Different technical vocational education and training stakeholders met last October 21 at Club Filipino in San Juan City to discuss relevant issues and concerns with TESDA’s Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong.
The activity, entitled Ugnayan Para sa Techvoc A Dialogue with Secretary Guiling Mamondiong, was highlighted by the presentation of the TESDA-NCR’s accomplishments during the present administration’s first 100 days and a keynote address from the Agency’s chief.
In his message, TESDA’s Deputy Director General for TESD Operations Alvin Feliciano discussed plans for training programs designed for specific groups such as sex workers, recovering drug addicts and rehabilitated ex-convicts. Further, Deputy Director for Policies and Planning Atty. Diosdado Padilla gave updates on the ongoing audit of TVET programs and new TESDA initiatives formulated to give the public better access to the Agency’s programs and services such as its Online Application System for TESDA Training and Scholarships Program.
During his speech, Secretary Mamondiong shared his plans to clean up and improve the Agency’s operations by giving incentives to those who can provide evidence of anomalous activities by TESDA employees. Keeping with Pres. Duterte’s nationwide war on drugs, the Secretary also discussed TESDA’s ongoing program of mandatory random drug testing for its employees. In addition, he promised to look into allegations of ghost TESDA scholars and consider the subsidization of assessment fees.
In the dialogue that ensued, participants shared some insights that could be considered to improve TVET and increase the number of its beneficiaries within the NCR, such as:
1. Provision of additional TVET training for college graduates and undergraduates to make them more qualified for existing job openings;
2. Assessment for K to 12 graduates;
3. Training programs to encourage organic city farming;
4. Upgrading of skills for high school undergraduates, specifically for workers in the construction sector;
5. Wider area of coverage of the TESDA mobile training program;
6. Increasing the number of assessors and trainers to avoid backlogs in assessment centers
7. Review of assessor qualifications for in-demand courses;
8. Course content designed for specific areas of deployment for domestic workers;
9. More in-depth orientations on the language and culture of receiving countries for Filipino domestic workers;
10. Training programs for displaced people or “relocatees” to allow them to better adjust to their new homes; and,
11. Provision of start-up capital for self-employed TVET graduates.
Special guests during the event was Congresswoman Bernadette Herrera Dy of Bagong Henerasyon Partylist and several officials from the TESDA District Offices in the NCR.
Present during the event were representatives from companies such as San Miguel Mills, Inc., Samsung Electronics Phils., Inc., Procter and Gamble Phils., Inc, Mercury Drug Corporation, and Coca-cola Far East Ltd., as well as industry associations such as Association of Carriers and Equipment Lessors, Inc., Philippine Association of Building Administrators, Construction Industry Workers Council among others.
Schools and training centers such like Meralco Power Academy, Correctional Institute for Women, Manila Manpower Development Center, Muntinlupa City Technical Institute, Mandaluyong Manpower and Youth Development Center, and the Korea-Philippines IT Training Center as well as associations such as the NCR TVET Schools Association and TEVSAPHIL likewise sent their representatives.
Rounding off the list of participants were representatives from local government units and LGU associations.
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