The Certificates of Scholarship Commitments being handed to the sons of Mary Jane Veloso*
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority has awarded Certificates of Scholarship Commitments to the sons and relatives of Mary Jane Veloso, TESDA Director General Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez said Sunday, Dec. 1.
Mary Jane Veloso who was convicted on drugs charges in Indonesia has been saved from execution and is expected to be returned to the Philippines this December.
Veloso has been detained in Indonesia for 14 years now but will soon be transferred to custody of Philippine authorities, following an agreement between President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Indonesian government.
On instructions of Benitez, TESDA Nueva Ecija Provincial Director Alvin L. Yturralde visited the home of Celia Veloso, the mother of Mary Jane, in Brgy. Burol, General Natividad town, on November 26, and presented the certificates to Mary Jane’s two sons, which entitles them to free training in any TESDA-recognized training center, a TESDA press statement said.
Four more certificates were given to Mary Jane’s siblings and cousins.
“TESDA’s special priority are distressed OFWs like Mary Jane Veloso,” Benitez said, highlighting that one of his eight-point agenda is to expand access to technical-vocational training for vulnerable groups.
“We are closely collaborating with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to provide skills training for distressed and repatriated OFWs and their families, so they have other options for employment and livelihood,” he said.
TESDA and the DMW signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on October 15 for provision of training and competency assessment for OFWs.
Even prior to the signing of the MOA, TESDA has been bringing assessors abroad to serve OFWs. Since 2014, TESDA has assessed close to 7,745 OFWs in four foreign sites. In 2024, as of October 31, TESDA has assessed 1,769 OFWs in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai, Singapore and Malaysia, the press statement said.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac also visited the Veloso family and provided welfare assistance.*