PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is encouraging Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to create Crisis Management Teams to equip learners as well as school personnel with information on public security threats as well as disaster risks and hazards..

Provincial Director Gerardo Mercado said that it will help provide a safe place for trainees and instructors while completing skills training within the institution.

“Ang simpleng insidente nagiging crisis dahil sa hindi siya na-manage in accordance. Mag-establish sila nong crisis management team para in eventuality, ang kanilang personnel ay alam ang gagawin. Ini-expect din natin na ang mga bata nila, i-orient din nila para in case na may mangyari, organize din sila,

[A simple incident is becoming a crisis because it is not managed. They will establish a crisis management team, and their personnel will know what to do. We are expecting that they will orient the learners, so in case of an incident, they are organized],” he said

Mercado said that the bombing incident experienced at Marawi State University (MSU) awakened TESDA Palawan to the need to also equip their trainees and educators on crisis management.

TESDA Palawan also hosted the first TVET Forum with the Philippine Air Force (PAF) through Col. Eulogio Nabua to orient TVET administrators on safety threats. Palawan has 40 registered TVET institutions located in the northern and southern portions of the province.

Mercado is looking at the possibility of facilitating another forum if there is another new institution to be established and will register its programs with TESDA.

“Para lahat ng TVET institutions natin ay ready for any eventuality, kaya nakipag-coordinate tayo sa Philippine Air Force para ang ating trainees at educators natin ay feel safe sa mga TVET--Baka may mangyari, ang mga personnel, estudyante ay hindi alam ang gagawin,

[For all TVET institutions to become ready for any eventuality, that is why we have coordinated with the Philippine Air Force for our trainees and educators to feel safe in our TVETs. If there is an incident, the personnel, students might have no idea what to do]," he added. (RG/PIA Mimaropa - Palawan)