GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PIA)— The Philippine’s first Regional Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Innovation Center will soon rise in General Santos City.
TESDA Director-General Jose Francisco Benitez recently led the groundbreaking ceremony for the innovation center at the General Santos National School of Arts and Trades (GSNSAT).
“This is the first of seventeen regional training and innovation centers that TESDA is building with ADB’s support. This site will house a 3,000-square-meter facility focusing on warehousing, logistics management, and big data analytics,” Secretary Benitez said.
This initiative, he added, is part of the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine Technical and Vocational Education and Training System (SIPTVETS) Project, funded by the Asian Development Bank.
Benitez emphasized that the innovation center will play a key role in enhancing supply chain and cold storage management, particularly benefiting the agri-industrial and fisheries sectors in the region.
“Here in General Santos, it is crucial that we ensure efficient logistics and supply chain management, particularly for our fisheries and agri-industrial sectors,” he said.
The TESDA chief further highlighted that the Regional TVET Innovation Center (RTIC) will serve as a model for technical-vocational training and workforce innovation, helping the Filipino workforce compete globally.
“This center is designed to ensure that our workers are not just ready for the 21st century, but that they also become leaders in innovation—not just locally or nationally, but globally as well,” he emphasized.
He also affirmed TESDA’s commitment to strengthening the TVET ecosystem, ensuring that the new center will have the facilities and capability to support skills training for both local economic expansion and international workforce demands.
“We train the Filipino workforce for both local and global needs. I look forward to returning in 2026 for the ribbon-cutting of this world-class facility,” he said.
Meanwhile, GSNSAT vocational school administrator Princess A. Ma-aya thanked TESDA and ADB for the implementation of the project in Gensan.
“This groundbreaking is not just about constructing a building. It is a symbol of our commitment to innovation and skills development for future generations,” she stated.
Ma-aya further emphasized that the SIPTVETS Project is a landmark initiative that will improve the quality and accessibility of technical and vocational education across the country. (HJPF, PIA SarGen)
