24 August 2014
Turning 20 this year, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will pay tribute to its outstanding employees, showcase the skills of its trainees and award outstanding graduates and partners as it sets sights on delivering quality and relevant technical vocational education and makes it the choice of Filipinos.
The opening salvo of the four-day celebration, which will begin on August 26, will feature some of the country's basketball legends playing against TESDA employees and tech-voc graduates in a friendly exhibition match dubbed Shoot for Your Dreams.
"Their drawing power is not only aimed at making more people like basketball, but technical vocational education as well," TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva said.
"In a way, they want to impart the message to the youth that shooting for their dreams is possible through the technical vocational education pathway," he said.
Villanueva will play in the match alongside former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) players composed of Marlou Aquino, Jerry Codiñera, Bal David, Kenneth Duremdes, Bobby Jose, Alvin Patrimonio and Rodney Santos.
The players will join Villanueva in a news conference at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 26 at the TESDA complex in Taguig City. The basketball game will follow at 4 p.m. at the Multi-Purpose Covered Court, which will also be inaugurated after undergoing major renovation.
The renovation was a public-private partnership undertaking between TESDA and the Association of Construction and Informal Workers (ACIW), which trained and developed the skills of 150 out-of-school youths in construction-related courses under the training cum production scheme.
In several phases, they worked to rebuild the court, applying the skills they learned from the training.
Five of the graduates who have undergone assessment and awarded National Certificate will be present during the inauguration.
August 27 will be health and wellness day for the employees and guests as they are offered free services such as massage, haircut, hand and foot spa and facial treatment. There will also be an offsite physical examination to be facilitated by Cocolife.
Vaccinations against certain illnesses will also be made available.
August 28 will be a "throwback Thursday" for the employees as they are treated to a video that will capsulate their work in the agency. The day will also be dedicated to outstanding employees as various awards are handed out recognizing their contribution to TESDA.
On the same day, TESDA will also recognize its private and institutional partners through the annual Kabalikat awards. Tech-voc graduates who have also made a difference in their communities will also be feted with the Idols ng TESDA award.
Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino will grace the occasion as the guest speaker during the awarding ceremony.
On August 29, the day will be filled with a showcase of various skills that will be capped with a skills showdown between Villanueva, a certified barista, and chef Boy Logro, host of a television cooking show and one of TESDA'S career ambassadors.
Among the skills that will be on demonstration are on fruit carving, beauty care, bread and pastry production and flower arrangement.
For the entire week, there will be a bazaar at the complex featuring variety of items. Kiosks of TESDA partners will also be installed to highlight the agency's partnership with the private sector, local government units and government agencies, including Coca Cola Philippines, Liter of Light, and Pnoy Bayanihan Project.
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