“There is a need to upskill and reskill our population in the face of threats to labor from artificial intelligence and digital transition”, Secretary Francisco Benitez, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director general, said on Monday, August 26.
“That is happening at a much faster pace than the other education agencies really can cope with,” Benitez said during a press conference at his office in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
“The reskilling of our workforce for emerging technologies ranging from digital transitions to environmental green and blue jobs, and imbedding climate change factors in our workforce” will be among TESDA’s priorities, he said.
He also said they are not only looking at fixing the curriculum of the senior high school technical vocational education track but also at expanding the enterprise-based apprenticeship programs nationwide.
“This will mean that the upskilling and reskilling of the workforce is directed towards the industries that the country needs and wants to cultivate,” he said.
Benitez said among the bills he pushed in Congress is on rationalizing the enterprise-based education and training.
The bill is now at the bicameral conference committee after which it will be sent the Office of the President for signing into law, Benitez said.
Benitez said TESDA is lobbying for a bigger budget for reforms such as enterprise-based learning.
The TESDA budget for this year is about P21 billion but it was placed at P18 billion in the National Expenditure Program for 2025, he said.
So at the budget hearing the congressmen moved to increase the budget of TESDA, he said.
Part of the reform programs is that senior high school TechVoc students can get TESDA certificates after being assessed, he added.
NIR REG’L OFFICE
The TESDA regional office in the Negros Island Region (NIR) will be in Dumaguete City, Benitez said.
The NIR Technical Working Group will have to designate satellite offices for accessibility and convenience, he said.
Benitez pointed out that the TESDA regional training center is actually already in Talisay City in Negros Occidental.
Benitez also said the NIR Internal Rules and Regulations have already been approved.
The only reason the ceremonial signing in Siquijor did not take place was the congressmen were attending the budget hearings.*