BATANGAS CITY (PIA) -- In a ceremonial signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between Technical Education And Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and around 44 stakeholder groups and government agencies, TESDA Calabarzon Regional Director Baron Jose Lagran, said that their office is committed to expanding their programs directly towards the barangay level.
The MOA, known as LINGAP-EH of the Local Government Units, Industry, National Government Agencies/Non-Government Organizations, Associations, Private Organization-Engagements Harmonized), aims to strengthen partnerships for more effective and accessible technical-vocational education to the public.
Lagran added that TESDA aims to capacitate more individuals to become more globally competitive workers.
"These partnerships with various stakeholders are considered as the beginning of a broader coordination between TESDA and its partners to produce skilled and qualified Filipinos recognized not only in the country but also worldwide," he said.
TESDA will facilitate a series of trainings based on industry requirements and demands, enhancement of skill levels, provision of employment to graduates, and introduction to the advancement of technical and vocational training programs.
Annalyn Panopio, head of the TESDA Provincial Training Center in Lipa City, emphasized the need to address the skills gap in industries and academia, prompting TESDA to be proactive in this regard. The official also encouraged local governments to formulate their training methodology courses.
San Jose, Batangas Vice Mayor Redgie Arcillas sees the importance of localizing some programs and services of TESDA, as their town will establish its own LGU-run TESDA training center and will offer courses such as automotive, driving, motorcycle repair, and air conditioning, among others.
"Many vehicles in our barangays and municipal government are left idle when damaged, so when this plan is realized, the local government and the graduates will now be responsible for repairing these vehicles,” Arcillas said.
Being the ‘Egg Basket of the Philippines’, Arcillas said that the local government is formulating a training course on poultry slaughtering operations, which is set to be the first technical course related to the poultry sector.
The signed partnership with different 'tech-voc' stakeholders is part of TESDA’s initiative to forge 1,000 partnerships nationwide and to meet the 60 percent goal that total program offerings in TESDA institutions shall fall under forged partnerships. (BPDC, CH/PIA-Batangas)
