Press Release

TESDA sets Competency Standards for Mango Production, Processing Level II

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), through its Qualifications and Standards Office (QSO), has recently developed Competency Standards (CS) for Mango Production Level II and Mango Processing Level II, following Secretary Isidro Lapeña’s directive.

Secretary Lapeña earlier reiterated that Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, under which the said standards are categorized, will remain to be the topmost priority sector under his term.

Competency Standards, as defined in the TESDA Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Glossary of Terms, refers to “industry-determined specification of competencies required for effective work performance.”

They are expressed as outcomes focused on workplace activity rather than training or personal attributes. In addition, they also capture the ability to apply skills in new situations and changing work organization through the basic and common competencies.

The standards for Mango Production Level II list down the competencies needed by a person to be able to perform mango nursery operations, mango planting, caring and maintaining of mango orchard, and harvest and postharvest operations.

A person who has satisfied the CS for Mango Production Level II is thereby competent to become a mango grower, mango farmer and/or mango nursery operator.

Meanwhile, the Mango Processing Level II CS consist of competencies a person must have in order to process mangoes by fermentation and pickling, by sugar concentration, and by drying and dehydration. Also included in these competency standards is the ability to pack processed food and operate simple packing equipment.

Additionally, the observance of food safety measures such as Republic Act No. 10611 or the Food Safety Act 2013, Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Occupational. Safety and Health Standards (OSHS), and 7S of Good Housekeeping, namely: sort, systematize, sweep, standardize, safety, self-discipline and sustain, in addition to other environmental rules and regulations are included.

The competencies also include the inspection of simple defects of packing materials, seal integrity, and correct product label. They also comprise calibrating, assembling, and operating of basic food processing tools and equipment.

A person who has met the said standards is competent to become a Food Processing Worker, Food Production Worker/Staff, Packing Staff, Quality Control Staff, Mango Processor, and/or Fruit-candy Maker.

At present, Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) and TESDA Technology Institutions (TTIs) still have to register these programs for scholarship. Training duration will also be determined upon the development of competency-based curriculum of the training providers who will register the said programs. (END)

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TESDA warns public of fake NCs

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) cautions the public to be wary of fake issues of the National Certificates (NC) in their areas.

Following the arrest of a 46-year old local named Ricky Calunsag Esteves for selling counterfeit NCs last August 15 in his home in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, Secretary Isidro Lapeña has called on the agency’s regional and provincial directors in Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) to condemn the act and push for a larger campaign to protect the integrity of NCs issued by TESDA.

The provincial director of TESDA Zamboanga Sibugay said the police and the military in the area closely monitored Esteves as reports reached them that fake NCs are allegedly sold to applicants in the PNP and military. An operation was thereafter conducted to catch Esteves red-handed.

Esteves was immediately arrested for violation of Article 172 (Falsification by private individual and use of public documents) of the Revised Penal Code. He is currently detained in the municipal jail facility and is facing the penalty of prison correccional or six months and one day to six years imprisonment and a fine not exceeding P5,000.00 for making up invalid NCs.

After receiving a report on said arrest, the regional director of TESDA Zamboanga Peninsula immediately gave instructions to the provincial office concerned to coordinate with authorities for the purpose of strengthening the case against Esteves, and has called on the public to report any activity of NC distribution outside of TESDA offices. “In the spirit of participatory governance, I denounce this crime and I appeal to the public to work with us in protecting the integrity of TESDA's processes,” added the regional director.

TESDA is the only authority that can issue NCs to assessed and validated skilled workers under certain qualifications. NCs are given after workers pass the Competency Assessment Examination where they are tested if they can perform to the standards expected in the workplace.

TESDA also prioritizes the integrity of its qualification systems and complies with the Philippine TVET Competency Assessment and Certification System (PTCACS) in certifying middle-level workers to ensure their productivity, quality, and global competitiveness. This is also the very reason behind stringent accreditation of TESDA training and assessment centers, trainers, and assessors in and outside the country.

The public can easily spot authenticated NCs from fake ones. TESDA-issued NCs are notably printed on security paper, dry-sealed, signed by the Director General, countersigned with the initials of the regional or provincial director concerned, and are printed in a certain manner.

Additionally, TESDA has a Registry of Certified Workers readily available online so one can check the pool of certified workers for certain occupations nationwide. It can be browsed on the TESDA Website.

TESDA stands by its quality statement, continuing to demonstrate competence, institutional integrity, personal commitment, and a deep sense of nationalism in service of the Filipino labor force and measuring stakeholder satisfaction through strategic decisions, effectiveness, responsiveness, added value, integrity, citizen focus, and efficiency. (END)

TESDA chief, Director-General Secretary Isidro Lapeña said Sunday that the agency is taking more concrete steps to protect the integrity of the agency's training and scholarship programs.

It can be recalled that the TESDA chief immediately ordered the amendment of the agency's Omnibus Guidelines on Program Registration under the Unified TVET Program Registration and Accreditation System (UTPRAS) particularly Section XVII which provides for sanctions and penalties for erring private technical-vocational institutions (TVIs).

Lapeña has previously warned TVIs not to violate TESDA's rules. Violations shall no longer be tolerated by the agency.

Section 17 now considers fraud, misrepresentation or mere public offering of unregistered training course, qualification or program as grave violation. Any TVIs found to have committed this act shall be ordered to cease and desist from offering unregistered training course.

Any false declaration, fraud, deceit in connection with the TVIs/company's submission of documentary requirements in its application for program registration shall now result in the revocation of all Certificate of TVET Program Registration (CTPRs). TESDA issues the CTPR to a program offering that meets its standards.

Sharing of program registration by a TVI to either its affiliate, branch or any third person is also strictly prohibited.

The failure of the TVI to continuously comply within a specified time frame as determined in any audit shall now be considered a violation.

The conduct of ghost training and use of ghost trainees, as well as exaction of any unauthorized fees from the trainees, will be penalized with revocation of the CTPRs for the program concerned and all other existing CTPRs of the erring TVI.

Payment of scholarship funds shall be disapproved and the TVI shall be delisted and prohibited from applying for any program registration.

Meanwhile, Lapeña assured the stakeholders and the public that TESDA personnel will also be made accountable if found to have taken part in violating the guidelines. They shall be subject to proper disciplinary actions in accordance with the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (RACCS).

In addition, Lapeña said that all TESDA regional and provincial offices have been directed to partner with industry chambers and associations in order to increase the employment opportunities of TVET graduates.

He has also instructed them to actively engage with other government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Labor and Employment and other private institutions which can help facilitate employment of training graduates.

On another note, Lapeña said that he will respect the next steps to be taken by the Office of the Ombudsman after an employee from TESDA filed graft charges against 11 officials also from TESDA for alleged "conspiracy in the failed bidding for the procurement of starter toolkits” for scholarship beneficiaries which took place before he was appointed as TESDA chief.

Also, Secretary Lapeña, in the exercise of due diligence and due process, has previously directed the immediate investigation involving the alleged conspiracy in the failed bidding even prior to the filing of the said case in the Ombudsman. ###

TESDA, DPWH meet to discuss plan to fast track construction skills training

The chiefs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have directed their respective regional directors to coordinate immediately pending the memorandum of agreement between the two agencies officially sealing the on-site training plan which will help address the gap on the demand for skilled workers in the country.

TESDA Director General Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña initiated the talks with DPWH Secretary Mark Villar last March 5.  With the proposal dubbed as the Program on Project-based On-site Learning of Skilled Construction Professionals (PPOL SCoP), TESDA plans to launch applicable construction skills training in DPWH sites.

Aside from the DPWH, Lapeña proposed that the on-site construction skills training to be in close partnership with the local government units (LGUs), and government-accredited construction companies in order to speed up the government infrastructure constructions under the Build, Build, Build program of the Administration.

This program also ensures that all graduates of this training will learn based on the competency standards of the partner construction companies, receive National Certificates, and eventually be hired by the same accredited companies.

The PPOL SCoP will be based on the actual work processes done in the site where the training will also be held, meaning, each training will be different depending on the specific skills needed in the site. The training plan and curriculum will be developed by TESDA and the in-company trainers, construction superintendents, supervisors, and lead men to better prepare the trainees for work.

TESDA’s proposed program is also in line with the Republic Act No. 6685 which makes it mandatory for contractors to hire at least fifty per cent unskilled and thirty per cent skilled workers from bona fide residents where government infrastructures are being constructed. Bringing the training near these residents can encourage them to avail of free construction training and acquire construction-related jobs.

Also, TESDA is now gathering information on the employment status of the 2017 and 2018 graduates pegged at 83,649 and  234, 546, respectively.

With these, TESDA can also address the need for skilled construction workers while also working on challenges on unemployment and skills mismatch—one of the Agency’s thrusts under Secretary Lapeña’s supervision.

“TESDA will help the unemployed graduates to connect with various construction companies in need of skilled workers and laborers. Our job should cover assistance from enrolment to employment,” Lapena said. 

This latest initiative from TESDA is also in response to the directive of the President Rodrigo Duterte for the agency to train more skilled workers in the field of construction. (END)

TESDA announces new, revised Training Regulations

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Board chaired by the agency's Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, has officially announced the promulgation of 20 new and amended Training Regulations (TRs) in Automotive, Construction, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Tourism.

Of the 20 newly promulgated TRs, 2 qualifications, Electric Power Distribution Operation and Maintenance (EPDOM) NC lll and NC lV, are newly formulated.

The new TRs were developed in close coordination and consultation with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and according to the requirements of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and electric cooperatives in the country.

The graduates of training programs for EPDOM NC lll and NC lV will be workers that will fill supervisory positions in their respective companies.

Included among the amended TRs are the following:

Under the Automotive and Land Transportation sector: Automotive Servicing NC l;

Construction: Masonry NC l, Masonry NC ll, Masonry NC lll, Pipefitting (Metallic) NC ll, Tile Setting NC ll, Scaffolding Works NC ll (Supported Type Scaffold), Carpentry NC ll, ang Carpentry NC llI;

Electrical and Electronics: Electric Power Distribution Line Construction NC lI, and the two new qualifications, EPDOM NC lIl and NC lV;

Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Animation NC ll, 2D Animation NC lll, 3D Animation NC lll, Visual Graphic Design NC lll, and Web Development NC lll;

Tourism: Food and Beverage Services NC lll and NC lV; and,

Technical Vocational Training and Education (TVET) Trainers Methodology Level 1 (In-Company Trainer).

The TRs were developed in response to the needs of employers as well as to further promote qualifications and competencies that are in-demand, environment-friendly and conform with existing industry standards.  These also aim to strengthen industry-academe linkages to address any skills-job mismatches in critical sectors.

The newly promulgated TRs have incorporated 21st Century Skills for all the qualifications or courses, such as Learning and Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Information and Technology, Entrepreneurship, Life and Career Skills, Environment Literacy, Occupational Health and Safety, Communication, and Teamwork and Collaboration.

Meanwhile, TESDA has also announced 73 new assessment fees based on recommendations provided by the National Tax Resource Center (NTRC) as well as the prevailing inflation rate.

As of December 2018, some 101 assessment fees have been updated and promulgated and presently, the assessment fees of more new or amended TRs are being reviewed.

The newly promulgated TRs and assessment fees are the result of careful study, coordination and extensive consultation with industry partners, stakeholders and concerned government agencies.

To ensure full and proper utilization of the newly amended TRs, Secretary Lapeña has instructed TESDA Regional, Provincial and District Directors to entice and implement registration and re-registration of the mentioned training programs.(END)

Lapeña sets higher employment rate for tech-voc graduates

At the TESDA-NCR TVET forum held at Blue Leaf Filipinas in Parañaque City on February 22, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, rolled out the agency’s 2019 Omnibus Guidelines for Scholarships, setting a new employment rate for tech-voc graduates.

Lapeña emphasized TESDA's crucial role in tech-voc education which should include initiatives from students' enrolment to employment.  In the new guidelines, a higher employment rate of 60 percent is among the criteria for selecting technical vocational institutions (TVIs) that will be granted scholarship slots.

This means that 60 percent of scholar graduates of a certain TVI must be employed within a year of finishing their training for the TVI to qualify to receive scholarship slots.  This was previously set at 50 percent.

Speaking before delegates of TESDA Technology Institutions (TTIs), TVET Vocational Institutions (TVIs), technical vocational education and training stakeholders, and TESDA officials, the TESDA Director General said he had instructed for the immediate launch of the guidelines to properly guide TVIs, as well as tech-voc students, on the new TVET directions.

“This is to ensure fast and effective implementation of the scholarship programs by all of the country’s TVIs,” he explained.

Lapeña, who was introduced by TESDA-NCR Regional Director Conrado G. Bares, also emphasized in his keynote message that under his leadership, the TESDA is working for more inclusivity as embodied in the new TESDA tagline, “TESDA, Abot Lahat!”

“At TESDA, we will target, seek, and serve ‘the helpless, the hopeless, and the defenseless’ as President Rodrigo R. Duterte had so aptly instructed,” he said.

“Since joining TESDA, I have emphasized that our clients must include those who have very little in life, mainly because they are the ones in need of most assistance,” he added.

For 2019, Lapeña said TESDA’s scholarship beneficiaries would include more indigenous peoples (IPs), former rebels, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and senior citizens, in addition to migrant workers, the urban poor, drug dependents who have surrendered to authorities, and other members of similar sectors.

Lapeña said the new omnibus scholarships guidelines are focused on quality training, and to achieve this, he said the TESDA will grant incentives to outstanding TVIs.

“Quality training is of utmost importance to us.  This is why we will grant additional scholarship slots, as incentives, to institutions that have earned awards, recognitions, or certifications,” he announced.

The grant of additional scholarship slots will also be based on TVIs’ compliance with TESDA regulations.  This means the TVIs should have no violations and are not facing any complaints.

“They also must have utilized their budgets fully, prudently, and well,” he said, explaining that for 2019, for TVIs to be qualified to be given scholarship slots, they must have had a minimum of 80 percent utilization rate of their 2018 scholarship budget.

The TESDA-NCR TVET Forum is an annual platform for TESDA to engage its partners and stakeholders and to outline to TVIs its policy directions for the year.  TESDA officials, including district directors, heads of TESDA technology institutions (TTIs) and TVET Vocational Institutions, and other stakeholders attended this tear’s Forum.

DR. Danilo V. Ayap, President of the NCR Alliance of TVET Schools and Associations (NATSA), and his Vice President Engr. Levy Traquena are some of the officials who attended TESDA NCR’s 2019 TVET Forum.END

TESDA supports resolution of local communist conflict

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, pledged the full support and cooperation of the agency in preventing and addressing local communist armed conflict in the country, in accordance with Executive Order No. 70 recently issued by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

The EO signed in December 4, 2018 aims to create a national peace framework and institutionalize the “whole-of-nation approach” to achieve inclusive and sustainable peace, carefully getting to the root causes of conflicts in the country.

The Secretary stated TESDA’s support for the order during the National Taskforce to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELAC) meeting he hosted held at the Tandang Sora Hall of the TESDA Women’s Center in Taguig City.

On the agenda of the NTF-ELAC meeting were Basic Services/Livelihood and Poverty Alleviation/Infrastructure and Resource Management, all of which are related to the government’s actions towards solving local communist conflicts.

Also present during the meeting were National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., Alabat, Quezon Mayor Fernando L. Mesa, DSWD Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje, TESDA Deputy Director General Gaspar Gayona and officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, DILG, DENR, DepED, NICA, among others.

Lapeña highlighted the importance of TESDA in addressing poverty, peace and order concerns in the country by explaining how the Agency is a gateway of skills training, employment, and livelihood opportunities.

“TESDA’s role for these efforts is crucial as we are the gateway of training, employment and the livelihood.  Hindi tayo pwedeng makapagbigay ng employment at livelihood kung hindi sila mag-train for this purpose, that’s why TESDA is here,” said Lapeña.

He also noted that the most important aspect in the “whole-of-nation approach” is to gain the hearts, minds and trust of the people by giving genuine basic services such as jobs, social development packages, education, skills, housing, and healthcare to everyone, but most especially to the poor.

“We, in the government, let us deliver these basic services to them, sa ating mga kababayan who have less in life,” said Lapeña.

According to Lapeña, TESDA had already started implementing several interventions by launching skills training for the poor and other ‘special clients’ like rebel returnees, indigenous peoples (IPs), drug surrenderers, prisoners and their families, and others.

By the end of 2018, TESDA had already trained about 972 rebel returnees, 26,266 IPs, and 20,716 drug surrenderers.  Some 3,000 of these have already landed jobs or started livelihood activities.

“Let us work together and collaborate to win the hearts and minds of the people,” said Lapeña as he ended his speech.

Esperon, on the other hand, reported the projects and activities currently being done by the government towards solving these armed conflicts.

He mentioned that 35% of the population, including the IPs, became part of the New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (NPA-NDF) and are rebelling against the Duterte administration.

Esperon also added that most of these rebels come from labor groups and universities.

Alabat Mayor Fernando Mesa also said in the meeting the he intends to implement these activities and projects against armed conflict in his municipality to make it “communist free.”(END)

TESDA fully on board Build, Build, Build

No. of construction grads increased by 180% - Lapeña

TESDA Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña has directed all the agency's regional and provincial directors to vigorously contact and tap the graduates of construction-related training from TESDA and other accredited schools in order to help address the bottleneck in the government's Build, Build, Build program.

This is aside from going full steam with the trainings provided by the agency and it's training institutions according to Lapeña.

In a report by TESDA, there were 234,546 graduates in construction and construction-related courses in 2018, up from the 83,649 graduates in 2017.

"This is a strong number that we can tap and hopefully, this will beef up the construction of projects and halt further delay," said Lapeña.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte recently ordered TESDA to train more workers in the field of construction.  The lack of skilled workers has caused slight delay in some infrastructure projects of the government under the said Build, Build, Buid program.

 “We have seen an increase of more than 180% at the end of 2018 in the number of graduates for construction and construction-related courses from the previous year’s numbers," Lapeña said.

 The increasing number of graduates is mainly due to the increase in the number of registered training programs for the sector.  There are 693 newly registered programs for construction, which make up about 23% of the total 3,049 of construction and construction-related registered programs.

TESDA also certified 279,237 workers in the sector in 2018, up from the 71,808 certified in 2017, an increase of almost 300%.  This jump is mostly due to the free assessments given last year by the agency, which also assessed and certified existing workers in addition to new tech-voc graduates.

At the moment, some 5,800 trainees are currently enrolled in different construction-related training programs such as Carpentry, Construction Painting, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, Welding, Heavy Equipment Operation, Instrumentation and Control Servicing, Masonry, Pipefitting, Plumbing, PV Systems Installation, Scaffold Erection, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Technical Drafting and Tile Setting.

The President noted that skilled workers are going abroad instead of looking for employment in the country.  The President also mentioned that unemployed citizen on the other hand lack the qualifications and skills.

 “We agree with the President’s statements that the shortage of workers may be due to a large number of them going overseas, where wages are significantly higher.  In the country, the construction jobs available that offer higher compensations are those for highly specialized occupation like engineers and architects,” explained Lapeña.

Construction workers in the country expect to get the minimum daily wage of at least Php 500, depending on their experience and skill levels, and most of the jobs offer little security of tenure as most of them are project-based.

“There is a need to adjust wages and benefits in the sector to attract more applicants and trainees.  Construction work requires skills and entail significant risk, and unfortunately often considered as ‘dirty, dangerous and difficult’.  We should start to make these jobs more attractive, otherwise we stand to lose valuable human resource to other industries or even to other countries,” according to Sec. Lapeña.

TESDA is also continuously strengthening its ties with industries to streamline delivery of training and ensure that the skills taught match the requirements and standards of employers.  Further, other strategies such as encouraging the participation of industries in dual-training and enterprise-based training, as well as adopting training-cum-production schemes are being utilized to better expose trainees to actual work environments.

During the Focused Group Discussion (FGD) on the Skills Requirements for the Build Build Build Program conducted by TESDA in 2018, different stakeholders in construction and other related sectors helped identify the skills needed by the Program.  The hard to fill positions in the sector include leadman, foreman, heavy equipment operators (mixer, bulldozer, paver, mobile crane), sheet filing operators and vibro machine operators.

The FGD participants also identified the workers that are most needed by the program such as riggers, Hydraulic operators, masons, steel men/workers, carpenters, plumbers, heavy equipment mechanics, scaffolders, riggers, surveyors, and spotters.

TESDA has also targeted for training interventions vulnerable social groups such as the poor, underprivileged and undereducated as part of its “TESDA, Abot Lahat” direction.

 “We would like to provide access to training to as many of our kababayan as possible, especially those who have the least chance of getting trained and yet with the proper skills training, they will possibly find employment or other means of income,” added Lapeña

Construction and construction-related qualifications include Masonry, Carpentry, Tile Setting, Plumbing, Scaffold Erection, Pipefitting, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, Welding, and Heavy Equipment operation, among others.(END)

Ghost training, scholars discovered as Lapeña starts crackdown at TESDA

 The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority has discovered 28 registered technical vocational education and training (TVET) programs with incidents of ghost training and ghost trainees in Central Luzon and three other regions.

 This was an offshoot of a three-month meticulous review of the operations of all the accredited TESDA training schools in the country which was immediately ordered by TESDA Director General Isidro Lapeña when he assumed the post in October last year.

 It will be recalled that Lapeña immediately ordered the creation of an investigating team to conduct a thorough review and accounting of all accredited training schools due to complaints and rumors of irregularities especially in the provinces.

 "Among my major thrusts is to address the problem of ghost scholars and ghost trainings. Any irregularities will be immediately dealt with, nobody will be spared under my watch," said Lapeña.

 Based on the result of the probe submitted by the Investigation Committee he created, there are 62 registered programs of Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) with violations on TESDA rules and regulations that were discovered.

 There were nine categories to which the investigation had focused into, some of them are those relating to existence of ghost training and ghost trainees, exaction of illegal fees and absence of inspection and re-inspection reports.

 The investigation confirmed the existence of ghost training and ghost trainees in registered technical vocational and education training programs - 13 of which are in Central Luzon, 7 each in Region 1 and Region IVA, and 1 in Metro Manila.

 Each of the training schools identified has two or more cases of conducting ghost trainings and listing ghost scholars.

 Nine cases of illegal collection of fees from trainees and scholars were also found, a gross violation of the rules and guidelines on TESDA scholarship.

 Four of them are in Region I, two each in Region IVA and Region VI and one in Region VII.

 TESDA regional directors were already asked to explain about the anomalies that were stipulated in the findings.

 "Appropriate criminal charges will be filed against those who are involved in these serious offenses as warranted," said Lapeña.

 Training schools with minor violations, on the other hand, were ordered to comply and warned of cancellation of accreditation if they fail to do so.

 Following the result of the investigation, Lapeña has implemented a stricter monitoring on existing training schools and validation process for those applying for accreditation.

 "TESDA’s Unified TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training) Program Registration and Accreditation System or UTPRAS has very stringent validation and monitoring processes.  If a school or training center does not comply with requirements, it will not be awarded scholarship slots,” Lapeña emphasized.

 Lapeña recently issued the Omnibus Guidelines for 2019 TESDA Scholarship Programs which, among others, discourage anomalies and illegal activities by implementing stricter monitoring of training programs, trainees' attendance, and the employment rate of the scholar graduates.

 He also ensured that the amended guidelines will include stiffer penalties for erring TVIs, as well as TESDA personnel, for which CSC (Civil Service Commission) rules shall be strictly enforced.

 “I assure the public that during my watch, as your TESDA chief, our kababayan will not be shortchanged and will not be deprived of the free quality training that they deserve,” Lapeña stressed. (END)

TESDA, LBP to give financial assistance to tech-voc graduates

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) have joined forces to provide financial aid through a credit facility to TESDA graduates that they may use for their pre-employment and livelihood needs.

This after TESDA Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, and Alex V. Buenaventura, President and CEO of LBP, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop a lending program for TESDA graduates.

The signing was held at the LBP Board Room at the Landbank Plaza in Malate, Manila last February 4, 2019 and was witnessed by Rebecca J. Calzado, TESDA Deputy Director General, and Ma. Celeste A. Burgos, LBP Senior Vice President.

Also present were Executive Director Luz Victoria G. Amponin of TESDA Partnerships and Linkages Office, Atty. Imelda Ong, TESDA Legal Division Head, and other officials of LBP.

This agreement comes after a series of meetings between TESDA and LBP with the objective of providing financial assistance to the technical vocational (tech-voc) graduates of TESDA for job searching and for starting their own business.

In this connection, TESDA and LBP agreed to collaborate and create a credit facility specifically for TESDA graduates through which they may avail of loans for their pre-employment needs and for starting their own livelihood ventures.

This is in line with the objective of Lapeña to implement TESDA scholarship programs as well as to give TVET graduates a better chance to find jobs and livelihood after undergoing training.

It is also aimed to help the government solve the problem of unemployment in the country, which, according to the record of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), peaked at 5.1% in October 2018.

“Ang Landbank ay nakahanda sa ating agreement to provide financing. Hindi lang livelihood kundi pre-employment financing. Gusto kong mag-participate sa pag-design ng friendly, accessible at sustainable na programa natin,” said Buenaventura in his message after signing the MOU.

Buenaventura also expressed gratitude to Lapeña for the continuous trust of the agency and for being partners though the different programs of TESDA to help its scholars.

Lapeña believes that the MOU will pave the way to his goal of helping tech-voc graduates to easily find jobs and livelihood after graduating.

“Kapag sinasabing TESDA, it’s about training. But ang binibigyan ko ng importansya dito, dapat after TESDA there should be employment and livelihood,” stated Lapeña.

He asserted his priority to help and to provide more training programs to the less privileged sector of society for them to have jobs and improve their lives.

Lapeña, on behalf of TESDA, also thanked Buenaventura for the ceaseless support of LBP to the agency’s programs.

The two parties have created a technical working committee that will be responsible for the study and creation of guidelines, procedures and responsibilities of both parties, and the effective implementation of the program.

The financial assistance program is expected to be implemented in March 2019. (END)

TESDA Training, ‘di apektado ng delay ng 2019 national budget – Lapeña

Inabisuhan ni TESDA Director General, Sec. Isidro S. Lapeña ang publiko na hindi maapektuhan ng pagka-delay ng pagpapasa ng 2019 National Budget ang mga training na isinasagawa ng ahensya.

Sinigurado ito ni Sec. Lapeña matapos lumabas ang balitang naghahayag ng hindi pagtanggap ng mga bagong estudyante sa mga TESDA training centers sa Pangasinan sanhi ng kakulangan ng pondo.

“Our statements may have been misunderstood. In fact, the TESDA Pangasinan Provincial Training Center is currently conducting 5 training programs until April and May this year, after which a new batch of trainees will be admitted,” ani Lapeña.

Kasalukuyang ipinatutupad ang mga sumusunod na training programs sa probinsya: Automotive Servicing NC I, Automotive Servicing NC II, Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC II, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding NC II, at Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II.

Lahat ng mga estudyanteng kumukuha ng mga nasabing programa ay pumasok noong 2018 at nagsimula sa kanilang training noong huling parte ng taon.

“The trainee who was interviewed for the news story is simply waiting for slots to open, which will happen when earlier batches finish their training programs,” sabi ni TESDA Pangasinan Provincial Director Cariza A. Dacuma.

“We already have prepared our Scholarship Allocation Plan for 2019 and that is also ready for implementation,” dagdag pa ni Dacuma.

Ang pondo para sa training programs ng TESDA ay galing sa taunang budget ng ahensya at mula rin sa pondo ng Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA).

Nakalahad sa DBM Circular Letter No. 2019-1 na ang lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno ay “authorized to obligate the amount corresponding to their actual requirements under the regular budget for the first quarter of 2019.”  Kaugnay nito, ang pondong para sa UAQTEA ay nailabas na noong huling bahagi pa ng 2018 at maaari pang gamitin ng ahensya hanggang Disyembre ngayong taon.

“There also isn’t any truth in the statement that TESDA’s Central Office is withholding budget from our schools and training centers.  From the start, the budget of a national government agency has already been appropriated per region to be utilized according to their respective annual requirements,” paliwanag ni Sec. Lapeña

TESDA is here to serve the public, most especially those who cannot afford the training,” diin ng TESDA secretary. (END)

New TESDA scholarship guidelines seek to ensure livelihood of beneficiaries

The Omnibus Guidelines for 2019 TESDA Scholarship Programs will make it easier for its technical vocational education and training (TVET) graduates to get jobs or have a livelihood after their training.

This is what TESDA Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, made clear in his message during the recently concluded “Orientation on the Omnibus Guidelines for 2019 Scholarship Programs” conducted by the agency

These scholarship programs include the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), Special Training for Employment Program (STEP), Private Education Student Financial Assistant (PESFA), and the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTEA).

The mentioned guidelines were formulated following Lapeña's call that the TESDA scholarship programs must endeavor to increase the chances of TVET scholars to find a job or establish a livelihood after training.

“Gusto ko lang bigyan-diin ang nais ko sanang mangyari sa training programs natin.  It should be training then a job or livelihood after, because that is the purpose of training,” explained Lapeña.

According to Lapeña, whenever he receives requests for scholarship slots, “Sinasabi ko, 'give me the list (pangalan ng estudyante) and the work after'. Kung wala 'yon, I will not consider giving them slots, dahil hindi ma-aachieve ang purpose ng TESDA kung walang trabaho ang mga graduates.”

He also pushes to prioritize those in the less fortunate or less privileged sectors of society to enable them to find gainful employment and consequently raise their standards of living.  This is in line with the agency's slogan, “TESDA, Abot Lahat”. 

“We must win the hearts and minds of the people through TVET as a solution for stamping out poverty.  What TESDA does directly impacts the lives of the people,” according to Lapeña.

To help realize these intentions, the new guidelines cover TVET programs specially those in sectors considered as key employment generators (KEGs) such as Agri-Fishery/Agri-Business/Agro Industrial, Tourism, Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM), Semi-Conductor and Electronics, Automotive, Logistics, General Infrastructure, and new, emerging and priority areas.

The TESDA Regional Offices (ROs) shall distribute their allocation of funds to the Provincial Offices (POs) based on their PSPs (Provincial Skills Priorities), R/PTESDPs (Regional/Provincial Technical Education and Skills Development Program), KEGs, absorptive capacities of TVIs/enterprises, new and emerging industries, and the latest available labor force participation data of each region and province.

On the other hand, the criteria for selection of TVIs that will be given scholarship slots will include their absorptive capacity, utilization rate and employment rate.  The training program of a certain TVI will need to have an employment rate of at least 60% within a year of graduation.  Reports from the National Inspectorate for Scholarship Program (NISP) will also be among the bases for the granting of slots.

TVIs which have local or international recognition, certification and/or awards (such as the STAR Rating, Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC), among others) will be given additional batches of scholars.  Priority will also be given to institutions that have recognized Diploma-level training programs.

TVIs are also obliged to establish industry partnerships to further ensure that their trainees will have jobs after training.

To discourage anomalies and illegal activities, TESDA's ROs and POs will implement stricter monitoring of training programs and trainees' attendance.  Further, TVIs/enterprises, in addition to submitting terminal reports to TESDA, will also need to publish a list of their scholar graduates either in local newspapers or upload the same to their respective websites or social media accounts.

Sanctions will be imposed on violators in accordance with the provisions under TESDA's Unified TVET Program Registration and Accreditation System (UTPRAS) guidelines.(END)

9,000+ enrollees for Free TVET – Lapeña

Enrollees for free technical vocational education and training (TVET) under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or UAQTEA have reached 9,497 in the program’s initial implementation by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

According to TESDA Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, the UAQTEA-Free TVET enrollees are part of the total 51,325 who had enlisted for availment of the program from October to December 2018.

The 9,497 scholars, who started their training last October 1, 2018, are enrolled in 212 institutions of the total 317 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), LGU-run training centers and TESDA Technology Institutions (TTIs) that implement UAQTEA-Free TVET in the country.

“Enrollees to Free TVET shall have the benefits covering the tuition, miscellaneous fees, and trainee support provisions (national competency assessment, instructional materials, living allowance, starter toolkit and workshop T-shirts),” explained Lapeña.

TESDA plans to produce 170,000 in the first batch of beneficiaries for academic year 2018-2019 of the UAQTEA-Free TVET, for which a budget of Php 6.9 billion has originally been allocated.

Republic Act No. 10931 also known as UAQTEA, seeks to give free tuition and other school fees to those enrolling or are enrolled in SUCs, LUCs, LGU-run training centers and TTIs, establish the Tertiary Education Subsidy and Student Loan Program (SLP), further strengthen the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), and to provide funds for its implementation.

The UAQTEA gives Filipinos from all walks of life the opportunity to avail of free tertiary education, and to give equal chances for them to receive this from both public and private institutions.  The program gives priority to students who are technically-able but otherwise from poor families or impoverished backgrounds.

RA 10931 was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 3, 2017 for implementation in academic year 2018-2019.

Lapeña encouraged those interested to either visit the nearest TESDA Provincial Office or the TESDA website (www.tesda.gov.ph) for more information.(END)

NCR-TODA members receive TESDA scholarships

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has recently responded to the needs and concerns expressed by the members of the National Capital Region - Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (NCR-TODA) Coalition.

An initial 200 TESDA scholarship slots were allocated and awarded to the NCR-TODA Coalition in an effort to enhance their skills and possibly help them supplement their livelihood.

The TESDA Certificate of Scholarship Commitment for the TODA was awarded by TESDA Scholarships Management Office Director-in-Charge Sonia S. Lipio and Pasay/Makati District Director Angelina M. Carreon along with former Special Assistant to the President Sec. Bong Go, which was in turn received on behalf of the coalition by Ismael O. Sevilla, NCR TODA Coalition president.

The awarding of the scholarship commitment was done during the 3rd TODA Summit held at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City last January 23, 2019.

Further talks between TESDA and NCR TODA Coalition will be held to determine the most suitable training programs, its beneficiaries and training venues.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was the keynote speaker during the event which was attended by some 7,000 NCR-TODA Coalition members, visitors, and employees of participating national government agencies (NGAs) and local government units (LGUs).

“We are here to serve.  Wala kaming ginagawa diyan kung hindi magtrabaho. Iyan ang buhay namin.  It’s just a matter of telling us na, ‘ganito ang problema,’” said the President during his speech.

The NCR-TODA Coalition has 965 TODA organizations in the region under its umbrella.

Among the members’ complaints are the seeming lack of government concern for their situation; absence of a steady source of income; limited livelihood opportunities; and their difficulty in availing health benefits.

Among the NGAs that participated in the summit were TESDA, Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG Fund, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Internal and Local Government, Department of Transportation, and Cooperative Development Authority.

During the summit, participating NGAs set up booths at the venue to entertain queries that the members of the TODA may have regarding their respective programs, projects and, services and how these can be availed.

Tricycle drivers are regarded by TESDA as part of the informal sector which can further benefit from the agency’s assistance.(END)

TESDA revises Dual Training System IRR

Technical-vocational students under the Dual Training System (DTS) will now receive their daily allowances in full from the companies where they are currently undergoing the in-plant training portion of their studies.

This allowance is equivalent to 75 of the prevailing minimum wage.

This is among the major changes included in the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the DTS that was recently approved by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Board headed by TESDA Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña.

Lapeña explained that under the previous DTS IRR, of the total allowance given by partner industries for trainees, only 30% is received by the trainees while the institution retains the remaining 70% balance for their operational expenses.

“Ngayon hindi na. Pagbigay ng establishment ng allowance, direct nang ibibigay ng school ‘yon nang buo sa estudyante,” said Lapeña.

According to Lapeña, the primary reasons for revising the DTS IRR are so that more industries will be encouraged to participate in DTS implementation, and to make provisions within the IRR more suitable to recent changes and developments.

“Dahil 25 years na ang DTS, may mga probisyon na hindi na nababagay sa kasalukuyang panahon. Kaya binago natin ito upang maging relevant, naaangkop, at para marami tayong mahikayat na lumahok (na mga employers) sa DTS,” explained the TESDA chief.

Through this, the employability of tech-voc graduates will be improved, increasing their chances to find jobs and other livelihood opportunities after training.

The DTS Law (R 7686) was signed into law in 1994 by the then President Fidel V. Ramos.

Under the DTS training modality, tech-voc trainees receive instructions and training from both the school and their partner companies. Theoretical training is done in-school while practical training is done in-plant, within the company's workshops.

Currently in the country, there are about 100 institutions implementing DTS programs along with some 300 private partner companies.

Also among the changes in the revised DTS IRR are the following:

The training hours for DTS are now adjustable, depending on agreements between the school and its partner company. The previous IRR required trainees to stay in-school 40% of the time, with the remaining 60% to be spent with the company. Under the revised DTS IRR, in-plant training hours can be adjusted for trainees to spend more time within the company.

Graveyard shifts are now disallowed. Normal daily training hours are limited to 8 hours, anytime between 6 am and 10 pm, following complaints that some companies required their trainees to report later in the evening.

DTS programs are now covered by TESDA's scholarship programs.

A DTS training plan must be jointly prepared by the institution and its partner company in consultation with the latter's labor union. To prevent abuse, this training plan must be submitted accompanied by the list of students for which it will be used.

DTS implementation is open to all technical vocational institutions (TVIs) that currently have TESDA-registered programs.

“Lahat ng TVIs na may registered program ay maaari nang mag-apply ng DTS accreditation,” according to TESDA's Partnerships and Linkages Office Floramel Joy Songsong.

Unlike before where only institutions award certificates upon completion of training, companies are now required to give trainees a certificate of dual training.

Institutions implementing DTS programs will also be subject to a yearly TESDA compliance audit.

The revised DTS IRR comes opportunely for the implementation of TESDA's scholarship programs to be more in line with the directions set by Secretary Lapeña.

Since he took over as TESDA head, he emphasized the need for the agency's scholarship programs not only to focus on providing training but also to help ensure that trainees will be able to find work or to engage in livelihood activities after their graduation.

According to him, “Medyo mahirap at mangangailangan ito nang ‘extra effort’ pero ang ating iniisip ay kung paano tayo makakatulong sa mga kababayan nating mga mahihirap.”

With DTS, since schools are joined by their partners companies to provide training, the chances for trainees to be absorbed by the company where they receive instructions are increased.

“Ang assumption, dahil ang industriya ang nagsabi na ganito ang kailangan na pagdaanan ng trainees, kapag natapos nila ang training, mas akma ang natutunan nila sa pangangailangan ng industriya, kaya malaki ang posibilidad na maeempleyo sila,” added Lapeña.

Because of this, job mismatch in technical vocational education and training can be reduced.(END)

TESDA to further strengthen partnerships with employers, workers

 Employers and workers will have a bigger role in technical vocational education and training (TVET) in the country as TESDA moves to strengthen its partnership with them for a more effective and efficient implementation of its training programs and other services.

 This after Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, signed the “Implementing Guidelines on the Establishment of Institutional Arrangements with Industry Boards or Industry Associations”.

 The guidelines aim to “recognize Industry Boards (IBs) or Industry Associations (IAs) as partners in the delivery of TVET programs or services”.

 These guidelines also aim to “engage the direct participation of employers and workers in the design and implementation of work related to technical education and skills development”.

 “The establishment of institutional arrangements with IBs or IAs shall encourage active participation of various concerned industries in providing relevant technical education and skills development opportunities, being direct participants in and immediate beneficiaries of a trained and skilled workforce,” explained Lapeña.

 The industry sectors primarily include those that are considered by the agency to be Key Employment Generators (KEGs) such as Construction, Tourism, Agri-business, Wholesale and Retail, Health and Wellness at Automotive/Transport.

 The IBs and IAs that will be recognized to represent their respective sectors will serve as the “conduit” of the industry in the design and implementation of projects, programs and activities in TVET of TESDA.

 Part of their responsibilities will include giving TESDA recommendations in the conceptualization and execution of skills development schemes, skills standardization and certification, as well as to entice industries and employers to participate in these activities.

 The IBs and IAs will likewise assist in the development of competency standards, curriculum, sectoral skills plans and assessment tools.

 These groups will also take part in the promotion and implementation of various TVET activities towards quality skills development including the conduct of skills competitions.

 Initially, a Secretariat will be established to give administrative and technical support to the IBs/IAs.  The Secretariat will be composed of staff from TESDA’s Partnerships and Linkages Office (PLO), Qualifications Standards Office (QSO), National Institute for Technical Education and Skills Development (NITESD), Planning Office (PO) and Certification Office (CO).

 The TESDA PLO will allocate a budget of Php 100,000 for each IBs or IAs for their preliminary related activities such as the conduct of meetings, conferences and the production of promotional materials.

 The recognition of IBs/IAs is covered in Republic Act 7796 (TESDA Law) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) which allow for the establishment of institutional arrangements with bodies or associations such as industry boards that may support TESDA in the fulfilment of its objectives.(END)

TESDA pushes for further expansion of services in Soccsksargen

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority is pushing to make its programs and services more accessible to those in the lower strata of society and those in remote areas to help raise their standard of living through skills training.

This after TESDA formally received the donation of a 1,027 square meter lot by the City Government of Koronadal on which the new TESDA Regional Office XII will be built. The lot is within the Prime Regional Center on which several other government agencies are either already holding their regional offices or are planned to be located.

TESDA Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, and Koronadal City Mayor, Dr. Peter B. Miguel, formally signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Deed of Donation (DOD) for the lot in Brgy. Carpenter Hill, Koronadal City in South Cotabato, for the mentioned project.

The signing ceremony was held at the FB Hotel in Koronadal City last January 10, 2019.

The project is worth some Php 50M and will be completed within 18 months from the time the MOA and DOD had been signed.

“The establishment of this Prime Regional Center of Region Xll will be a testament to the continuing cooperation between national and local government agencies and units, as well as to the trust of the Duterte Administration for a government that is truly for the people. This will likewise strengthen partnerships between public entities and private companies,” said Lapeña in his message during the ceremony.

According to Lapeña, once the facility has been constructed and becomes fully-operational, TESDA will have a better chance to provide services to those who most need them, specially to those coming from communities in Mindanao.

The signing of the MOA and DOD was done as the Koronadal City was also celebrating the 19th “Hinugyaw Festival” and the city's 79th founding anniversary. The singing ceremony was witnessed by TESDA Regional Director Rafael Abrogar ll and Koronadal City Administrator Cyrus Jose Urbano.

Lapeña also thanked the people and the City of Koronadal represented by its Mayor Miguel.

The Secretary also mentioned that the construction of the Regional Office 12 is part of the projects that will be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2019.

The TESDA chief likewise mentioned that he personally requested, during an earlier cabinet meeting in Malacañang, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar to include in 2019 the construction of the mentioned Regional Office who immediately approved the project.

According to Lapeña, Villar agreed that the Regional Office, once completed, would bring TESDA's programs and services even closer to those who wish to avail them.

“Kung walang pamasahe ang iba nating mga kababayan, maiisip pa ba nila ang mag-training o mag-aral para maiangat ang kanilang sarili?" asked Lapeña during his message.

In the meantime, two more world class TESDA training centers are expected to be built in Soccsksargen within 2019, specifically in Sarangani and South Cotabato.

These training centers will benefit some 20,000 trainees in the next 5 years.(END)

Lapeña thanks Senate for restoring TESDA budget

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, thanked the Senate for ensuring that the almost P5 billion cut from the the agency’s budget will be restored in 2019.

This was announced by Lapeña in his thanksgiving message to the officials and employees of TESDA during the flag raising ceremony held last Dec. 17.

In his message, Lapeña said he attended the budget hearing at the Senate last Dec. 6 in which he was told there was a P4.86 billion cut from the 2019 budget of the agency due to lower spending of the agency’s funds in 2018.

The TESDA chief admitted that he was not able to talk to Senators Loren Legarda and Sonny Angara prior to the hearing but he was able to catch up with Angara later.

Lapeña said he talked to Senators Panfilo Lacson, Richard Gordon, Joel Villanueva, former TESDA Director General, and asked for restoration of the agency's budget.

“I explained it to them, to Senators Lacson, Gordon and Villanueva. Of course, iyan ang ating palaging katulong, si Villanueva being former DG of TESDA, and of course to Sen. Angara. I was able to meet them and they committed to restore the full amount back to TESDA, P5 billion maibabalik nang buo,” said Lapeña.

The TESDA chief explained there was delay in the release of the budget which resulted in the agency’s slow spending, affecting the number of clients who could avail of skills training.

Lapena said for the past three years, of the agency's prospective 45 million clients, only 2.7% were served or less than 1% per year.

When Lapeña explained it to Lacson, the senator said that the condition of TESDA is "pathetic”.

Prior to that, Lacson explained his position in restoring the budget, “In 2018, they received the budget from the Commission on Higher Education in September. So there was little time to obligate. That is the reason why they have a very low obligation rate in 2018, only 58 percent.”

Senator Franklin Drilon has promised to finish the budget deliberation for 2019 budget on January 27.(END)

Lapeña pushes to revitalize CTECs

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, has expressed support to revitalize Community Training and Employment Coordinators (CTECs) nationwide.

Secretary Lapeña made the call during a speech at the 3-day CTECs Congress held at the Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City last Dec. 10-14 with the theme “Gearing Towards Vibrant and Inclusive Technical Vocational Education and Training”.

Lapeña cited in his speech the importance of the partnership and coordination between TESDA and local government units (LGUs) to ensure that communities are aware of and have access to TESDA's programs and services.

The event aims to validate the new Competency Standards for CTECs, and gather inputs for formulating competency assessment tools for these standards.

Created during the height of the National Manpower and Youth Council (NMYC), CTECs are designated regular employees of LGUs tasked with planning, coordinating and evaluating tech-voc programs in their respective localities.

According to Lapeña, the CTECs play an important role in ensuring that TESDA programs are effective and lasting, thus, it is imperative that LGUs and their CTECs are involved with and competent in planning, organizing, managing and monitoring training and employment programs.

The TESDA chief expressed his confidence that issues regarding CTECs positions and incentives will also soon be addressed.

“I encourage every LGU to designate CTECs nationwide, and TESDA to provide support and assistance. We hope to work in addressing the long-desire of CTECs to have plantilla positions, or at least device an incentive system for them. I know this is hard, but nothing is impossible,” said Lapeña.

TESDA shall push for the establishment of local technical education and skills development (TESD) committees to coordinate and monitor the delivery of skills development activities implemented by the public and private sectors, which shall serve as the TESDC local development councils.

At present, there are active TESD committees in the provinces of Bukidnon, Cebu and Davao del Norte.

Under the joint TESDA-DILG Memorandum Circular 2003-174, dated August 25, 2003, it is stated that CTECs are regular LGU personnel who were trained by the TESDA to plan, organize and monitor the community-based training and enterprise development programs of LGUs.

Lapeña said that TESDA, in close coordination with the DILG, will be revisiting the circular in order for it to fit the current times.

“Through this, the LGU can design and earmark funds for their own training programs that will be responsive to the peculiar needs of the community, and TESDA will provide the technical assistance needed,” added Lapeña

He also stressed that the role of the CTECs was part of his “community-driven economics” for a more “people-oriented” TVET.(END)

TESDA to strengthen gender dev't

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority will strengthen the capacities of its gender and development (GAD) system and focal personnel in relation to technical vocational education and training (TVET).

This will be tackled during the three-day GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) Assembly which will be held at the Green Sun Hotel in Makati City from Dec. 4-6.

TESDA has been holding its Annual GFPS Assembly since 2013, with the activity supported by the Director General of the agency and the GAD Focal Point System-Executive Committee (GFPS-ExeCom), which aims to continously improve and strengthen the GFPS in the agency.

During the program proper, TESDA Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapena, will deliver the message while Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning and Chair of GFPS-Executive Committee, Rosanna A. Urdaneta, will give her welcome remarks.

The assembly aims to expand the capacities of the TESDA GFPS and GAD focals on gender analysis, gender mainstreaming and new policies related to GAD planing and budgeting.

It also seeks to combine the drafts of the 2020 GAD Plan and formulate a budget based on the GAD Framework and the 5-year GAD Agenda of TESDA.

The expected outputs include strengthening the GAD competencies (gender analysis and GAD planning and budgeting) of TESDA GFPS and GAD focals; and, validating the results of the GMEF in the regional GFPS.

About 70 participants are expected to attend the 2018 GFPS, most of whom are from the TESDA Central Office and TESDA Regional Offices.

The annual GFPS Assembly conforms to the mandates required under the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710) and Joint Circular No. 2012-01 of the Philippine Commission on Women’s (PCW) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The activity is said to be one of the integral elements of the GAD planning and budgeting of TESDA.

Through the GFPS, the TESDA moves to implement more gender-fair technical vocational education and training, which can only be achieved through the immediate and effective mainstreaming of the agency's gender endeavors and initiatives.

TESDA’s GAD plans and budgets (GPB) in the Central Office and Regional Offices need to be intensified while targeting to achieve not only the outputs and the results of GAD but also to make relevant changes felt among clients, beneficiaries and the whole organization.

The TESDA-GFPS, through the TESDA Women’s Center (TWC) as GAD secretariat, essentially proposed to hold the 2018 GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) Assembly to achieve the "twin goal" of gender equality and women economic empowerment.

The main goal of GAD in TVET is focused on the formation of gender equality so that more and more women will be encouraged to participate in technical vocational education and training.(END)

Be TESDA’s spokespersons,

Sec. Lapeña urges regional directors

 Davao City—Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Secretary and Director General Isidro S. Lapeña, PhD., CSEE, yesterday exhorted all TESDA regional directors to act as TESDA spokespersons, and urged themselves tell the Filipino people the positive stories of hope that the agency has inspired in the lives of millions.

 “I enjoin you to tell these stories yourselves and be the spokespersons of the agency,” Sec. Lapeña said at the start of the TESDA’s Corporate Planning Workshop at the Marco Polo Hotel in this city.

 “This is not a complex task since the TESDA has genuine and meaningful contribution to making the lives of many Filipinos, especially the disadvantaged and the dispossessed, better. As my representative in the regions, you have the credibility to communicate TESDA than anyone else,” he added.

 One of the corporate planning workshop’s aims was to come up with a TESDA Action Plan for 2019-2022. In attendance are Deputy Directors General Rosanna A. Urdaneta, Rebecca Calzado, Gaspar Gayona, and all senior level officials at the Central Office and all TESDA regional directors. This is the first time that Sec. Lapeña has presided over a TESDA planning activity.

 In his remarks, Lapeña laid down his priorities as the new TESDA chief.

 “As I have said, we must endeavor to improve and build on what you have already built for us to become more responsive,” he said.

 Mentioning what he said are “short-term doables,” the TESDA chief said one of his priorities is ensuring that TESDA officials and employees are made available in tasks and responsibilities critical to TESDA’s programs and services.

 Another priority which he outlined is increasing the reach of TESDA to more Filipinos for them to benefit from TVET.

 “Our potential TVET clientele is estimated at 45.79 million. A one-percent target in four years will hardly make a dent in addressing the most-disadvantaged sectors of Philippine society. We should improve access of our people to our TVET,” he explained.

 To increase access to TVET and to reach out to more people, Lapeña said his plan is to seek the partnerships of multinational corporations (MNCs) and private business on TVET as a form of these private businesses’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.

 He also reminded TESDA officials to tie up results of technical education and training with employment, saying TESDA graduates need gainful opportunities, including livelihood, to achieve prosperity and win in the war against poverty.

 “We must win the hearts and minds of the people through TVET as a solution in stamping out the cause of poverty,” he said, adding that what TESDA does directly impacts on the lives of the people,” he said. (END)

APT OKs employers participation in upgrading TVET qualifications

The Association of South East Asian Nations Plus Three (APT) has moved to strengthen the industry/employers participation in upgrading the qualifications for technical vocational education and training (TVET).

This was agreed upon during the two-day “Conference on Sharing Best Practices on Harnessing Industry Involvement in Development of Higher Level Qualifications” organized by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) at the Dusit Thani Manila last Nov. 7-8.

The conference was attended by three representatives from each of the participating nations of the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) composed of one TVET institution head; a government policy-maker from the ministry managed by TVET; and a representative from the private sector either from the industry or labor who is a staunch supporter of any of the four areas of TVET.

Participating countries were from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Officials of the county's Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), TESDA and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat were also present.

In his welcome message, TESDA Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, stressed that the conference is a realization of the concept that was formed in 2015, in response to the recommendation of the East Asia Vision Group (EAVG) II Report, in an effort to “undertake strategic programs to produce a competent and well-equipped labor force”. TESDA was appointed by the DOLE to become the focal agency to lead in achieving various projects in support of the recommendation.

He also said that one of the objectives of the conference is to give importance to “industry involvement” and to ensure that laborers are ready for the challenges of the global landscape in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4lR).

“This conference shall look into industry involvement in ensuring the relevance and competitiveness of our workers in the midst of changes in the global landscape, and in response to the national realities that we are all facing, specifically the creation of new jobs, the loss of menial jobs due to automation, and the demand for higher-level skilled work force,” said Lapeña.

The measure is also in support to the ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Work Programme 2016-2020 which aims to improve the workforce competitiveness and productivity; and, to the recommendation of the East Asia Vision Group ll to produce laborers who are qualified, skilled, and competent.

Aside from Lapeña, others guests who delivered messages were DOLE Undersecretary Renato M. Ebarle; and Assistant Secretary Junever M. Mahilum-West, of the DFA's Office of ASEAN Affairs.

Other objectives of the gathering included: to determine the extent and nature of involvement of industry in shaping all aspects of TVET, such as its policies, curriculum, and standard development, systems of teaching and training, and funding; to examine the benefits, challenges, strategies and initiatives of the APT in getting and improving industry participation; and to produce a document that will serve as reference for best practices in industry involvement.

During the meet, representatives of APT presented their best practices and programs in harnessing industry involvement in TVET implementation in in their respective nations.

Challenges seen in strengthening the participation of employers in TVET implementation include: financial support/incentives; difficulty in designing standard qualification models for different industries and skill levels; lack of information on the mechanism, policies and benefits for TVET; commitment and willingness of employers to directly participate in TVET; vague or unclear government-industry coordination; and, the lack of infrastructure for industry involvement.

TESDA Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning Rosanna Urdaneta, in her closing remarks, said that she expects the challenges and concerns that were expressed and shared during the conference by APT members will be addressed and transformed into opportunities to strengthen industry involvement in TVET delivery.

“As mentioned and discussed, the main purpose of this conference is to gather and share best practices, and identify the key factors which will be documented as a publication along with the desk research and online survey. TESDA shall be completing this document in the next few months and it will be shared to everyone to serve as reference in the development of our TVET programs,” Urdaneta added.(END)

Tech-voc para sa kapayapaan at kaayusan

Lapeña: We shall win the hearts of the people through TESDA

“Through TESDA's skills training programs and services, we shall win the hearts of our people,” tiniyak ng bagong Director General ng Technical Education and Skill Development Authority (TESDA) na si Secretary Isidro “Sid” S. Lapeña.

Aniya, dekalidad na skills training, trabaho at magandang kabuhayan ang solusyon sa maraming problema sa lipunan at hindi bala o digmaan, kaya't dapat bigyan ng sapat na pagkakataon ang lahat ng mamamayang Pilipino partikular ang mga mahihirap.

“As a public servant, I am challenged and at the same time humbled, to be given this task of helping the country create opportunities to ensure that our human capital remains not only competitive but productive and world class.  We at TESDA should ensure that those who have less in life would have more in opportunities to increase their chances to secure their own livelihood, self-employment or inclusion in the labor market,” ani Lapeña.

Inihayag ito ng 67-anyos na TESDA chief sa kanyang acceptance speech matapos ang isinagawang turn-over ceremony mula kay Officer-in-Charge Deputy Director General Rosanna A. Urdaneta na ginanap noong Oktubre 31 sa TESDA Women’s Center sa Taguig City.

Si DDG Urdaneta ang umupong TESDA OIC matapos na magbitiw si dating Director General/Secretary Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong nitong Oktubre nang magdesisyon itong kumandidato bilang gobernador ng Lanao del Sur sa darating na May 2019 national elections.

Ayon kay Lapeña, labis niyang pinasasalamatan si Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte sa pagkakataon upang pamunuan ang TESDA.

Aniya noong una ay tinatanong din niya ang kanyang sarili, “What will I do in TESDA?”

Gayunpaman, ipinaliwanag umano sa kanya ni Duterte na ang kanyang pag-upo sa TESDA ay may kaugnayan sa katatagan ng kapayapaan at kaayusan sa bansa at sa pag-develop ng mga skilled human resource lalo na mula sa pinakamahirap na mamayan na siyang pinakamahalaga.

Aniya, kung nasisiyahan ang mga mamayan partikular na mula sa pinakamahirap sa lipunan, tiyak umanong makakamit ng bansa ang katatagan ng kapayapaan at kaayusan.

“TESDA is here to provide better technical vocational education for as many as possible.  Accessible education and training mean better jobs, and better jobs mean better lives,” dagdag ni Lapeña.

Tiniyak din nito na hindi magkakaroon ng corruption sa ahensya sa panahon ng kanyang pamamahala, kung saan patunay umano ang kanyang pagsama ng ilang opisyal at tauhan ng Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) sa kanyang panunumpa.

Samantala, hinikayat naman ni Urdaneta ang mga opisyal at empleyado ng TESDA partikular ang employees union na Association of Concerned Employees (ACE) na suportahan si Lapeña sa panahon ng transition ng kanyang panunungkulan sa ahensya.

“All these people in this organization both past and present have contributed significantly in shaping TESDA to what it is today.  We share the same commitment, professionalism and concern in pursuing what TESDA should be doing as an education agency.  As we transition to a new leadership, with Secretary Isidro Lapeña at the helm, may I ask the same support, the same commitment, and the same professionalism to pursue the agency’s programs as we also look forward to more innovative programs for our fellow Filipinos,” pakiusap ni Urdaneta.

Bago iniupo si Lapeña sa TESDA, siya ay dating Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner na inilipat ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa TESDA bilang kapalit ni Mamondiong.

Siya ay graduate ng Philippine Military Academy, Class of 1973. Mahigit tatlong dekada itong  nasa police service bago magretiro noong 2007.(END)

President Duterte recognizes TESDA with the Philippine Quality Award

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) was awarded the Philippine Quality Award Level 1- “Recognition for Commitment to Quality Management”.

TESDA Officer-in-Charge Rosanna A. Urdaneta received the award on behalf of the agency as presented by President Duterte during the 2015-2017 Philippine Quality Award and Conferment Ceremony held in Malacañang last Oct. 24.

TESDA is among the 12 private and public organizations that received the PQA Award in 2015.  The awardees, after having undergone stringent screening and evaluation, were chosen by a PQA committee led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

This is the first time that TESDA received the annual PQA Award, and is the first among Philippine government education agencies to receive the recognition nationwide.  The PQA is the highest national quality award for total quality management in the Philippines.

The PQA has four award and recognition levels: Level 1-Recognition for Commitment to Quality Management; Level 2-Recognition for Proficiency in Quality Management; Level 3-Recognition for Mastery in Quality Management; and Level 4-Philippine Quality Award for Performance Excellence.

The PQA aims to promote standards in organizational performance comparable to those of leading business abroad, pursuant to the country's effort to be globally competitive; establish a national system for assessing quality and productivity performance in both private and public organization; and, recognize organizations which have achieved the highest level of quality and business excellence, thus providing benchmarks which could be emulated.

TESDA officials were elated over the new recognition which they claimed was "three years in the making”.

Together with its ISO 9001:2015 Certification, the PQA is testament to the integrity and quality TESDA’s technical vocational education and training (TVET) programs and its services.(END)

TESDA to expand Dual Training System implementation

The Technical Education and Skills Development Program (TESDA) is set to expand the implementation of the Dual Training System and Dualized Training Program (DTS/DTP) for technical vocational education training (TVET) in the country.

This will be among the topics to be discussed at the “Industry Forum on DTS Implementation” which will be held at the Hotel Jen in Pasay City on Oct. 24, 2018, during the celebration of the DTS Week.  The theme for this year’s celebration is “DTS Talaga ang Swak.”

The DTS Week is an annual celebration led by TESDA which honors the contributions of public and private technical vocational institutions (TVIs) and their industry partners in the implementation of DTS as an effective way to shape the country's workforce.

“The forum aims to create ways to encourage industries and discuss initiatives on how to expand the participation of stakeholders in the implementation of DTS in the county,” according to TESDA Deputy Director General for Partnerships and Linkages Rebecca J. Calzado.

“It also aims to strengthen the cooperation of stakeholders in the implementation of the DTS as the training delivery mode in molding future Filipino workers, and to further promote widespread DTS implementation,” added Calzado.

The forum is held in response to the published policy paper of the World Bank (WB) entitled “Who Benefits from Dual Training Systems Evidence from the Philippines” in which it was mentioned by Takiko Igarashi, WB Education Specialist, author of the article, and Dr. Pablo Ariel Acosta, Ph.D, WB Senior Economist, that the DTS delivery system can provide opportunities for the Filipino youth, especially those who are having difficulties in the academic subjects of basic education.

Based on the study, the DTS due to its practical training aspect, may be able to solve youth unemployment and skills gap problems in the Philippines particularly for those who have finished vocational training or high school education.

Among those invited as speakers to the forum are Dr. Pablo Ariel Acosta and Dr. Alberto Fenix, Jr. from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

The DTS is based on a German model wherein training is conducted in two venues, namely the school and its partner company or companies.

Under the DTS, the school and company will collaborate in designing the curriculum and other plans to respond to the needs of the firm. At least 40 percent of the training will done in-school and 60 percent will be provided by the company via in-plant training.

Republic Act 7686 (Dual Training System Act of 1994) was signed into law on February 25, 1994 by former President Fidel V. Ramos to enforce the Dual Training System as an instructional delivery system for TVET trainees.

In order to expand and strengthen enterprise-based training programs, TESDA issued the  guidelines in the implementation of the Dual Training System and Dualized Training Programs in Oct. 18, 2012.

At present, there are 110 TVIs implementing DTS/DTP nationwide. Region lll has the highest number with 56; Region lV-A, 21; and Region 9, 9.

There are 876 DTS/DTP industry partners nationwide with the most number being in Region lll with 186; Region X, 160; National Capital Region (NCR), 147 and Region ll, 132 industry partners.

The five areas with the highest number of companies that implement DTS/DTP are Tourism, 316; Electrical and Electronics, 233; Metals and Engineering, 89; Automotive and Land Transportation, 68; Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, 40.

Since 2013 up to January-September 2018, there were 88,947 enrollees and 72,607 graduates under DTS/DTP.

The National Recognition for Exemplary Implementation of Dual Training System (DTS) will also be launched during the forum.

In the program, presentations will be given by the Punlaan School in San Juan City a pioneer in implementing DTS for the hotel and restaurant industry since in 1993,  as well as by the St. Peregrine Institute of Cavite.  A presentation will likewise be given by the Dualtech Training Center in Laguna, a DTS pioneer as well in technical training that started in 1982 with their Electromechanics course.

Also expected to grace the event are representatives from TVIs, industry and DTS focal persons from Region lll, lV-A and NCR (DTS and non-DTS implementers), related agencies of the government, and other stakeholders. (END)

TESDA reports most OFWs assisted come from ME

 Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were assisted by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) OFW Desks installed at international airports mostly came from countries in the Middle East.

According to TESDA Deputy Director General for Partnerships and Linkages Rebecca J. Calzado, of the total 1,478 OFWs who have so far been given assistance by the TESDA OFWs’ Desks, 332 had arrived from the Middle East.

This was based on accomplishment reports on TESDA OFWs’ Desk (TOD) from different regions in the country.

Earlier, TESDA ordered the deployment of TODs at the Clark International Airport (CIA), Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA, Terminals 1, 2 & 3), Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and Davao-Francisco Bangoy International Airport (DFBIA) as complimentary intervention of the agency in support of the reintegration program of the government for OFWs.

The order was issued on April 24, 2018 while the program was launched in the middle of May this year, added Calzado.

Of the total number, 1,377 requests for assistance were recorded at the NAIA 1 and 3, while 101 at the MCIA.  No requests for assistance were reported by the TESDA OFWs’ Desks at the DFBIA and CIA.

The OFWs who were given assistance came from 33 countries, most of them from 7 countries in the Middle East, namely Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates (UEA).

At least 685 OFWs sought referrals for skills training; 675 others were given school and assessment center address, school courses, etc.; 12, referrals for assessment; 5, renewal of National Certificate (NC) and Certificate of Competency (COC) and another for Certification of Authentication (CAV).

Of the OFWs served, 854 were women and 624 were men.

The top 5 skills training preferences of OFWs belong to the sectors of Tourism, General Infrastructure, Land Transportation, Metals and Engineering at Information and Communication Technology.

Other preferred courses are Automotive, Health Care Services, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC), Language and Culture, Processed Food and Beverages and Semi-Conductor and Electronics.)

Those who prefer to undergo skills training are referred to the respective TESDA Regional Offices which cover the areas where the OFWs live.

They were given Certificates of Scholarship Commitment which entitle them to be trained under the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP) and Special Training for Employment Program (STEP). Scholarship benefits under the TWSP include free skills training and assessment, whereas under the STEP, there are free skills training, assessment, entrepreneurship training, starter tool kits and allowances.(END)

TESDA TVET programs now offered for free

The technical vocational education and training (TVET) programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) can now be availed of for free in all state-run technical-vocational institutions (STVIs).

State-run technical-vocational institutions or STVIs include state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs), TESDA Technology Institutions (TTIs), and LGU-run training centers that offer training programs under the TESDA Unified TVET Program Registration and Accreditation System (UTPRAS).

According to TESDA Director General/Secretary Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong, the Implementing Guidelines have been approved and signed for Free TVET to be offered at STVIs under Republic Act No. 10931 also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA).

RA 10931 promotes better access to quality tertiary education by providing for free tuition and other school fees in SUCs, LUCs and STVIs, paving the way for the establishment of Tertiary Education Subsidy and Student Loan Program (SLP), and by strengthening and appropriating funds for the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST).  RA 10931 was signed by President Duterte on April 3, 2017 and took effect for academic year 2018-2019.

Mamondiong says funds for the program will come from the Commission on Higher Education - Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (CHED-UniFAST) which will be granted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

The CHED-UniFAST earmarked Php 6.9 billion for TESDA's academic year 2018-2019. The spillover budget will be used until September 2019.

The UAQTEA aims to provide adequate funding and such other mechanisms to increase the participation rate among those in all socioeconomic classes in tertiary education, provide Filipinos with equal opportunity to quality tertiary education in both private and public education institutions; and, give priority to learners who are technically-able and who come from poor families.

It will also ensure the optimized utilization of government resources in education and provide adequate guidance and incentives in supporting young Filipinos with their career choices towards the proper development and utilization of human resources.

Mamondiong says the program is open to all Filipinos and those who wish to avail may simply visit any STVI offering TESDA-registered programs.

The UAQTEA covers registered TVET programs listed under the TESDA Compendium as of July 2017.

All Filipino learners who are currently enrolled at the time of the effectivity of the Act, or shall enroll at any time thereafter provided that they comply with the admission and retention policies and existing residency rules of the STVIs, may avail of Free TVET.

Priority shall be given to deserving learners who come from the most recently updated Listahanan (National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction), poorest of the poor, orphans, dependents of informal settlers, rebel returnees/former rebels, rehabilitated drug dependents and their families, indigenous peoples (IPs), persons with disabilities (PWDs), people in the construction industry as a priority sector, internally displaced persons (IDPs), dependents of AFP/PNP Personnel Killed-In-Action (KIA) or Wounded-In-Action (W IA), and returning OFWs and their dependents.

The requirements for admission shall include: 10 years basic education and other entry requirement as stipulated in existing TESDA Training Regulations; NCAE/MATBN/YP4SC Profiling; and, other STVI entry requirements if applicable.

The following learners are not eligible to avail of the free TVET benefits: learners who have obtained a bachelor's degree; learners who are already holders of a certificate or diploma for a technical vocational course equivalent to National Certificate Level Ill or higher, unless the trainee is enrolled in bundled courses or programs in Level IV or Diploma; learners enrolled in TVET programs not registered under TESDA; and learners who voluntarily “opt out” of Free TVET.

Learners who are not eligible to avail of the Free TVET benefits shall be charged the training cost and other training-related costs determined by the TESDA Board that will be posted in the TESDA website together with the FREE TVET Registry of quality-assured training programs per region.

The benefits of Free TVET include: living allowance (P160/day), instructional materials allowance (P5,000/qualification), National Competency Assessment, starter toolkits and accident insurance.

Eligible learners who voluntarily “opt out” from Free TVET shall pay, during the enrollment period for the training program, the amount equivalent to the full training cost and other training-related costs of the corresponding TVET program as determined by the TESDA Board.

Mamondiong clarifies that the Free TVET program is still not open to the corresponding private technical vocational institutes, but he says that it may be open in the following school year. (END)

TESDA to give free skills training to Itogon landslide survivors

 The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority – Cordillera Administrative Region (TESDA-CAR) has started to give assistance to victims of the recent landslide tragedy in Itogon, Benguet due to rains brought about by typhoon Ompong last Sept. 15.

Officials of TESDA-CAR say that they have transported donations such as food, clothes and medicines to evacuation and skills training centers in the area.

A report by TESDA-CAR Acting Regional Director (ARD) Engr. Manuel B. Wong to TESDA Director General/Secretary Guiling A. Mamondiong indicates that 119 persons - 86 men and 33 women - have registered for free skills training.

The donations and assistance to survivors materialized after TESDA-CAR led by ARD Wong and Provincial Director David Bungallon of TESDA-Benguet met with the Quick Response Task Force under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-CAR) last Sept. 21.

TESDA-CAR immediately set up a registration desk at the Alejo Pacalso National High School where evacuees may register for skills training or retooling.

Wong and Bungallon also met with the Office of the Political Adviser under Secretary Francis Tolentino and other agencies last Sept. 22 to provide updates on the assistance program.

As a result of the registration and profiling, Wong says the training of the 119 evacuees for various qualifications will be divided into two batches.

The skills training program is done with the support of the local government unit (LGU) of Itogon.

The other registrants/victims who did not make it to the two batches will also be given scholarship programs at a later date.

Enrollees under various courses are Welding, 44 each; Driving, 33; Automotive, 26; Cooking/Cookery, 13; Housekeeping at Carpentry, 10; Beauty Care, 8; Baking/Bread and Pastry, 7; Manicure and Pedicure, 5 each; Slaughtering, Pastry Making, Massage Therapy, Masonry, Free Assessment (NCl/NC ll), Electrical Installation and Maintenance, 3 each; Machining, Caregiving, and Backhoe Operator, 2 each; and one each for Wheel Loader, Haircutting, Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Food Servicing, Electronic Servicing, Electronics, Culinary Arts, Computer System Servicing, Bookkeeping and Automotive Servicing and another individual for free assessment (NCl/NC ll).

Officials of the TESDA-CAR RO say that they might meet the task force on October 11 to step up the skills training program on welding, automotive, transport and construction.

The training program is set to be launched on Oct. 24, 2018. Participants will be given tool kits, daily allowance and free certification and assessment.

Wong reports that apart from the damaged service vehicle of TESDA-CAR which was hit by falling trees at the height of the typhoon, nothing was destroyed at CAR Regional Offices and TESDA Technology Institutions.

The death toll arising from typhoon “Ompong” has reached 78 while 33 persons were still missing due to a landslide at an abandoned mining site in Itogon, Benguet. (END)

TESDA, YouthWorks PH link to train jobless youth

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) have joined forces for YouthWorks PH, a workforce development project, to provide skills training to youth not in education, employment or training (NEET).

The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), which implements the five-year, P1.7-billion project in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), signed a memorandum of understanding last September 3 with TESDA to develop work-based training programs for youth NEET.

The agreement, signed by TESDA Secretary/Director General Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong and PBEd Executive Director Love Basillote, also covers the updating and improvement of relevant curricula and Training Regulations, and the formulation of industry immersion programs for trainers, among others.

“With this MOU, TESDA and PBEd will work hand-in-hand to update competency standards, curricula, and training regulations and create new ones.  PBEd will also help in providing industry technical experts in the process and assist in the industry immersion of TVET trainers,” said Sec. Mamondiong.

YouthWorks PH mobilizes the private sector to work with TVET institutions to develop training programs for youth NEET so they can get gainful employment afterwards.

“TESDA must ensure, more than ever before, to strengthen its ties with the industry so that that no one gets left behind in the fast-paced workplace,” added Mamondiong.

Under the partnership, YouthWorks PH and TESDA will be collaborating in formulating innovative models for work-based training in the fields of construction, hospitality and tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and banking and finance.

“This partnership with TESDA brings us one step closer in co-developing solutions that align education and training to national competitive needs to enable people to get the right jobs,” explains Basillote.

YouthWorks PH targets to enhance the skills of some 40,000 youth NEET in the National Capital Region, Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Zamboanga and General Santos over the next five years. It will focus on six growth areas that have also been identified by the Department of Labor and Employment as key employment generators and/or emerging industries in their respective regions: agriculture, banking and finance, construction, hospitality and tourism, energy and manufacturing.

PBED is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by top CEOs in the country as the business community’s response to the need for greater education and economy alignment.

The USAID administers the U.S. foreign assistance programs providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide. (END)

TESDA online program users reach over 1.2M

More than 1.2 million users have registered for the online program being offered by the Technical Education and Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) for more than six years now.

The TESDA Online Program (TOP) has now reached 1,223,857 registered users.  Of these, 894,390 have enrolled in various courses and at least 441,052 of them have completed an online course.

TESDA Director General/Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong says that the TOP was launched in May 2012 to make technical education more accessible to Filipino citizens through the use of information and communication technologies.

"It aims to bring technical education one click away from students, out-of-school youth, unemployed adults and overseas Filipino workers," says Mamondiong.

As of August 2018, the TOP offers 58 online courses from different industry sectors.  The most popular courses for the last three years are Basic Computer Operation (Intel Easy Steps), Web Development using HTML5 and CSS3, Preparing Cakes, Provide Housekeeping Services to Guests and the STAR Online Training Program.

In the traditional face-to-face learning, students are required to be physically present in the Training Center in order to be trained.  While TESDA school-based programs are offered for free, others costs such as transportation and food allowances are taken directly from the students' pockets.  But with TOP, these costs can be reduced dramatically by taking the courses online.

The online courses available in the TOP are also offered for free, allowing the students to enroll in multiple classes at the same time.

A study conducted by the Philippine Institute on Development Studies shows that 56 percent of the respondents identified skills upgrading and enhancement as the number one reason for enrolling in TOP, while 18.8 percent of the respondents enrolled in TOP for employment purposes.

The same study shows that the TOP is able to benefit and reach those that can be considered "last mile customers”, reaching even the most remote areas in the Philippines, and include those with lower level education (K-12 and below students).

Apart from this, the results from Onsite Assessments, a TESDA program which offers competency assessment for Filipino workers in certain countries, show a high certification rate of 89.66 for OFWs who had studied TVET courses through the TOP.

"These results show beyond doubt the success of digitizing the delivery of TVET courses through the TOP, an effective alternative learning system for enhancing and acquiring new skills for employment and promotion - at your own pace, space and time - at no cost," says Mamondiong. (END)

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Sec. Mamondiong pledges TESDA’s help to Typhoon Ompong victims

Moving quickly to help the the national government rebuild the areas devastated by Typhoon Ompong, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong, Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), yesterday ordered all TESDA regional directors to mobilize TESDA’s human resources to lend assistance to the typhoon victims.

In an urgent memorandum order, Sec. Mamondiong said the TESDA, as part of the national government machinery, should collectively assist in addressing the effects of the national calamity, and directed all TESDA regional and provincial officials in Luzon and Metro Manila to “mobilize our human resources and whatever resources that we can legally and morally muster” to help those who are affected by Typhoon Ompong.

“Our help should be immediate and direct,” Mamondiong said.

He also directed his officials to make daily reports on the extent of assistance that the TESDA is able to provide to the victims, and encouraged them to conduct physical visits of the affected areas.

“If it is direct training that we need to undertake, we must.  If the displaced population needs shelter and our centers are available, we must make these centers available,” he said.

The TESDA chief said all regional and provincial directors should be creative in mustering the resources needed for providing assistance. You need to talk and engage our partners in the TVET sector,” he said.

The TESDA is the national government authority in technical vocational education and training (TVET) and provides direction and guidance to the country’s TVET sector.  It formulates TVET policies and plans that serve as the blueprint for TVET implementation in the country.

As the national government’s TVET authority, the TESDA implements technical education and skills development programs (TESD) and provides equitable access to these programs to the Filipino people. It undertakes direct training provision through four training modalities — school-based, center-based, enterprise-based, and community-based. (END)

In LuzViMin consultations, Sec. Mamondiong has one consistent message to TESDA officials and employees: Never do graft and corruption

Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong, Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has rallied TESDA officials and employees to Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte’s anti-graft and corruption agenda not by a strong hand but through an appeal with one consistent message: “TESDA is your and the Filipino people’s institution so never involve yourselves in graft and corrupt activities.”

“When something adverse is said about TESDA, it pains me because TESDA is a venerable institution composed of and by professional public servants such as you. I, therefore, appeal to you not to get involved in graft and corrupt practices,” was Mamondiong’s consistent message during his three-week long consultations with TESDA regional and provincial directors, as well as employees.

At the first leg of the TESDA chief’s consultations on 31 August and 1 September in Davao City and Cagayan de Oro City, respectively, Sec. Mamondiong commended the regional directors and provincial directors of TESDA in Mindanao for pursuing TESDA’s programs and services in the island despite limited manpower and the less than ideal environment due to the lingering effects of the Marawi City crisis.

In Luzon on 6 September, it was the turn of TESDA regional and provincial directors in the island to listen to Sec. Mamondiong’s message when he said that they should strictly and closely monitor and validate the implementation of all TESDA scholarship programs.

The following day, on 7 September in Iloilo City, he delivered the same messages to TESDA Visayas regional and provincial directors, adding that the TESDA should also pay strict attention to the absorptive capacity of TESDA technical-vocational institutions and accredited training centers and schools.

But overall in these consultation meetings, Sec. Mamondiong has consistently emphasized that graft and corruption is the next most grave problem, next to illegal drugs, that the Duterte administration is battling.

“My sincere appeal to all of you is, thus, please never involve yourself in graft and

corruption,” Mamondiong said. (END)

TESDA gives free skills training to more than 20,000 drug surrenderers

The free skills training by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for the drug surrenderers across the nation was a success.

TESDA Director General, Secretary  Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong said that 20,550 drug surrenderers have availed of free skills training for the period of 2 years from 2016 to June 2018 in various courses.

The drug surrenderers are among the beneficiaries of the TESDA program dubbed ‘Skills Training for Special Clients’ which also include the indigenous peoples (IPs), calamity-affected communities, inmates and dependents, persons with disability (PWDs), family enterprises, and rebel returnees.

Based on the status report on skills training for drug surrenderers, 20,550 underwent skills and livelihood training which they have already used in starting their new life and in looking for employment.

In Region 1, 1,512 benefited from the training; Region ll, 1,332; Region lll, 4,431; Region lV-A, 1,074; Region lV-B, 2,545; Region V, 544; Region Vl, 1,565; Region Vll, 587; Region Vlll, 494; Region lX,974; Region X, 894; Region Xl, 961; Region Xll, 1,242, CARAGA, 892; CAR, 420; NCR, 888;  and the ARMM, 145.

Among the courses they availed were driving, cookery, automotive servicing, bread and pastry production, heavy equipment operation, carpentry, masonry, food and beverage services, wellness, steel fabrication, Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW).

It would be recalled that Mamondiong announced the free skills training and livelihood assistance for "Tokhang" surrenderers in support of President Rodrigo Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs.

The TESDA chief  believes that skills training is the key in changing those whose lives were direly affected by illegal drugs, hence, he encourages other drug surrenderers to go to the nearest TESDA offices and training centers and avail of the free skills training. (END)

TESDA to step up training support for Build Build Build infra program

 The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will be stepping up its efforts to expand the capacity of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to support the implementation of President Duterte’s "Build Build Build" infrastructure program, which will need some 200,000 construction workers nationwide.

TESDA Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong said that the agency will strengthen its partnerships with business and industry groups in the provision of skills training in the construction related training programs.

At present, the TESDA  training institutions have tied-up with construction companies such as, Aboitiz Construction, Golden Bay Philippines Corp., and Jorviv’s Construction, particularly in Region Vll, Vlll and X, that would broaden job opportunities to qualified TVET graduates.

Mamondiong also said that the agency will look for ways to increase the number of trainers, assessors and accredited assessment centers. The agency is also looking into possible partnerships with other government agencies and private organizations.

The TESDA chief also said that they will formulate action plans that will increase the number of skilled workers, especially in occupations that are ‘hard-to-fill’ such as heavy equipment operator, mason and scaffolder.

“It is significant to note that there are graduates of scaffold erection and masonry which are included among the identified as critical skills for the infrastructure development under the Build Build Build Program. However, training on Heavy Equipment Operations is not included in the top qualifications with the most number of graduates, which was identified as critical and hard-to-fill skills,” Mamodiong said.

On March 9, 2018, Mamondiong issued the “Guidelines on the Implementation of TESDA’s Train to Build Build Build Project” that aims to train and develop skilled workers in the construction sector,  develop models that shall be used in the conduct of training and expand TVET delivery capacity in construction-related training programs.

Based on the latest status report, from 2017 to April 30, 2018 a total of 123,537 have enrolled in construction-related training programs. In the same period, 90,240 already completed their training.

Among the regions with the most number of enrollees include the CARAGA, Region lV-B, Region lV A and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Meanwhile, in the latest list of TESDA’s Registry of Workers Assessed and Certified (RWAC), there are 94,452 graduates and workers that have National Certificate (NC) in the qualifications under the construction sector, most of them have skills in welding and building construction.

As of March 30, 2018, there are 6,251 National TVET Trainer Certificate (NTTC) Holder in Construction related training programs, who can be tapped as trainers. Most of the NTTC holders are for the following training programs: EIM NC II, SMAW NC II, and Carpentry NC II. On the other hand, there are 2,959 available assessors for this sector, across the country.

On December 30, 2017, TESDA and Construction Industry Workers Council (CIWC) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) entitled “Uplifting the Construction Workers through Skills Development” that aims to produce skilled workers in the construction industry by providing interventions through skills development for self-employed or wage-employed that would elevate their economic status.

It would be recalled that in June 2017, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board Committee on Infrastructure (INFRACOM) and Investment Coordination Committee (ICC)  identified 75 infrastructure  projects as flagship  programs of the administration. (END)

TESDA's job linkaging and networking intensified

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has stepped up its Job Linkaging and Networking Services (JoLiNS) to help technical vocational education and training (TVET) graduates find jobs, scholarships, and possible availment of loan packages during the World Café of Opportunities.

TESDA Director General, Sec. Guiling ‘Gene’ A. Mamondiong said that among the steps to prepare for the conduct the World Café of Opportunities is the holding of five-day capability training program for 53 of the agency’s employees and officials.

The training program “Strengthening the Competencies on Industry Coordination of Career Advocates and JoLiNS Focals” will be held at the National TVET Trainers Academy (NTTA) in Marikina on June 25-29, 2018.       

Mamondiong explained that the World Café of Opportunities is a jobs fair that will be held simultaneously in 17 regions of the agency nationwide during the celebration of the National Technical-Vocational (tech-voc) Day on August 25.

It can be recalled that on February 7, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 10970 which declares Aug. 25 every year and thereon as National Technical-Vocational (Tech-Voc) Day nationwide.

This World Café of Opportunities will now be held twice a year on a regular basis or once in every semester in the respective regions or provinces in the coming years, he added.

According to the TESDA Chief, the training program aims to capacitate the officials and employees of the agency as well as its TESDA Technology Institutes in industry coordination to better prepare them for the implementation of this bi-annual event.

Of the 53 officials, 17 regional officials will be trained in the Career Advocacy Program; 17 Focal Provincial Directors under the Job Linkaging and Networking Services (JoLiNS) and World Café of Opportunities; 17 JoLiNS persons from TESDA Technology Institutions (TTIs) and 2 Career Advocates from Partnerships and Linkages Office(PLO).

World Café of Opportunities in a sense, will open job opportunities and other employment support interventions which shall be offered and will be placed in various stations within the event area, where the jobseekers could roam around and pick the opportunity of their choice. The twin benefit strategy is one of the twists, where jobseekers are not the sole beneficiaries but even the partner agencies/companies.

Its target beneficiaries are TVET graduates; entrepreneurs, companies/industries with job vacancies, and returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their qualified beneficiaries.

Among the services offered under World Cafe of Opportunities are job opportunities; basic/upgrading skills required for employment of TVET graduates and industry workers; technical assistance for TVET graduates/entrepreneurs so that they could avail of loan for their business; and training for OFW returnees and their qualified beneficiaries.

All regional and provincial offices (RO/PO) are required to hold regular semestral sectoral World Café of Opportunities under JoLiNS.

Mamondiong said that every TESDA branch is required to assign an Industry Coordinator (IC) who will oversee the activities and will serve as bridge to TVET graduates, jobseekers, industries and partner agencies in connection with the employment intervention packages.

JoLins was institutionalized through TESDA Circular No. 38, series of 2016 in line with Duterte's thrust in strengthening the war against poverty and with the TESDA's two-pronged direction towards poverty alleviation, to serve as a delivery platform to hasten the employment hunting period for TESDA’s certified TVET graduates by providing them various ways and means to gain access to immediate employment opportunities.

Among the partner agencies that will be tapped by TESDA include: Regional/Provincial Offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Public Employment Service Office (PESO), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Overseas Worker and Welfare Administration (OWWA), Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration (POEA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), companies/industries, sectoral industry associations, financing institutions, technical-vocational education institutions (TVIs) and other stakeholders. (END)

Mamondiong: TESDA all set for 2-day free assessment

The 1,753 accredited assessment centers nationwide of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) are all set to give a 2-day national assessment for free on June 26-27.

TESDA Director General Guiling “Gene” Mamodiong said the Regional/Provincial Offices (ROs/POs) are busy preparing to implement the action plans to ensure the success of the 2-day National Assessment Day (NAD).

Mamondiong said that TESDA ROs/POs are occupied with disseminating information about the NAD through press release, radio guesting, social media posting; coordination with accredited assessment centers and accredited competency assessors; and continuous acceptance of application form.

Also included in the information campaign were the mounting of tarpaulins, coordination with local government units, agencies/companies; submission of qualification maps (QMs) to the RO/PO; etc.

Mamondiong said that 7,083 competency assessors will be available to give assessment to some 11,240 TVET graduates and workers including the industrial workers, career shifters, unemployed adults, teachers, trainers and others who took the Trainers Methodology (TM) l and those who are interested to become certified TVET Trainers or TESDA Accredited Assessors that is expected to participate in this activity.

TESDA said that it aims to assess and certify 11,240 persons for two days -- 5,513 individuals on first day and 5,620 others on second day.

Based on the TESDA registry, there are 1,753 accredited assessment centers nationwide and 8,481 registered qualifications that are open for assessment.

Mamondiong said that TESDA has allotted P11,240,000.00 budget for the two-day NAD.

The program is also in support of the "Build, Build, Build Program" of President Rodrigo Duterte which will prioritize qualifications under the construction sector. This is also open to more than 200 qualifications or courses being offered by the agency under the sectors of agri-fishery, information and communication technology (ICT), health, social and other community services, tourism, automotive, among others.

The registration started May 21 up to June 15 in all accredited assessment centers, TESDA regional and provincial/district offices in coordination with companies, industries, LGUs, national government agencies, national government and other TVET stakeholders.

Applicants may download the Application Form at Self-Assessment Guide (SAG) at https://qoo.ql/sluc7c and http://www.tesda.gov.ph/Download/Self_Assessment?Searchcat=Self-Assessment+Guides.

Walk-in applicants may obtain the same documents in all provincial/district offices and accredited assessment centers.

The application form, SAG,  3 passport size pictures (colored) with white background and the name written on the back (mugshot for NCR), and other requirements may be submitted to all accredited assessment centers and TESDA ROs or POs nearest to their area.

Mamodiong has encouraged all TVET graduates and workers to avail of 2-day free assessment and certification. (END)

 TESDA to conduct 2-day National Assessment Day

The Technical Education and  Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is set to conduct a 2-day National Assessment Day for technical vocational education and training (TVET) graduates and other interested workers in all accredited assessment centers nationwide on June 26-27.

TESDA Director General, Sec.  Guiling ‘Gene’ A. Mamondiong said that the assessment and certification will be free of charge as he encouraged all TVET graduates to avail of the service to enhance their employment opportunities and entrepreneurial prospects through TESDA certifications.

The registration started last May 21 in all TESDA District/Provincial Offices and accredited assessment centers in partnership with companies and industries, local government units, national government agencies and other TVET stakeholders.  Registration will end on June 15.

Candidate-applicants for assessment are required to submit an application form, a Self-Assessment Guide (SAG), 3 passport-size colored pictures with white background with their names written on the back (or mugshot for those in the National Capital Region) to the nearest accredited assessment center or TESDA Provincial Office.

Application forms may be downloaded from https://goo.gl/sluc7c, while the Self-Assessment Guides for different TESDA qualifications can be secured from the TESDA website (www.tesda.gov.ph).  The same documents can also be obtained from the provincial offices and accredited assessment centers for walk-in applicants.

“The National Assessment Day is a two-day simultaneous conduct of free assessment and certification services on a nationwide scale. This activity shall be conducted in all accredited assessment centers in partnership with companies and industries, local government units, national government agencies and other TVET stakeholders,” said

Mamondiong.

The TESDA chief said that the event will promote industry acceptance and recognition on the value of certification in quality assuring the competencies of workers.  It also aims to sustain and further expand the public awareness of the TESDA Competency Assessment at Certification Program.

All the TESDA-promulgated qualifications with Competency Assessment Tool (CATs) will be available for assessment.

Mamondiong also said that the free assessment and certification services will be open to industry workers who have the work experience to perform the competencies as defined in their respective Training Regulations.

It is also open to career shifters and unemployed adults who are looking for jobs; graduates of TVET programs; and, teachers, trainers and other individuals who have undergone training under TESDA’s Trainer’s Methodology l and are interested to be certified TVET Trainers and/or TESDA Accredited Assessors.

In support to the administration’s "Build, Build, Build" program, priority shall be given to qualifications under the construction sector, he added.

The free assessment and certification services can only be availed of once.  Fees for re-assessment or assessment fees for more than one qualification shall be paid by the candidate based on TESDA Board-Approved Fees.

Mamondiong alerted all the assessment centers of technical vocational institutions (TVIs), private or public, to prepare their facilities for the National Assessment Day.

All accredited assessment centers and TESDA Provincial Offices are tasked to process the application forms and to inform the candidate-applicants of their respective assessment schedules. (END)

TESDA to hire teachers, trainers for 10 languages

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Language Skills Institutes (LSIs) has announced that it needs teachers and trainers for the following languages: Arabic, Korean, English, Mandarin Chinese, German, Mandarin Taiwanese, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Bahasa Indonesia.

In a memo, TESDA Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong instructed all Regional Directors, Executive Director of the National Institute for Technical Education and Skills Development (NITESD) and National/Regional Language Skills Institutes (N/RLSIs) to revive the Language Skills Institutes of the agency.

Mamondiong cited the importance of the work-based language and culture programs which serve as a conduit between students and job-ready workers to enhance their competitiveness in addition to the qualifications they possess as required by the industry/employer in local and international markets.

The N/RLSIs is tasked to offer language and culture programs based on the most frequented countries of destination of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in their areas, as well as countries with existing “government-to-government" agreement to the Philippines.

“In this regard, all the Regional Directors and TTI (TESDA Technology Institution) administrators where the N/RLSIs are located shall determine the appropriate foreign language and culture offerings in their respective areas based on geographical needs and demands, available resources, capabilities and facilities," Mamondiong said.

At present, TESDA has 37 N/RLSIs nationwide.

Qualifications for interested applicants: bachelor’s degree holder; one-year experience in teaching language; TESDA Trainers Methodology Level 1 Certification; computer literate with background in Microsoft application like PowerPoint Word, and Excel; with good oral and written communication skills; good coaching/facilitation skills; fluent in English and in their native/local dialect; with A1 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) or equivalent of language proficiency; and expats with work visa status.

Interested applicants may submit their Application Letter and Curriculum Vitae/Recent Bio-data to the administrator of TESDA in areas where they are most convenient to apply or send it through email at lsi@tesda.gov.ph

 Also, TESDA will create a pool of qualified language trainers for its 37 LSI  through the Language and Cultural Training of Trainers.

The requirements for the trainees: Filipino citizen; Bachelor’s Degree Holder; one year experience in teaching language; commits to become a trainer in one of 10 languages; must commit to complete the TESDA Training of Trainers program; good moral character; and fluent in English and native/local dialect.

Interested applicants may contact and submit the requirements to the TESDA administrator in areas where they are most convenient.

TESDA will also provide scholarship for the language proficiency exam after they have completed their training. END

TESDA, SEARCA supports certification of SE Asian farmers

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) have joined forces to strengthen and promote competency certification systems for farmers and agricultural workers in Southeast Asia.

Participants to the “Regional Workshop on Competency Certification for Agricultural Workers in Southeast Asia” at the SEARCA Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna on May 9-10 will be formulating recommendations for the recognition of skills of agri-workers in the region.

TESDA Director General, Sec. Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong said that TESDA and SEARCA will co-host the two-day event.

“The Workshop aims to initiate the recognition of competency certifications for agricultural workers by the organizations/agencies that issue such certifications.  It also aims to develop recommendations pertaining to the promotion of skills recognition of agricultural workers,” said Mamondiong.

The TESDA chief said the outcome of the regional workshop will be presented during the “4th High Officials Meeting on Southeast Asia Technical and Vocational Education and Training (SEA-TVET)”, which the government agency will host on September 4-5, 2018.

Among those invited to the workshop are the 11 members of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) composed of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

Resource speakers and panelists for the workshop will come from the International Labor Organization (ILO), ASEAN Qualifications Referencing Framework (AQRF) Committee, SEAMEO VOCTECH, farmers' organization and competent bodies’ from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Agriculture is the backbone of the Southeast Asian economies on which 450 million people rely on for income.  Also, in more than half of the ASEAN Member States (AMS), agriculture has been declared a development priority as it plays a vital role in ensuring food and nutrition security as well as in alleviating poverty. 

The development of competencies among agricultural workers will lead to increased agricultural productivity, as this will drive the adoption of new measures in farming and technology, and may also contribute to better management of labor mobility in Southeast Asia, Mamondiong added. END

TESDA, ILO join forces, trains women in STEM

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) have joined forces to help women gain quality employment and advancement opportunities in jobs related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), particularly in animation, game and software development.

This as the ILO will launch the Women in STEM Workforce Readiness and Development Program to spearhead a work-to-school project for 200 female students in the IT field, particularly for animation, game and software development, to encourage and prepare more women and girls to initiate a professional career in IT.

Khalid Hassan, ILO director, said that in the Philippines, very few women choose to train for information technology courses due to cultural biases on career opportunities in the field where women have a high potential to get quality jobs.

"The program seeks to provide women with demand-led technical STEM-related skills and employability along with enterprise-level leadership training to help them overcome challenges that reduce their entry, retention and advancement in STEM industries such as the Information-Technology Business Process Management (IT-BPM)," said Hassan.

TESDA Director General Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong has said that TESDA, as the technical vocational education and training (TVET) provider of the country, will support the ILO through scholarship vouchers for the pilot training of 125 women in animation, game development and software development at Human Resource Development Institute (HRDI) (50 trainees) and selected private sector training providers (75 trainees).

Mamondiong said that the HRDI is looking for women who are interested to take up a course or two in animation and game development being offered by the agency.

The TESDA chief is inviting all interested women to avail of the program that will start in June. Interested parties may contact or visit the HRDI at the Philippine-Korea Friendship Center in Bayani Road, The Fort, Taguig City or call telephone numbers 63(2)8439510/0918-217-8647.

Mamondiong also said that the trainings aim to spark interest and train the women in STEM-related areas of work, and subsequently this will ensure training and employment assistance to companies in need of workers in this field.

The ILO added that it will provide soft training support, mentoring and career talks for the trainees that will be included in the program.

The TESDA-HRDI was established in 2014 together with the Korean Government through KOICA to become the center of training for TVET in digital arts and automation.

It also aims to develop qualified TVET trainers and industry workers to uplift their standard and ensure "quality-assured competency-based technical vocational education" abroad.

Among the courses being offered in HRDI are electrical installation and maintenance; 3D animation, game development, mechatronics servicing, and  basic Korean language and culture. END

Competency and integrity of TESDA strengthened

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has strengthened its campaign against graft and corruption through the implementation of the newly formed ‘Efficiency and Integrity Development Plan’ (EIDP) that will improve the delivery of programs and services of the agency.

This after TESDA Director General, Sec. Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong approved the EIDP that will be carried out within the current administration.

Mamondiong said that the EIDP will push for transparency in all government transactions, intensify the accountabilities of government employees and officials in all departments, and maintain the culture of recognizing the rule of law and tie-up with stakeholders in the improvement of government system.

“Efficiency and integrity development strategies shall be implemented in all offices and shall cover all its officials and employees. Regional, Provincial and District Offices, however, are not precluded from coming up with additional programs and projects provided that these are consistent with the goals and objectives of the Agency,” Mamondiong said.

In order to make the transactions in TESDA transparent, the agency will continue to post on its website the annual net worth of all officials with the director level based on their statement of assets and liabilities (SALN), status of administrative cases and complaints, management action on the Commission on Audit (COA) audit reports, annual procurement, bids opportunities and awards, programs and projects.

TESDA will also conduct periodic internal audit to ensure that the rules and regulations in the liquidation of cash advance and the Procurement Law or R.A. 9184 are continuously adhered to.

Mamondiong also said that the agency will strictly follow its Code of Conduct and will hold moral and character development activities to nurture and encourage a culture of innovativeness and integrity among its employees and officials.

The TESDA chief encouraged the public to join in the creation of a mechanism that will promote good governance as the agency partners with various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society groups and religious organizations such as the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), among others.

Following the creation of the National Efficiency and Integrity Board (EIB), it will serve as monitoring and oversight body of Regional EIBs and will have the power to recommend and to review the systems and procedures for the efficiency and integrity development plan nationwide.

The Regional EIB will make sure that the EIDP will be enforced based on the office performance commitment reviews (OPCRs), review the systems and regulations as well as monitor and submit report approved by the efficiency and integrity related committees.

On Oct, 17, 2016, Mamondiong formed the TESDA Efficiency and Integrity Board (EIB) which was chaired then by Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning  Rosanna A. Urdaneta. END

TESDA: 85 private vocational schools in ‘hot water’

At least 85 technical vocational institutions (TVIs) nationwide are in "hot water" after they were found to have committed several violations against the implementing guidelines enforcing the scholarship programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

This after the agency's National Inspectorate for Scholarship Programs (NISP), during its spot inspections,  found possible corrupt practices among technical-vocational (tech-voc) institutions and training centers with registered TESDA courses from 2017 up to the present.

TESDA Director General Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong ordered a separate, newly formed Validation Committee to conduct further investigation into the alleged violations of the 85 TVIs.  He has also sought for the immediate cancellation of these TVIs’ certificates of program registration and the possible filling of appropriate charges against them should the initial findings be confirmed. 

“The Validation Committee is tasked to verify the findings of the National Inspectorate for the Scholarship (NISP) starting 16 April 2018 to 30 April 2018 and shall submit a report thereto with its recommendation on 07 May 2018,” said Mamondiong.

The five-man Validation Committee is led by Director Angelina M. Carreon, Director lll, Planning Office and, as directed by Mamondiong, will be supported by the concerned TESDA regional and provincial/district offices.

In a report submitted by NISP Project Team under Dir. John D. Simborios, the closure of 43 TVIs and the cancellation of TESDA program registration for 42 others were recommended.

Of these TVIs recommended for closure, four are located in the National Capital Region (NCR); Cordillera Region (CAR), two ; Region 3, 21; Region lV-A, 12; Region X, three; and Region 1, one.

Among the 42 TVIs that have been warned, one is located in the NCR; CAR, two; Region l, four; Region ll, two; Region lll, 11; Region lV-A, 7; Region V and Vl, one; Region Vll, four; Region X, six; Region Xl, two; and Region Xll, one.

TESDA also said that 467 more TVIs will still have to undergo "spot inspection" to determine their compliance to the implementation guidelines of the scholarship program.  The agency's NISP said it hopes to finish the inspection by April 30.

The violations committed by the TVIs include hard-to-locate or erroneous school addresses; unreported change of location; unauthorized collection of fees; no students in attendance; and, unreported closure of the program or training center.

Simborios said that it is important to safeguard the funds and ensure their proper utilization, especially as these have been allocated for the poor through the TESDA scholarship grants.

On February 1, 2017, Mamondiong formed the NISP to ensure that government funds for the scholarship program channeled through private vocational training centers are being utilized in accordance with the rules of TESDA.

Apart from this, TESDA also conducted a technical audit among TVIs from 2016 up to the present.  A report on the audit showed that 18,288  scholarship programs or courses have been audited.  Of these, 10,637 TVIs were found to be compliant with TESDA regulations, 572 were reported to have violated these regulations and 773 have been delisted.

On Aug. 30, 2017, coinciding with the 23rd anniversary of TESDA, Mamondiong declared in front of President Rodrigo Duterte that TESDA is free from drugs and corruption.

Mamondiong also announced that the agency is ready to give a Php 50,000 reward to anyone who could provide substantial information of any corrupt practices being committed within TESDA or any of its institutions. END

TESDA gives assistance to kin of slain OFW in Kuwait

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has given free training scholarship assistance package to the family of slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Joanna Demafelis whose body was found in a freezer more than one year after it was reported missing in Kuwait.

This after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered TESDA Director General Gene Mamondiong  to give assistance to the family of Joanna whose remains arrived in the country last Feb. 16.

Mamondiong said that the training scholarship assistance package will include free skills training, free competency assessment, free entrepreneurship training, training support fund and starter tool kits.

Florencio  Sunico Jr.,TESDA regional director for Region 6, said that the beneficiaries of the program are Joanna’s siblings Rausten Mark Demafelis, Housekeeping NC ll;  Rhozell Mae Demafelis, Cookery NC ll; Criselda Demafiles, Cookery NC lI. They will enrol at the Leon Ganzon Polytechnic College (LGPC) in June 2018 under the “Free TVET scholarship program”.

Also given assistance were Joie Demafelis, of PNR, Western Bicutan, Taguig City and Jonathan Demafelis, of Brgy. Lopez Jaena Extension, San Dionisio, Paranaque City. Both will take up course in  Automotive Servicing NC ll or lll.

Sunico said that he met the parents of Joanna in their home in Brgy. Ferari, Sara, Iloilo last Feb. 21 and 22.

Also, TESDA Iloilo provincial director Gina Sophia Mondejar visited the parents of Joanna to offer her condolences and promised them of training assistance last Feb, 21.

On Feb, 22, Sunico, who was accompanied by Dr. Esther Babalo, administrator of LGPC, also offered their condolences to the family of Joanna and relayed to them the Training Scholarship Commitments from Secretary Mamondiong.

President Duterte went to the wake of Joanna in Sara town last Feb. 23 where he ordered TESDA to coordinate with the family of the OFW for the skills training assistance. END

TESDA Chief: National TVET enrolment, jobs bridging successful!

A total of 192,654 enrolees enlisted as new scholars during the 2-day National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Enrolment and Jobs Bridging of the Technical Education and Skills Development  Authority (TESDA) held in nationwide last February 27-28.

Based on the TESDA record last March 7, 192,652 enrolees availed of TESDA's free technical vocational (tec-voc) courses.

Region III reported the most number of enrolees with 27,248 registrants, followed by ARMM, 22,324; Region XI, 18,732; Region  V,  18,575; Region VI, 17,812; Region IV-A,  14,739;  Region X, 12,434; Region XII, 10,602;  NCR, 10,553; Region lX, 10,146; Region IV-B, 9,153; Region VII, 7,146; CAR, 4,029; CARAGA, 3,159; Region VIII, 2,589; Region ll, 2,475; and lastly Region l with 938 registrants.

The Top 5 in-demand courses for students were Driving NC ll, Computer Systems Servicing NC II, Bread and Pastry Production NC ll, Cookery NC ll, and Dressmaking NC ll.

TESDA  Director General Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong said that he is elated over the success of the enrolment program during the two-day National TVET Enrolment at Jobs Bridging held nationwide last February 2008.

Under the jobs bridging project, up to 2,906 job applicants were hired “on the spot”  among the 7,932 who applied for more than 80,000 jobs available.

For the jobs fair, 870 companies participated offering more than 80,000 jobs and 2,906 were hired. Other applicants have been scheduled for more interviews.

To address ''job mismatch,'' Mamondiong has encouraged the public to take up courses being offered by TESDA to learn new skills to increase their chances of landing a job.

“Sa mga panahon ngayon hindi na sapat ang may pinag-aralan lang, kailangan ay  meron din tayong  skills at karagdagang kaalaman para maiwasan na ang tinatawag na ‘job mismatch’ at makahanap tayo ng mas magandang trabaho para sa ating pamilya,'' said Mamondiong. (These days it's not enough that you go to school. You need to have skills to avoid job mismatch so that you can get a good job).

The program aims to step up the advocacy of TESDA, promote and offer the programs of the agency here and abroad, and offer assistance to TVET graduates in search of employment.

The two-day activity was supported by local government units, regional offices ng Department of Labor and Employment, and Public Employment Service Offices (PESO). Other groups that joined the event were various TESDA Vocational Institutions (TVIs), Jollibee Corporation, Toyota Motors Philippines, Ace Hardware and SM Supermarket.

 TESDA used online facilities such as Facebook Livestreaming to promote the various programs of the agency. END

TESDA to use 'green technology' in tech-voc courses

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will utilize the "green technology" in teaching technical and vocational education and training (TVET) scholars who will pursue technical-vocational (tech-voc) courses in support of the government's advocacy to promote "green economy."

This as TESDA will hold a three-day Green TVET Forum and Strategic Planning on Greening the TVET system to formulate the much-needed Training Regulations (TRs) to enforce the skills training, program registration, and assessment and certification in support of the requirements for skilled manpower under the green economy.

The Green TVET Forum and Strategic Planning on Greening the TVET System will be held at the Bayleaf Intramuros Hotel on March 6-8.

Registration will start at 8 a.m. and the actual program will begin at 9:00 a.m. It will be led by TESDA Director General Guiling ‘Gene’ Mamondiong.

Mamondiong said that the program aims to facilitate the “greening” of the TVET system by instilling among stakeholders the deepened appreciation of what "green" TVET really means and the skills requirements in greening the sectors and the whole economy as well as their respective roles in the process.

The same event also aims to provide inputs towards developing the strategic plan in greening the TVET system, including the operationalization of the Green Technology Center as the Green Skills Hub of TESDA with the public and private TVIs as the "spokes" of the implementers of Green TVET.

This is also being carried out after the signing of agreement at the 3rd Cycle of the National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan (NTESDP) 2011-2016 of TESDA.

In the Plan are challenges that the TVET sector has faced in relation to green skills: 1) to "green" existing jobs to meet the current demand for retrofitting and retooling of industry to ensure that these existing industries continue to grow; 2) to train new workers with the appropriate green skills, particularly for the renewable industries and emergent "green" technology sector.

A “Green Techno Fair” will also be held and will be participated in by companies involved in green technologies such solar panels, e-bikes/trikes. TVET trainers, assessors and students will join the event.

Senator Loren B. Legarda, Congressman Karlo Alexei Nograles and officials from various government agencies are expected to attend the activity.

The program is supported by the International Labor Organization (ILO) through the pilot application of ILO policy guidelines on “Just Transition towards Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies for All”, which also gives support to the implementation of the Philippine Green Job Act.

Under the Green Job Act, TESDA has been tasked to coordinate with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

TESDA, in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will help the Department of Labor and Employment in analyzing the needed skills, training and re-training in relation to green technology which has the potential to create jobs or greener jobs. END

Pamamahagi ng TESDA scholarhip grants inilapit sa publiko

Ilalapit  sa publiko   ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) ang pamamahagi ng  scholarship grants para sa  sinoman na gustong  kumuha ng   technical-vocational (tech-voc) at maging  ang pagtulong  sa mga  TESDA graduates na nais  makapagtrabaho.

Ito ay matapos dalhin   ni TESDA Director General Guiling ‘Gene” Mamondiong   sa mga  probinsya, munisipyo at distrito ang paghahanap at  pagpaparehistro ng mga bagong aplikante para sa TESDA scholarship programs at pagpapaigting sa   pagtulong sa  mga  TVET graduates na naghahanap ng trabaho sa  pamamagitan ng  idaraos na  2-araw na  National  Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)  Enrolment and Jobs Bridging sa darating na Pebrero 27 at 28, taong kasalukuyan.

Ang gaganaping   national TVET enrolment at jobs bridging ay sabay-sabay na isasagawa  sa buong bansa  sa  sentro ng   mga probinsya, munisipyo at  distrito   tulad ng mga kapitolyo, malls, LGUs sports complex, municipal/provincial stadium at iba pang itatakdang lugar na pagdarausan nito, na madaling puntahan ng  publiko.

Ipinaliwanag ni  Mamondiong  na  layunin  ng TESDA na  lalong  ilapit  at iparating  sa tao ang iba’t ibang programa  at serbisyo ng ahensya sa  tulong  ng mga lokal government units (LGUs) officials.

“This activity will be conducted in partnership with the Local Government Units (LGUs), Public Employment Service Office (PESO), Regional/Provincial Offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), companies/industries, technical-vocational education institutions (TVIs) and othe stakeholders,” ani Mamondiong.

Ang enrolment ay bukas para sa mga Filipino na may edad 15 at pataas na interesado  sa mga   TVET programs para sa iba’t ibang technical-vocational (tech-voc)  courses.

Ilan sa importanteng  dadalhin ng  mga bagong  aplikante ay valid I.D. tulad ng  NSO Birth Certificate at 1x1 picture, habang sa mga job applicants, TESDA certificate at bio data.

Kaugnay sa jobs bridging o job fair na isasabay sa gagawing enrolment, sinabi ni Mamondiong na  ito naman ay bukas para sa lahat ng TESDA graduates na naghahanap ng trabaho.

Ito ay magsisilbing ‘social marketing’ and advocacy mechanism ng  TVET at TESDA.

Kaugnay nito, binago   ni Mamondiong  ang paggawad ng mga TESDA  scholarship program sa layuning  tutukan at pahusayin   pa ang kasanayan at kaalaman ng mga   makukuhang bagong TVET scholars  .

Ipinaliwanag ng opisyal na layunin nito  na  ihanda at iangkop ang kaalaman ng mga   scholars     sa   hamon  ng   panibagong teknolohiya, pandaigdigang  kumpetisyon at  pagsunod sa mga panuntunan na  inilalatag ng mga  kliyente sa local at international na industriya para sa kanilang  mga manggagawa. 

Nagpalabas  din si  Mamondiong  ng  bagong   alituntunin na susundin para sa sa    pag-award  ng scholarship grants sa  ilalim ng 2018 Training for Work Scholarship Program ((TWSP) at Special Training for Employment Program (STEP) na itinakda sa TESDA Reform and Development Agenda.

TESDA pushes scholarship grants nationwide

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will bring its scholarships closer to those who want to avail of free skills training and even help its graduates in finding a job.

This after TESDA Director General Guiling ‘Gene” Mamondiong has stepped up the agency's promotion of the scholarship grants in the provinces, municipalities and districts, when he talked about the two-day National  Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)  Enrollment and Jobs Bridging which will be held on February 27-28.

Mamondiong said that the national TVET enrollment and jobs bridging will be held simultaneously nationwide in local government units (LGUs), sports complex, malls, municipal stadium, and other designated areas.

The event aims to reach out to people the various programs of TESDA which they may avail of, he said.

“This activity will be conducted in partnership with the Local Government Units (LGUs), Public Employment Service Office (PESO), Regional/Provincial Offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), companies/industries, technical-vocational education institutions (TVIs) and other stakeholders,” said Mamondiong.

Enrollment is open to all Filipinos age 15 and above for those interested to pursue various technical-vocational (tech-voc) courses.

Requirements for the enrollment include valid ID or NSO birth certificate and 1x1 picture. On the other hand, job applicants should bring their TESDA certificate and resume.

Mamondiong said the event likewise aims to extend to assistance to TESDA graduates in finding employment.

This will serve as "social marketing" and "advocacy mechanism" of TVET and TESDA, he added.

Mamondiong  said that the TESDA  scholarship program is expected to serve as a driving force for change and upliftment of the lives of the of Filipino people who will contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

The TESDA chief has also released new rules in awarding scholarship grants under the 2018 Training for Employment Program (STEP) in line with the TESDA Reform and Development Agenda. 

March - May Articles

1. KEITECH Donates Massage Therapy Equipment

2. TESDA VIII Conducts Calibration Session on QMS Manuals

3. TESDA VIII Conducts Orientation on PAFSE

4.  TESDA VIII conducts Orientation on Tendering System for TWSP

5. TESDA VIII holds QMS Capability Programs

6.  TESDA VIII launches TESDA Specialista Desk at Robinsons Place

June 2017 Southern Leyte Press Release

1.  CONDUCT OF ORIENTATION AND AWARDING OF SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS

2. ONE STOP SHOP JOB

TRAINING NG TESDA ILALAPIT SA TAO

Upang mas higit pang maabot ang mga taong gustong magkaroon ng sapat na kasanayan ay ilulunsad ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) ang Mobile Training Laboratory (MTL) na layuning mapuntahan at mabigyan ng skills training ang mga naninirahan sa malalayong lugar sa bansa.

 Ayon kay TESDA Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong, sa pamamagitan ng MTL ay hindi na kinakailangan magtungo ng mga gustong magkaroon ng kasanayan sa mga training institutions dahil mismong ang ahensiya na ang magtutungo sa kanilang mga lugar.

Aniya, sa darating na Miyerkules (July 19) ay ipamamahagi na ang MTL sa sampung napiling mahihirap na probinsiya sa bansa ito ay kinabibilangan ng Apayao, Masbate, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Northern Cotobato at Saranggani.

“The MTL are training facilities which can be easily transported from one place to another within the province. It is composed of four movable compact boxes on a trailer that includes tools, equipment, training package and multi-media equipment and accessories”, saad pa ni Mamondiong.

 Gaganapin ang turn over ceremony ng mga MTL sa Iligan City National High School na matatagpuan sa Mahayahay, Iligan City kasabay din ng paglulunsad ng iba’t-ibang programa ng TESDA tulad ng Massive Skills Training at TESDA Emergency Program for TVET Trainers and Assessors (TEPTTA).

 Magiging katuwang ng TESDA sa programang ito ang Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) na siyang nagbigay ng pondo upang magkaroon ng katuparaan ang proyektong ito.

 Kabilang sa mga training programs na ipagkakaloob sa mga residente ng sampung nabanggit na probinsiya ay ang Appliance Repair, Bread and Pastry, Cookery, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, Food Processing, Plumbing at Small Engine Repair.

 “The Mobile Training Laboratory (MTL) is a training delivery model designed to implement technology-based training programs in far-flung communities of the country’s 10 poorest provinces in terms of poverty incidence through portable boxes containing tolls and equipment, mock-ups and training packages in designated places in the community as a venue of training. A total of sixty (60) MTLs at six (6) MTLs for each province shall be fabricated and delivered to the beneficiary provinces”, nakasaad pa sa program description ng proyektong ito. ###

TESDA TO BRING TRAINING PROGRAM CLOSER TO PEOPLE

 The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is set to launch the Mobile Training Laboratory (MTL) which aims to bring its skills training program to remote areas nationwide.

 TESDA Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong said that those interested to avail of the agency's skills training plan do not have to go to training institutions anymore based on the MTL program. Instead, it's the MTL facility which will visit their places.

 On Wednesday, July 19, TESDA will turn-over the MTL facilities to 10 poor provinces nationwide. These places are Apayao, Masbate, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar,Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Northern Cotobato and Saranggani.

 “The MTL are training facilities can be easily transported from one place to another within the province. It is composed of four movable compact boxes on a trailer that includes tools, equipment, training package and multi-media equipment and accessories,” said Mamondiong.

 The turn-over ceremony of MTL facilities will be held at the Iligan City National High School in Mahayahay, Iligan City. Simultaneous with the turn-over rite would be the launch of various TESDA programs, including Massive Skills Training and TESDA Emergency Program for TVET Trainers and Assessors (TEPTTA). 

 Joining forces with TESDA is the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) which will provide funds for the projects.

 The courses under the MTL facility which will be taught in 10 provinces are Appliance Repair, Bread and Pastry, Cookery, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, Food Processing, Plumbing and Small Engine Repair.

 “The Mobile Training Laboratory (MTL) is a training delivery model designed to implement technology-based training programs in far-flung communities of the country’s 10 poorest provinces in terms of poverty incidence through portable boxes containing tolls and equipment, mock-ups and training packages in designated places in the community as a venue of training. A total of sixty (60) MTLs at six (6) MTLs for each province shall be fabricated and delivered to the beneficiary provinces," according to the program description of the project. ###

TESDA Auto Mechanic Training Centre Graduates Passing the Preliminary Screening for the I-1 Grand Prix-2016 Isuzu World Technical Competition

-1 Grand Prix Preliminary Screening (The 11th Isuzu Service Skills Olympics) was held on June 4, 2016 at Isuzu Philippines Corp. In the Technician category, 8 among the 40 contestants from 20 Isuzu dealerships all over the Philippines are graduates of TESDA Auto Mechanic Training Centre, TESDA Region 8 Tacloban City, Leyte, the school which is supported by Isuzu. 5 of them successfully passed the screening and are among the 8 winners who will undergo further trainings, through which 2 representatives for the Nov 3, 2016 I-1 Grand Prix –LCV category in Thailand, and 2 representatives for the Dec 1, 2016 I-1 Grand Prix –CV category in Japan will be selected.The names of the TESDA graduates who passed the screening are as follows: batch 1- Jumar Verano, batch 6- Charlie Belano, batch 4- Erwin Cartagena, batch 7- Jusua Cantre and batch 7- Mark Tirso II Dela Cruz. Coming from less fortunate families who could not afford the high cost of education but had the strong desire for a better life, these graduates gave their best to learn automotive servicing skills for 2 years to prepare themselves. This great news about the graduates is an encouragement to employees and trainees of the training center. We all look forward to their success in the final tournament.

TESDA Secretary Guiling A. Mamondiong who came with Ms. Rosanna A. Urdaneta, Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning visited to Tacloban for Regional Stakeholder's Consulation

A very well-attended Regional Stakeholders’ Consultation conducted by TESDA Region VIII at the Ritz Tower de Leyte, Tacloban City on October 4, 2016 (Tuesday). A total of 151 participants attended. The consultation which served as a venue to engage the stakeholders in making the 2017-2022 tech-voc reform and development agenda more relevant and attainable brought together key stakeholders from the industry, sectoral groups, local government units, academe, tech-voc institutions, non-government organizations (international and local), national government agencies and other TVET partners in the region to discuss what priority skills are needed by the industries and communities and what program interventions they can recommend.

The Stakeholders’ Consultation was made more significant with the presence of TESDA Secretary Guiling A. Mamondiong who came with Ms. Rosanna A. Urdaneta, Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning.

TESDA Region VIII Director Cleta M. Omega presented the regional TVET situationer, while DDG Urdaneta discussed the TVET Reform and Development Agenda and the two-pronged TVET Strategy for Poverty Reduction.

The inputs for the workshop which provided springboard and direction in the afternoon were given by the Regional Directors of various national government agencies: RD Karina Rosa Tiopes of Department of Tourism, RD Cynthia Nierras of Department of Trade and Industry, and representatives from Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Labor and Employment, National Economic and Development Authority. Also, present during the consultation was the Regional Director of Philippine Information Agency, Alice Nicart, with the members of the local media who covered the event.

Sec. Mamondiong appreciated the huge turnout of participants. In his message, he conveyed to the participants his desire that all barangays in the country will have easy access to the programs and services of TESDA to attain poverty reduction through access to the regional/provincial and TESDA Technology Institutions (TTI) websites.

The very highlight of the event, to the delight of the participants, was his pronouncement of allocating 10,000 scholarship slots for Region 8. Of these slots, 5,000 will be implemented this 2016 while the other 5,000 slots for the first semester of CY 2017.

During the workshop, the participants identified issues and challenges related to TVET that needed to be addressed and the policies and programs that maybe considered significant in addressing the issues.Skills needs and requirements were identified as well.

Mamondiong promises 10,000 scholarship slots for Region 8 

Regional Stakeholders' Consultation

A very well-attended Regional Stakeholders’ Consultation conducted by TESDA Region VIII at the Ritz Tower de Leyte, Tacloban City on October 4, 2016 (Tuesday). A total of 151 participants attended. The consultation which served as a venue to engage the stakeholders in making the 2017-2022 tech-voc reform and development agenda more relevant and attainable brought together key stakeholders from the industry, sectoral groups, local government units, academe, tech-voc institutions, non-government organizations (international and local), national government agencies and other TVET partners in the region to discuss what priority skills are needed by the industries and communities and what program interventions they can recommend.

The Stakeholders’ Consultation was made more significant with the presence of TESDA Secretary Guiling A. Mamondiong who came with Ms. Rosanna A. Urdaneta, Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning.

TESDA Region VIII Director Cleta M. Omega presented the regional TVET situationer, while DDG Urdaneta discussed the TVET Reform and Development Agenda and the two-pronged TVET Strategy for Poverty Reduction.

The inputs for the workshop which provided springboard and direction in the afternoon were given by the Regional Directors of various national government agencies: RD Karina Rosa Tiopes of Department of Tourism, RD Cynthia Nierras of Department of Trade and Industry, and representatives from Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Labor and Employment, National Economic and Development Authority. Also, present during the consultation was the Regional Director of Philippine Information Agency, Alice Nicart, with the members of the local media who covered the event.

Sec. Mamondiong appreciated the huge turnout of participants. In his message, he conveyed to the participants his desire that all barangays in the country will have easy access to the programs and services of TESDA to attain poverty reduction through access to the regional/provincial and TESDA Technology Institutions (TTI) websites.

The very highlight of the event, to the delight of the participants, was his pronouncement of allocating 10,000 scholarship slots for Region 8. Of these slots, 5,000 will be implemented this 2016 while the other 5,000 slots for the first semester of CY 2017.

During the workshop, the participants identified issues and challenges related to TVET that needed to be addressed and the policies and programs that maybe considered significant in addressing the issues.Skills needs and requirements were identified as well.

TESDA inks deal with barangay organization

TESDA sets 14-Point Reform and Development Agenda

TESDA to open its training centers to drug addicts, dealers

TESDA unveils plans for poverty reduction

Reform Agenda for the ARMM and other Conflict-affected Areas in Mindanao intensified