Labor chief, lawmakers vouch for 'game changer' enterprise-based education and training

March 06, 2025

Technical vocational education and training (TVET) stakeholders from the government expressed their support for the newly signed Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act.

It can be recalled that Secretary Jose Francisco “Kiko” B. Benitez, Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma signed the IRR of the Republic Act No. 12063 or the EBET Framework Act last February 28.

In his speech during the signing ceremony, Laguesma reaffirmed the Department of Labor and Employment's commitment to implementing the EBET Law, noting that it aligns with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s vision of an agile and skilled workforce.

“The prompt issuance of this IRR underscores the urgency and demonstrates the commitment of executive branch to work closely with the legislature in realizing the objectives of the law to provide Filipino workers every opportunity to gain new skills and competencies to meet the demand of the labor market,” Secretary Laguesma said.

Meanwhile, Senators Joel Villanueva and Sherwin Gatchalian, and Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo, who had pushed for the enactment of the EBET Framework Act, also graced the signing ceremony.

Senator Villanueva, the principal author and sponsor of the law, emphasized the EBET Framework Act’s importance in providing Filipinos with quality and sustainable employment opportunities.

“I believe this is very important, industry-led training is indeed a game changer in our country today,” the Senator, who also served as TESDA’s head from 2010 to 2016, said.

For their part, Senator Gatchalian and Congressman Romulo, who head the Basic Education committees of the upper and lower chambers respectively, echoed the importance of strong partnerships between the government and private sector in ensuring the success of EBET programs.

“The essence of EBET law is to partner with private sector counterparts and come up with a very strong apprenticeship program," Senator Gatchalian said. "I am very bullish, I am very positive with tech-voc in our country," he added.

Romulo, on the other hand, pointed out that many Senior High School students opted to take the tech-voc track and emphasized, “Ganyan ka-importante [ang TVET] sa mamamayang Pilipino.”

With the signing of the IRR, TESDA and DOLE will now focus on the nationwide implementation of EBET programs, ensuring that they are accessible, industry-driven, and aligned with job market demands.

Secretary Benitez vowed to champion EBET, positioning TESDA as the leading advocate for enterprise-based training.

“We must rethink how we approach skills development, making industry collaboration the heart of our efforts,” the TESDA Secretary stated.