16 May 2021
TESDA gets nod to resume in-person assessment of HSWs during MECQ
TAGUIG CITY – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has been given the green light to conduct in-person assessments for household service workers (HSWs) in places under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).
In its Resolution No. 115 series of 2021 dated May 13, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) allowed TESDA to conduct limited face-to-face assessments for HSWs even under MECQ.
It said that the conduct of the activity is subject to conditions, such as said in-person assessments shall be held only in TESDA Training Institutions (TTIs).
It added that, in-persons assessments shall only be limited for HSWs ready for overseas deployment, hence, they must have valid contracts and visas.
Applicants are advised to further abide by TESDA guidelines relative to the conduct of in-person assessments and follow minimum health standards.
TESDA chief Secretary Isidro Lapeña thanked the IATF-EID for allowing TESDA to conduct assessment even in MECQ areas.
“This is a very welcome development especially for our graduates and skilled workers. We thank the IATF for expanding the areas where we can conduct competency assessment. TESDA is ready to do training and assessment under any quarantine levels,” Lapeña said.
He added that allowing limited face-to-face assessment for HSWs will certainly speed up the assessment and certification process and facilitate outbound OFW’s compliance to their job requirements abroad.
“This will definitely ease the burden of our kababayans who have been waiting to undergo competency assessment which was suspended due to quarantine restrictions. We will ensure that all outbound OFWs are competent and have the right skills to render service to their employers in foreign countries,” he said.
Meanwhile, as NCR plus bubble has reverted to General Community Quarantine (GCQ), face-to-face training and assessment in select qualifications as allowed by IATF resolutions 47 and 78 shall also resume.
IATF Resolution No. 47 dated June 19, 2020 allowed TESDA to continue the conduct of training programs and assessment “related to agriculture/fishery qualifications for food production and processing”, “distance learning for technical vocational education and training (TVET) programs”, and eLearning components of blended learning for TVET programs” in areas under GCQ.
On the other hand, IATF Resolution No. 78 dated October 8 allowed TESDA to conduct face-to-face competency assessment for Domestic Work, Caregiving, Housekeeping, and other technical-vocational courses.
More face-to-face training and assessment are expected to resume following the provisions under the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 20-06 issued last December 9 by TESDA and the Department of Trade and Industry.
The JMC identified six priority TVET qualifications that are allowed to conduct face-to-face trainings under GCQ, namely: (1) construction; (2) construction-related; (3) electrical and electronics; (4) garments and textiles; (5) land transportation; and (6) health.
It also allowed face-to-face competency assessments for the following sectors: (1) automotive; (2) electrical and electronics; (3) furniture and fixtures; (4) heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration; (5) garments and textiles; (6) construction; (7) health, social and other community development services; (8) information and communication technology; (9) land transportation; (10) language and culture; (11) maritime; (12) metals and engineering; (13) visual arts; (14) tourism (hotel and restaurant); (15) TVET; and (16) wholesale and retail trading.
President Rodrigo Duterte has placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under general community quarantine “with heightened restrictions” from May 15 until May 31. ###
07 May 2021
TESDA to build training center, provincial office in Eastern Samar
Taguig City – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is set to build a Provincial Training Center (PTC) and their provincial office in Guiuan, Eastern Samar., boosting the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the area.
On May 3, TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña and Guiuan, Eastern Samar Mayor Analiza Gonzales-Kwan signed the Deed of Donation for the 1,000 square meter lot, on which the PTC-Eastern Samar and provincial office will be built.
The donated 1,000 square meter parcel of land is part of the 13,861 square meter land owned by Gonzales-Kwan and located at Barangay Ward 10.
As part of its guiding principle “TESDA Abot Lahat”, last July 2019, Lapeña issued a directive to all TESDA offices to establish at least one PTC to ensure continued access to quality training and skills development.
In his message, Lapeña said that the establishment of PTC in Guiuan will ensure the advancement of TVET training in the province of Eastern Samar.
“Establishing this PTC here in Guiuan will surely bring the programs and services of TESDA closer to its beneficiaries, considering that Guiuan has the greatest number of island barangays in the province,” Lapeña said.
Lapeña likewise expressed his gratitude to Gonzales-Kwan noting that the continuous support TESDA has been receiving from local government units (LGUs) nationwide is a proof that TESDA is doing its job in providing training to Filipinos.
“I would also like to thank people of Guiuan and the members of the Municipal Council for welcoming TESDA and supporting the act of goodwill of Mayor Gonzales-Kwan,” Lapeña added.
For her part, Gonzales-Kwan also expressed her gratitude to TESDA for giving the opportunity to empower more of their constituents and also their neighbors from other towns of the province.
“TESDA teaches us how to hone our skills to be competitive and world-class workers. It teaches us how to rise from poverty and improve the quality of life. It will give the people of Guiuan a good fighting chance to succeed in life,” she said.
Meanwhile, also present during the virtual event were TESDA Chief-of-Staff Director Juliet Orozco, Guiuan Vice Mayor Veronica Cabacaba-Ramirez, TESDA Region 8 Regional Director Gamaliel Vicente Jr., TESDA Eastern Samar Provincial Director Antonio Waniwan, and school administrators of TESDA Technological Institutions (TTIs) in Region 8. ###
May 4, 2021
TESDA modifies assessment fees on TVET programs
Taguig City – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has adjusted the assessment fees (AFs) on various qualifications of its TVET programs as the high inflation rate is significantly affecting assessors and operation costs of assessment centers (ACs).
This came following the review of AFs done by the TESDA Board Members, Technical Experts and the National Tax Research Center (NTRC). The imposition of new rates is also in compliance with Administrative Order No. 31 on rationalization of fees and charges issued in 2012.
Factors considered for the new rates are utilities, space rentals, tools and equipment, supplies and materials, assessor’s fees and AC’s personnel salary.
Included in the new charges are the adjustments in assessors’ fee on TESDA’s top three priority sectors: agriculture, forestry and fishery; health and construction. Based on a memorandum issued in June 2020, the current assessor’s fee is up by 36.4% – from the previous rate of PHP234.00 to the current rate of PHP319.00.
The increase in assessor’s fee aims to attract more assessors and improve TVET programs in these sectors. On the other hand, modifications on assessor’s fee in 32 qualifications already started in August 2020 where ten qualifications are from the agriculture and fishery while 22 are from the Construction sector.
As of December 2020, adjustments have been made on the assessment fees of 143 qualifications. While the assessor’s fee for these 143 qualifications is still at Php234.00, these are targeted to be updated this year, including its other cost items.
Meanwhile, 114 qualifications are still adopting the PHP500 rate assessment fee as prescribed by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) pursuant to Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2007. The AFs of these qualifications will be reviewed and updated. ###