With the new administration of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), under the leadership of Suharto Mangudadatu as the newly appointed Secretary of the agency, the TESDA is keen to bring its programs and services closer to the communities.
TESDA Secretary Mangudadatu, as he assumed the position on June 6, 2023, laid down his 10-point agenda for the next six (6) years of his tenure in the agency.
The first point on the agenda that he put emphasis on is the TESDA sa Barangay. This aims to give access to scholarship programs and free training programs among different barangays. The second item on the agenda is a review of TESDA training regulations. This initiative will focus on the realignment of technical-vocational courses to meet the demand of the industry for local and overseas employment.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has been one of the TESDA programs that benefits marginalized sectors, especially in developing their skills and knowledge in different areas. Secretary Mangudadatu, as his third agenda item, will also prioritize TVET to meet the demand of the industry or the locality of a certain area. The fourth agenda item is compliance and enhanced monitoring. The agency will also regularly inspect TESDA-accredited schools and learning centers to check on their compliance with the existing requirements of program registration, certification, and facilities.
In an effort to promote a more efficient and easier way of registering and applying for TESDA scholarship programs, part of Secretary Mangudadatu’s agenda is to enhance the online application. Additionally, the agency will work on the promotion of rural enterprise and area development through TVET. This will provide accessibility to TESDA programs for the development of rural areas.
Also, part of Secretary Mangudadatu’s 10-point agenda is the Youthpreneurship or youth entrepreneurship. TESDA will have a direct partnership with the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and other youth organizations in every barangay and locality to develop a process of information dissemination and empower the youth for the development of their skills through TESDA programs and interventions. The next initiative that Secretary Mangudadatu would like to implement is the TESDA Industry Exchange Program. This will strengthen the partnership in the continuing training of trainers and students between the industry and TESDA.
As the Secretary of TESDA, Mangudadatu will also bring in the HALAL TVET that would open an opportunity to tap the HALAL business world through the introduction and promotion of HALAL TVET.
The last and one of the most important items on the agenda is strengthening and regeneration of internal structure of the agency. The leadership of Mangudadatu will see to it that all departments, divisions, and offices of the agency are reliable and accountable for the management’s trust and confidence in providing the necessary educational needs of students and trainers as well.
With the new set of TESDA officials, the agency assures that it will continue to provide quality programs and projects that will help uplift the lives of the poor people in the country.
The said agenda will be a guide for such an administration in fulfilling its goal of providing adequate education and skills to Filipinos who want to learn and be a highly employable skilled worker.
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TESDA with BSP, BDO Foundation to boost financial literacy of tech-voc learners
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, in partnership with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and BDO Foundation (BDOF), targets to improve the financial health and capability of over 4 million tech-voc learners through a free, online course on personal finance.
TESDA Director General Danilo P. Cruz highlighted how having financial literacy better prepares tech-voc learners to succeed in the 21st Century work environment.
“The 21st-century workplace demands workers to demonstrate self-management and develop practices and attitudes toward lifelong learning and career development. In this regard, TESDA, together with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the BDO Foundation aims that, once launched, this course will help our learners develop self-management strategies and reflective practices as they handle their personal finances. It will also enable them to make sound financial decisions towards the attainment of their life and career goals,” Cruz said.
The Financial Literacy Course (FLC) will be available to the general public and to technical-vocational education and training (TVET) learners via the TESDA Online Program (TOP) accessible at www.e-tesda.gov.ph.
The project is the result of an agreement signed last March 2023 by BSP Governor Felipe Medalla and Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat; TESDA Director General Danilo Cruz and Deputy Director General Rosanna Urdaneta; and, BDO Foundation President Mario Deriquito, and trustees Lucy Co Dy and Lazaro Jerome Guevarra.
The course is currently under development and scheduled for launch by 2024 under the platform’s Lifelong Learning Skills courses. Topics covered in the FLC include financial planning, saving and budgeting, debt and investment management, digital financial literacy, and consumer protection.
Meanwhile, Governor Felipe emphasized the contributions of TVET learners to the economy and the importance of strategic partnerships in upskilling vulnerable sectors.
The BSP recognizes the vital role of TVET learners as the linchpin of the Philippine economy, whether they pursue employment or entrepreneurship here or abroad. Through the FLC, we empower them to take charge of their own personal and financial growth. This ownership, in turn, leads them to unlock better outcomes and opportunities for themselves, their families, and for our economy. To expand the reach of BSP’s financial inclusion efforts, sustainable public-private partnerships are instrumental in developing more financial education (fin-ed) programs that are free, effective, accessible, interactive, and scalable,” Medalla said.
“This forms part of our continuing contribution to the BSP’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion. We look forward to working closely with TESDA and the BSP’s Economic and Financial Learning Office on the development of the FLC. Through this partnership project, we hope to help enhance the economic well-being of the participants of TESDA’s training programs. Thank you, BSP and TESDA, for giving BDO Foundation this opportunity to take part in yet another project that will contribute to creating a financially inclusive future,” BDO Foundation President Deriquito underscored.
The tripartite partnership for TVET learners aligns with the objectives and priority initiatives of the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) 2022-2028, which aims to strengthen financial education and consumer protection by prioritizing the financial and digital literacy of financially underserved sectors.
The TOP was launched in 2012 and was strengthened amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, it has 151 online courses across various sectors and has around 4.4 million registered users.
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TESDA inaugurates training center in Palawan
Palawan residents are set to receive additional skills training and livelihood programs from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
This after TESDA, headed by Director General Danilo P. Cruz, opened the Provincial Training Center (PTC) located at Brgy. Magara, Roxas, Palawan last May 30.
In his message, DG Cruz emphasized that the establishment of the PTC in the province is both timely and well in line with TESDA’s mission to expand and strengthen its mandate, programs, and services.
“This facility also enables TESDA to better realize its central strategy of delivering area-based, demand-driven technical vocational education and training, to address the issue of job-skills mismatch by developing and implementing programs based on the needs of the community and industry,” the TESDA Chief said.
The two-story PTC is expected to produce over 1,000 graduates in various courses such as Driving NC II, Organic Agriculture Production NC II, Solar Nightlight and Post Lamp, Masonry NC II, Carpentry NC II, Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC II, Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II, Trainers Methodology Level I, Trainers Methodology Level II, and Community-Based Trainers Methodology Course.
Likewise, the training center is also planning to register additional courses such as Bookkeeping NC II, Facilitate E-Learning Sessions, and Heavy Equipment Operation (HEO) NC II.
It also eyeing to be an accredited Assessment Center for various courses such as Organic Agriculture Production NC II, Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC II, Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II, Masonry NC II, Carpentry NC II, Trainers Methodology Level I, and Trainers Methodology Level II.
“Sa bagong pasilidad na ito, mas makapagsisilbi tayo ng maayos at maaabot natin ang ating mga partners at ang ating mga kababayan na may layuning mabago at mapabuti ang buhay ng ating mga mahihirap na kababayan at nasa laylayan ng lipunan.” DG Cruz said.
TESDA has been establishing training centers nationwide in pursuit of its area-based and demand-driven tech-voc training. Last May 6, it opened the PTC-Lipa in Batangas.