is the risk that the
government may not
secure sufficient
national budgetary
funding for PESOs
capacity development
and for funding the JSP
grants component.

Outputs
1. Capacity By December 2020: Staff turnover reduces
development of JSP 1a. JSP unit established 1a. DOLE departmental the critical mass of
units at DOLE in DOLE orders and documents DOLE staff
headquarters and knowledgeable on JSP
RDOs strengthened 1b. JSP established in 4 1b. JSP unit quarterly processes
DOLE RDOs reports

1c. 100 DOLE staff 1c. ADB review

trained in JSP business missions
operations (SOPs, SRS,
employer MOAs and
training plans, financial
management, and the
monitoring system), at
least 55% of staff of
which are female.

2. Life skills for By December 2020

employability training 2a. 300 staff from 2a. JSP unit quarterly
curriculum rolled out DOLE, PESO, and reports
nationally training institutes trained
as trainers in life skills
delivery, at least 55% of
which are female.
 Appendix 1 7

Performance Indicators
with Targets and Data Sources and
Project Results Chain Baselines Reporting Risks
2b. At least 15,000 2b. SRS reports and Life
youth access life skills skills provider reports
training course, at least
55% of which are
female.
3. Capacity of 24 PESOs By December 2020
in JSP implementation 3a. JSP established in 3a. JSP Unit quarterly LGUs allocate
developed 24 PESOs reports insufficient budgetary
and staff resources to
3b. At least 240 PESO 3b.–3d. Reports PESOs to implement
staff trained in JSP generated from the SRS JSP, which is time
business operations intensive.
(SOPs, SRS, employer
MOAs and training
plans, financial
management and
monitoring systems), at
least 55% of which are
female.

3c. At least 80 PESO

staff trained in career
guidance and coaching
techniques, at least 55%
of which are female.

3d. SRS implemented

and operational in all 24
PESOs

3e. At least 10 3e. PESO reports on

employers pre-qualified employer pre-
to participate in JSP in qualification
each of the 24 PESOs
b
Activities with Milestones
1. Capacity development of JSP units at DOLE headquarters and RDOs strengthened.
1.1 DOLE issued department order establishing JSP units at the BLE and selected RDOs (November
2015)
1.2 SOPs revised and published (December 2015)
1.3 Media strategy developed (December 2015)
1.4 JSP documentation finalized and published (JSP brochures and employer guidelines, templates for
assessments, SRS reports, MOAs with employers and JSP beneficiaries, monitoring reports
completed and approved), and communication and media relations plan endorsed (December 2015)
1.5 DOLE signed MOUs with 14 LGUs to implement JSP starting in 2015 (October 2015)
1.6 DOLE and 14 LGUs launched the 2015 intake of youth to the JSP program (November 2015)
1.7 DOLE established and maintained website and Facebook for JSP (December 2015)
1.8 Capacity building of DOLE staff implemented and completed (December 2015)
1.9 Comments implementation of LMIS Action Plan at the DOLE regional and field offices (March 2016)
1.10 DOLE signed additional MOUs with 10 LGUs to implement JSP starting in 2016 (September 2016)
1.11 DOLE and 24 LGUs launched the 2016 intake of youth to the JSP program (September 2016)
1.12 DOLE and 24 LGUs launched the 2017 intake of youth to the JSP program (March and September
2017) and the 2018 intake (March and September 2018)
 8 Appendix 1

b
Activities with Milestones

2 Life skills curriculum developed and rolled out nationally

2.1 Life skills modules reviewed, revised, and published (November 2015)
2.2 Life skills trainers modules developed and approved (November 2015)
2.3 Life skills provider commenced training of trainers in DOLE and 14 PESOs (January 2016)
2.4 Life skills provider starts training of trainers in 10 additional PESOs in 2016 (commenced in October
2016)
2.5 Organized Life Skills Knowledge and Sharing Regional Conference (October 2017)
2.6 Life skills providers trained 7,500 JobStarters in life skills (by December 2020)
2.7 PESO trained 7,500 JobStarters in life skills (by December 2020)

3 Capacity of 24 PESOs in JSP implementation developed

3.1 24 PESOs established JSP units (December 2016)
3.2 Enhanced SRS/local LMIS implemented in 24 PESOs (from December 2015 to October 2017)
3.3 PESO staff trained in JSP implementation (from October 2015 to October 2017)
3.4 PESO staff trained in LST and one-on-one career coaching (October 2015 to October 2017)

Inputs
ADB: $1,300,000 (grant)
Note: The government will provide counterpart support in the form of counterpart staff designated to JSP
units, counterpart support through office accommodation, utilities, and other in-kind contributions.

Assumptions for Partner Financing

Government of Canada is considering cofinancing of the TA to the amount of Can$19,000,000

ADB = Asian Development Bank; BLE = Bureau of Local Employment; SRS = Skills Registry System; DOLE =
Department of Labor and Employment; JSP = JobStart Philippines; LGU = local government unit; LMIS = Labor
Market Information System; LST = like skills training; MOA = memorandum of agreement; MOU = memorandum
of understanding; PESO = public employment service office; RDO = regional DOLE office; SOP = standard operating
procedure; TA = technical assistance.
a
Government of the Philippines, National Economic and Development Authority, 2011. Philippine Development Plan
2011–2016. Manila.
b
Unless otherwise stated, Activities with Milestones are completed by the contractor.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
 Appendix 2 9

COST ESTIMATES AND FINANCING PLAN

($'000)

Item Amount
Asian Development Banka
1. Consultants
a. Remuneration and per diem
i. International consultants 411.0
ii. National consultants 478.0
b. International and local travel
i. International travel 14.0
ii Domestic travel 86.0
c. Reports and communications 1.0
2. Equipmentb 30.0
3. Training, seminars, and conferences
a. Facilitators 5.0
b. Training (DOLE, PESO, employers, etc.) 45.0
c. Life skills (DOLE, PESO, JSP beneficiaries)c 80.0
4. Miscellaneous administration and support costsd 60.0
5. Contingencies 90.0
Total 1,300.0
DOLE = Department of Labor and Employment: JSP = JobStart Philippines; PESO = public employment service
office.
Note: The technical assistance (TA) is estimated to cost $1,400,000, of which contributions from the Asian
Development Bank are presented in the table above. The government will provide counterpart support in the form of
staff, office space, and utilities. The value of government contribution is estimated to account for 7.1% of the total TA
cost.
a
Financed by the Asian Development Bank’s Technical Assistance Special Fund (TASF-other sources).
b
Equipment includes up to 30 desktop computers, three laptops, and 10 printers, photocopiers or scanners.
Equipment will be used by the executing and implementing agencies during the TA implementation. Equipment will
be turned over to the executing agency at the conclusion of the project. A website, Facebook, and other social media
will be developed by the national information technology consultant that will be recruited under the TA (see Appendix
3).
c
Subcontract for the life skills provider.
d
Includes project management unit operational expenses, land transportation expenses.
Source: Asian Development Bank estimates.
10 Appendix 3

OUTLINE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANTS

1. A firm (ScopeGlobal) will be recruited using the single source method to ensure
continuity in policy advice and capacity building in transition from the JobStart Philippines (JSP)
pilot completed in 2015 to the nationwide JSP rollout, thereby assuring integrity of JSP. The
contract amount is a maximum of $1,300,000. ScopeGlobal will engage two international
experts (15 person-months each) and 19 national specialists (a total of 265 person-months): (i)
two finance experts to assist DOLE with financial management and government budgeted grant
disbursements (10 person-months each), (ii) one information and communications technology
expert (10 person-months), (iii) 14 Project Coordinators (15 person-months each), (iv) one
communications and media relations expert (10 person-months), and (v) one administrative
officer (15 person-months). Five Project Coordinators will be based in the National Capital
Region while nine Project Coordinators will be stationed in the local government units (LGUs)
located outside Luzon. The firm is expected to be mobilized by November 2015 and all
consultants mobilized shortly thereafter.

2 International employment expert and team leader (15 person-months). The

international expert should have at least a bachelor degree in economics or sociology or
equivalent. She or he should have at least 10 years of experience in employment and or skills
development programs and demonstrated team leadership skills. The team leader will work
closely with staff designated to the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) JobStart Unit. She or he
will report to the ADB Project Officer and BLE Director or his/her designate.

3. Tasks will include the following: (i) lead capacity development of JSP unit and BLE staff
in the JSP rollout; (ii) work with BLE to ensure all JSP business processes and documentation
are operationalized and remain updated, including financial management and the Skills Registry
System (SRS) and other information technology tools; (iii) work with BLE in capacity
development of 24 public employment service offices (PESOs) in the implementation of JSP in
the 24 LGUs; (iv) supervise the Project Coordinators and their capacity building efforts at the 24
PESOs; (v) work with Project Coordinators and PESOs to develop an active prequalified pool of
employers in JSP, and achieving minimum of 10 employers participating in JSP in each of the
24 PESOs; (vi) oversee the rollout of the life skills training program; (vii) provide a range of
advocacy support to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with other national
government agencies and stakeholders (private sector, labor groups, youth groups, and
vocational training institutions) on JSP; (viii) oversee coordination of program activities with the
private sector and other stakeholders; and (ix) work with BLE and PESO staff to transfer
knowledge and management of JSP to JSP unit at BLE and PESO by mid-2016.

4. International finance officer (15 person-months). The international finance officer

should have at least a bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting, a current internationally
recognized certified public accountant certification, and 10 years of experience in finance or
accounting. The finance officer will report to the team leader and the BLE JobStart Program
Officer. She or he will work with the project administrative officer, BLE, Financial Management
Service (FMS) of DOLE, and PESO staff to establish and operationalize a financial
management system and internal controls for the disbursement of budgetary grants under the
JSP, covering life skills training, JSP beneficiary training allowances, and grants to employers to
cover the cost of technical training and administration associated with internships. The Finance
Officer will also maintain TA project accounts, financial reports, and make payments for
expenditures incurred under the TA.
 Appendix 3 11

5. National finance officers (2 officers for up to 10 person-months each). The two national
finance officers must have a university degree in accounting or finance. A nationally recognized
charter accounting qualification would be an advantage. She or he should have at least 5 years
of professional work experience. Experience with ADB procurement procedures and
government accounting, reporting, and procurements rules and would be highly desirable. She
or he will be responsible for (i) recording, reporting, and management of accounts, procurement
of goods and services, and support disbursements under the firm contract, to be done in
accordance with ADB’s TA Disbursement Handbook (2010, as amended from time to time); and
(ii) assist BLE with accounting, reporting, and monitoring of government-budgeted grant
disbursements to employers under the JSP program and other expenses under the supervision
of the international finance officer. In carrying out these activities, both national officers will work
with the accounts staff of DOLE and PESO staff to implement a financial management system
and internal controls for the disbursement of government budgetary grants under the JSP
covering life skills training, JSP beneficiary training allowances, and grants to employers to
cover the cost of technical training and administration associated with internships. The national
finance officers will be supervised by and report to the international finance officer and the BLE
JobStart Program Officer.

6. National information and communication technology expert (10 persons-months).

The expert will have a university degree in computer science and at least 5 years’ professional
experience in computing software, development of websites, and intranet databases. The expert
will work with BLE to (i) develop and operationalize the JSP website, Facebook, and other social
media necessary; (ii) upgrade the SRS and integrate with DOLE’s labor market information
systems; (iii) upgrade DOLE’s labor market information systems; (iv) provide training to BLE
staff on the upgrades and management of the website and Facebook; and (v) training PESO
staff on the SRS. She or he will report to the director of BLE JobStart Program Officer.

7. National communications and media relations expert (10 person-months). The

expert must have a degree in mass communications and at least 10 years’ professional
experience in media relations in the Philippines either in a media relations firm, public relations
firm, or in social media. The expert will help the team leader market and promote the TA to the
broader community, including the rollout areas. The expert will report to the Team Leader and
BLE JobStart Program Officer. Tasks include the following: (i) develop and implement a
communications strategy for all activities under outputs 1–3 (including a media relations action
plan) with particular focus on output 2 of the life skills training; (ii) work with DOLE to develop
promotional media including newspaper advertisements, web updates, social media campaign,
radio campaign, and brochures and printed media; and (iii) provide an end-of-assignment report
to the team leader outlining the media schedule, including all details.

8. Project Coordinators (14 coordinators for up to 15 person-months each). Each

coordinator must have a university degree in social sciences. They must have well developed
interactive and interpersonal skills and be highly motivated individuals. Extensive experience in
facilitation assignments with government, especially local governments would be highly
desirable. They must have demonstrated experience in this field for at least 6 years. The
coordinators will work closely with the Team Leader, the BLE JobStart Program Officer, the
PESO Manager, and the PESO staff in the implementation of JSP. The 14 coordinators will be
split among the 24 PESOs in a phased manner over the duration of the TA. The tasks of the
coordinators are to (i) work with PESO staff to implement the JSP at the PESO, including
implementing the business processes for the program, (ii) coordinate with participating
employers and training providers, including facilitating prequalifications of participants and
employers, (iii) work with PESO staff to create and maintain the SRS files of participants and
12 Appendix 3

monitoring progress, and (iv) produce monthly reports on progress with program implementation
and on the progress of each program participant (average of 200 to 300 JobStarters each year
per PESO). The coordinators’ immediate supervisor will be the PESO manager. The officers will
also report to and be supervised by the BLE JobStart Program Officer and the Team Leader.

9. National administrative officer (15 person-months). The administrative officer should

be at least a high school graduate with at least 5 years of experience in officer operations and
secretarial assignments. She or he will report to the international finance officer and be
responsible for all project logistics (scheduling appointments, travel arrangements, scheduling
workshop venues) and day-to-day office operations under the supervision of the international
national finance officer. She or he will work with the two national officers. She must have good
communication skills.

10. Subcontract for life skills provider (January 2016 to June 2018). The firm will
subcontract a national firm specializing in life skills for young people necessary for successful
entry into the job market. A detailed terms of reference will be developed by the contractor,
covering (i) revisions to and finalization of the life skills curriculum and materials, and ensuring
the curriculum is gender neutral and appropriately addresses gender-related concerns in life
skills; (ii) trainers’ manual; (iii) development and implementation of a training-the-trainers course
in life skills training at DOLE and the PESOs; and (iv) assistance to each of the 24 PESOs in
carrying out life skills training to JobStarters in March and September of the first year of the
PESO’s participation in JSP, with the life skills provider providing training to at least 7,500 of the
15,000 JobStarters from March 2016 to December 2017 (PESOs will be responsible for
providing life skills training to the other 7,500 JobStarters without the assistance of the life skills
provider). At least 55% of JobStarters accessing life skills training provided under the
subcontract will be female.

11. The contractor (Scope Global) will contract the life skills provider by competitive bidding,
using a fixed-amount contract.