PAGADIAN CITY (PIA) - The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has solidified partnerships with 132 agencies from public and private sectors across the Zamboanga Peninsula. 

The culmination of these partnerships took place during a momentous Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing event held in Pagadian City.

Among the key signatories of the MOA was the Social Security System (SSS) branch in Pagadian, represented by Remy Marie Kisio.

Kisio emphasized the importance of extending SSS coverage to job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) employees, as well as TESDA beneficiaries. Through this initiative, these individuals gain access to vital benefits and services offered by SSS during life contingencies.

“Since our JOs and COS personnel are not covered under Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) law, they shall be registered with SSS as self-employed members, wherein, in times of contingencies, they will be qualified for the benefits offered by SSS,” she said.

Furthermore, Kisio also highlighted the e-Center initiative, wherein TESDA beneficiaries will be able to get their SSS number through TESDA’s provincial offices. With their established linkage, TESDA and SSS assigned a point person who was tasked with assisting with the online services that SSS offers.

Moreover, Regional Director Tarhata S. Mapandi stressed the importance of collaboration in workforce development.

“It is imperative that we strengthen our collaboration with TESDA to ensure continuous advancement and empowerment of our workforce, especially here in ZamPen,” she stated.

According to Mapandi, the primary goal of this partnership is to open doors for students and graduates of technical vocational education and training (TVET) programs, particularly in the Zamboanga Peninsula. With these, TESDA graduates and TVET completers can easily enter the workforce, and the industry can easily support them.

Echoing this statement, Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Director Miraluna Baje-Lopez emphasized that this forged partnership intensifies TESDA’s delivery of technical education and skills development programs and services. The overall goal of this collaboration is to align training programs with industry requirements, elevate training standards, create job opportunities, and empower marginalized sectors.

Through these collaborations, TESDA and its partners are committed to equipping individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in today's competitive global economy, ultimately contributing to the socioeconomic development of the Zamboanga Peninsula. (RVC/EDT/HTB/PIA9 Zamboanga del Sur)