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On TESDA’s P6.2 billon unspent fund: Sen. Win Gatchalian, during Monday’s hybrid hearing of Finance Subcommittee J, October 18, 2021, on the proposed 2022 budget of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC), asks how TESDA can utilize its P6.2 billion unspent scholarship fund for 2021 with barely three months remaining. Gatchalian expressed fears that the amount will be again parked with PITC for the sake of spending the fund as he flagged the department on the agency’s "inefficient fiscal management." TESDA Secretary General Isidro Lapeña said part of the unspent amount will be used in paying the procurement of toolkits for TESDA scholars and that they are doing advanced procurement for the years to come. Gatchalian also cited an Asian Development Bank report on technical and vocational education and training in the country which showed that occupational group mismatch goes as high as 70 to 80 percent despite its staggering budget compared to the budget of agency six years ago. (Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB)