TESDA chief cites accomplishments in his first 100 days

December 06, 2024

To mark his first 100 days as the Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Secretary Jose Francisco “Kiko” B. Benitez reported the agency’s most recent accomplishments as it reinforces the country’s technical vocational education and training (TVET) sector.

On August 15, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. appointed Secretary Benitez as the 15^th Director General of TESDA.

Upon his assumption, Secretary Benitez laid out his eight-point “TESDABest” plan for the agency. This plan includes: Access to TVET; Behavior and Mindset Change; Competency Standards and TRs for New and Higher-Level Qualifications; Demand-Driven and Data-Driven TVET; Employment Outcomes; Flexible Learning, and Facilities; Global Competitiveness, and Good Housekeeping; and, Harmonization with SHS Curriculum, Ladderization with Higher Education, and Lifelong Learning Pathways.

“We want an adaptable and adaptive TVET system that opens up opportunities for economic mobility for Filipinos, a TVET system that provides training that leads to employment,” Secretary Benitez said in his speech during TESDA’s regular flag-raising ceremony last December 2.

“We want a dynamic TVET system that produces skilled technical professionals who are agile and competitive, ready to take on emerging jobs,” he added.

Aligning TVET with labor market needs

Last November 13, TESDA and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) signed a joint memorandum circular and data-sharing agreement to strengthen skills training, career guidance, and employment support for workers.

The JMC outlines a framework for the two agencies to harmonize such programs as career counseling, soft skills training, technical vocational education, and job-matching services through PhilJobNet and TESDA’s Registry of Certified Workers. The integration is expected to enhance workforce readiness, address job-skills mismatch, and improve access to employment opportunities for Filipino job seekers nationwide.

Further, TESDA welcomed the signing of Republic Act No. 12063 or the “Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act”. The EBET Law opens up opportunities for experiential and immersive learning for workers to acquire skills needed by industry, addressing job-skills mismatch in the labor market.

TESDA also continues to collaborate with the industry sector to ensure that the training TESDA provides aligns with what employers and industries want.

Enhancing TVET integration in Senior High School

Through strengthened coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), TESDA has been working to effectively integrate TVET into the SHS curriculum. This is to ensure that Senior High School learners will be equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to be work-ready upon their graduation.

This collaboration enables the creation of multiple learning and career pathways through ladderization programs, allowing SHS graduates to seamlessly transition between academic and technical tracks.

As such, last November 29, TESDA hosted an inter-agency discussion on reinforcing the government's efforts to make Senior High School graduates multi-skilled and more employable through mandatory assessment and certifications, and by embedding tec-voc training in the SHS curriculum.

Elevating global competitiveness

Last October, Secretary Benitez, together with Deputy Director General Nelly, attended the 28th ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting in Singapore. The conference provided invaluable insights on critical labor issues, including transitions to formal employment, promotion of green jobs and sustainable practices, addressing demographic shifts and youth unemployment, and upskilling workers through technological advancements.

A few weeks later, Secretary Benitez led the TESDA delegation to the International Technology Security and Innovation Government Leaders Forum at the Arizona State University in the United States. The event brought together leaders from various countries to discuss trends in the semiconductor industry and to foster collaborations aimed at enhancing resilience and security within the global semiconductor ecosystem.

Commitment to inclusivity

TESDA has also continued to strengthen its commitment to inclusive growth and social empowerment through strategic partnerships and targeted programs that uplift marginalized and vulnerable sectors of society.

Recently, TESDA signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Migrant Workers  to provide skills training for distressed and repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). As part of this initiative, TESDA awarded Certificates of Scholarship Commitment to the family of Mary Jane Veloso, who had been detained in Indonesia for 14 years but will soon be transferred to the custody of the Philippine government. Further, in October, TESDA Deputy Director General Felizardo R. Colambo presented 200 scholarship commitments to repatriated OFWs from Lebanon, solidifying TESDA’s support for Filipino workers in transition.

TESDA also forged a MOA with the Department of Justice to implement training programs for persons under probation or released on parole. These programs aim to facilitate their reintegration into society and provide them with opportunities for economic self-sufficiency.

Discussions with the Department of Social Welfare and Development have begun to align TESDA’s efforts with the Sustainable Livelihood Program.

Moreover, TESDA is engaging with various agencies, including the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, the National Commission on Senior Citizens, and the National Youth Commission, to develop training programs tailored for informal settler families, senior citizens, and out-of-school youth.