11 April 2021

Taguig City – A total of 25 Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel in Batangas have started their skills training under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Regional Training Center (RTC) Calabarzon is currently facilitating their training on Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) National Certificate (NC) II which formally started last April 5.

Implemented under the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), the training runs for 25 days under blended learning delivery mode as the country is still reeling from the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Present during the opening ceremony were TESDA Batangas Provincial Director Gerardo A. Mercado, RTC Calabarzon Acting Administrator Dorie U. Gutierrez, and Batangas Police Provincial Director PCol Rex Arvin T. Malimban.

After the training, these police personnel will be tapped as future community-based trainers.

Last July 2020, TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña signed a Memorandum of Agreement with then PNP Chief Police General Archie Gamboa to empower the Indigenous People (IPs), former rebels, and other members of far-flung communities in the country.

The MOA states that TESDA and PNP will carry out education and training; trainers development; facilities and equipment-sharing for training and assessment; and competency assessment and certification under the existing rules and regulations of both agencies.

TESDA was tasked to upskill police officers who will be visiting remote communities to train residents on agriculture and other technical-vocational courses.

Lapeña had said that TESDA does not have enough trainers and training schools to reach far-flung communities and having the PNP officers will help address the challenge.

Earlier in March, 25 PNP personnel in the National Capital Region (NCR) have completed the Driving NC II Training Program of TESDA. ###

09 April 2021

TESDA tops survey in government performance

Taguig City – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) got the highest approval rating for its performance among government agencies during the past twelve months, according to an independent pollster.

The first quarter publication of PAHAYAG survey of PUBLiCUS Asia shows that TESDA gained a 62.1 % approval rating, followed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at 60.1% and the Department of Social Welfare and Development at 13.9%.  According to PUBLiCUS Asia, the survey presented all major agencies and evaluated against a defined Likert scale—a commonly-used system in research that employs questionnaires for respondents.

TESDA also placed second in the trust ratings at 42.8% among the national agencies, following the AFP at 43.9%. The survey was conducted nationwide covering 1,500 respondents during the period of March 20-29, 2021.

Despite the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic which began in early 2020, TESDA still fulfilled its commitment of giving assistance to its trainees by devising its training programs under the “new normal” situation.  According to TESDA chief Secretary Isidro Lapeña, TESDA’s high ratings may be attributed to its advocacy of helping the displaced workers be re-employed through up-skilling or re-skilling their competencies. The agency was also seen at the forefront of creating small livelihood opportunities amid the high number of joblessness and the ongoing restructure of the labor market.

At the height of the COVID-19 last years, TESDA launched and intensified several projects catering to displaced workers, OFWs, indigenous peoples, and former rebels. It reached out to the impoverished communities with numerous programs initiated by its regional offices nationwide, varying from agriculture to construction-related and other tech-voc trainings. When the pandemic began, the agency was also on the foreground in producing and distributing face masks, face shields, protective body suits, sanitizers and disinfectants to uniformed personnel, health workers and other frontliners. 

When other disasters such as the eruption of Taal Volcano and two strong typhoons hit the country last year, TESDA was also among the agencies that immediately extended help to the victims with short-term skills training, feeding programs, temporary shelters and other necessary aid.

In 2020, around 802,218 enrolled for the Technical and Vocational (TVET) training where 715, 158 individuals have graduated; 493,018 were assessed and 462,189 were certified.

The agency also intensified its TESDA Online Program (TOP). It was during the quarantine when the unprecedented number of enrollees took place. As of February 2021, the TESDA Online Program (TOP) has already 1,502, 364 enrollees where 831,364 have completed the program. Of this number, 97,952 OFW have enrolled and 36,588 have completed TOP courses. 

Lapeña said TESDA remains steadfast in its duty to empower the Filipinos amidst the pandemic which is the toughest challenge that the country has faced so far. While the whole nation continues to fight the adversities of the raging pandemic, Lapeña vowed to strengthen TESDA’s advocacy of helping kababayans by reaching out to all sectors and making its services more accessible. TESDA shall continue enhancing its partnerships with private industries and other government agencies to improve its platform of empowering Filipinos as skilled individuals.

“I thank the Filipinos for their trust in the agency and recognizing what it is mandated to do. I assure the public that you can expect more from TESDA and we will continue delivering services despite the challenges and risks brought by the pandemic. It is during this most difficult time that we have to do more for the people,” said Lapeña. ###

07 April 2021

Over 25K rice farmers, dependents receive training from TESDA

Taguig City – In line with the implementation of Republic Act no. 11203 or the Rice Liberalization Act, a total of 25, 904 rice farmers and their dependents have completed various Rice Extension Services Program (RESP) training programs in 2020 from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

This was after TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña signed a circular in September 2019, detailing the implementing guidelines on RESP activities to be carried out by the agency through its regional and provincial offices.

Section 13 of RA 11203 creates the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) or the Rice Fund, which entails the government to allot an annual P10-B budget for the next six years to several concerned agencies, including TESDA, to help improve the Filipino rice farmers’ competitiveness, productivity, and income amid the liberalization of the Philippine rice trade.

TESDA, under the RESP cluster, is tasked to “teach skills on rice crop production, modern rice farming techniques, seed production, farm mechanization, and knowledge/technology transfer through farm schools nationwide.”

Rice farmers and their dependents have undergone training on farmers field school on production of high-quality inbred rice and seed certification, and farm mechanization; rice machinery operations, drying and milling plant servicing; service motorcycle and small engine system; and, solar powered irrigation system operation and maintenance.

Some of the graduates also received training on carpentry, electrical installation and maintenance, welding and masonry which can help them in attending to their warehouses or their farm machineries especially when minor repair work is needed.

Under the RESP, scholars will receive a P160 daily allowance, and free training and assessment, including entrepreneurship training and insurance.

With this, Lapeña urged farmers and their dependents to avail programs under RESP and vowed to work with government agencies and private sector to provide them more training.

“Patuloy tayong magtulungan sa mga susunod pang taon, para sa pag-unlad ng ating agrikultura, lalung-lalu na sa pag-unlad ng ating mga kababayang magsasaka,” he said.

Under Lapeña’s leadership, TESDA has listed agriculture as among its priority sectors. 30% of its scholarship budget is allocated for skills training on agriculture and other agri-related courses.

Last March 16, Lapeña issued a memorandum directing Regional and Provincial Directors to establish Farm Field Schools in their respective TESDA institutions, particularly those located in 57 provinces that are recipients of RCEF.

“The Farm Field Schools shall provide applicable technologies needed to improve the capabilities of farmers as they shift from the traditional method to modernized system of rice planting. These schools will also boost their competitiveness to help make the country’s agriculture sector more viable,” he had said. ###